League Notes

English Premier League Plans To Utilize Replay System During ’07-08 Season

In Philadelphia, Craig Donnelly reports neither Laffit Pincay Jr. nor Larry Saumell –- both Jockeys’ Guild reps — were allowed to visit the jockeys’ room at Philadelphia Park Sunday “despite having visited ... many times during races” in the past. Philadelphia Park CEO Hal Handel said, “We told them they could use our building for a (guild) meeting after the races. The riders tell us they’re representing themselves, that the (national) guild doesn’t represent them.” Pincay said of the jockeys, “They don’t trust anybody now because of what happened before. You can’t blame them” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 8/15).

EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY: The Premier League plans to introduce a replay system for referees to review calls. The first step would be four cameras “hidden in the goalposts to help ensure that officials know for sure when the ball has crossed the line for a goal,” which will be brought in on a trial basis, possibly for the ’07-08 season. Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore said, “People are getting less and less tolerant of referees making mistakes. The old argument that it’s in the nature of the game doesn’t feel like that when it’s your team and there’s Champions League qualification at stake” (London OBSERVER, 8/13).

BALANCING ACT: Audi is claiming the American Le Mans Series is trying to stop its “winning streak by allowing concessions –- called ‘performance balancing’ –- to other manufacturers in an attempt to equalize the competition.” Head of Audi Motorsport Wolfgang Ullrich said, “We can not accept that our life will now be made artificially difficult. Audi ... will only continue its [ALMS] program if there are again stable and consistent rules.” The ALMS replied, “Performance balancing is a method to bring each type of car configuration to an acceptable band of competitiveness without eliminating the advantages that some have gained.” Audi has won the manufacturer’s title for six straight years (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 8/15).