FIFA has decided that competition organizers will be free to decide whether to use goal-line technology, meaning Premier League clubs are "likely to use it for domestic games from next season but will be forbidden from doing so during European matches," according to Owen Gibson of the London GUARDIAN. FIFA has committed to using goal-line technology in the Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup. The Premier League will "seek to use it from the beginning of next season," and the FA will install it at London's Wembley Stadium in time for the Community Shield in August. However, UEFA President Michel Platini "remains implacably opposed" to the use of goal-line technology. Even though Premier League clubs will have it installed, it is "unlikely to be switched on for Champions League and Europa League ties" (GUARDIAN, 3/2).
AFTER FURTHER REVIEW: REUTERS' Mike Collett reported the Int'l FA Board "approved the use of images on giant screens and on TV" of goal-line incidents and said that it was "up to the individual competition organisers to allow those images to be used in stadiums or not." Competition organizers "can now also determine whether to approve the use of goal-line technology in their own competitions," whether it be a domestic league or a cup competition, but "not all matches in any particular competition have to use it." Scottish FA CEO Stewart Regan said, "If goal-line technology exists in a stadium, there is no advantage to one side or the other and therefore if the technology exists and it has been switched on and agreed by the competition organisers then there is no reason why it can't be used." Wales FA CEO Jonathan Ford said, "The decision we made on goal-line technology is that there is no compulsion to use it, nor is there any prohibition" (REUTERS, 3/2). SKY SPORTS reported goal-line technology "looks set to be used in this year's Community Shield, with replays of decisions to be shown on television." FA General Secretary Alex Horne is "confident the traditional Wembley curtain-raiser will see the controversial system in operation," but stadium replays of incidents "may not be permitted," despite clearance from FIFA (SKY SPORTS, 3/1).
