UEFA President Michel Platini has "reiterated his opposition to goal-line technology despite it being used by FIFA for the first time at the Club World Cup in Japan this week," according to Alex Bath of the LONDON TIMES. The former France int'l, who is favorite to take over from Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in '15, "delivered a swift 'no' when asked if he would follow FIFA’s lead." Platini said, "It is not a question of goal-line technology, it is a question of technology. Where do you begin with the technology and where do you end with the technology?" Platini "has long argued that the money required to introduce technology into the sport could be better spent, and he echoed his previous statements" Tuesday. Platini said, "To put goal-line technology in our competitions is €50M ($65M) in five years. I prefer to give the €50M to the grassroots and development in football than to put €50 million into technology for perhaps one or two goals per year" (LONDON TIMES, 12/11). REUTERS' Patrick Johnston reported Platini, who is in favor of deploying extra officials instead of technology to help make decisions, "will have the opportunity to discuss the issue with Blatter and the rest of the FIFA exec committee at a meeting in Tokyo on Friday." Platini said, "We supported the additional referees that is now accepted by the international board, and with the referee one metre from the line I think if he has good glasses he can see if the ball is inside the goal or outside" (REUTERS, 12/11).
ASIAN AID: THE NATIONAL reported Asian football chiefs "have signed a cooperation pact with their European counterparts in a bid to improve the standard of football in the region." The agreement will see UEFA helping the Asian Football Confederation in "establishing and developing new education, training and refereeing projects, among other events." AFC acting President Zhang Jilong said, "We have a goal to be one of the best confederations of the world, and at the moment Asian football is on the rise, but there is a long way to go" (THE NATIONAL, 12/11).
