UEFA announced that Hawk-Eye technology will be used to "decide whether the ball has crossed the goal-line at this year's European Championship." The British company's camera-based system, used in tennis and cricket and at the 2014 World Cup final, "will be installed in all 10 stadiums hosting the tournament in France." Hawk-Eye, used in the Premier League and Bundesliga, "was chosen after various systems were trialled." The system uses seven cameras to "track the flight of the ball, indicating to the referee via a vibration device whether a goal has been scored." Referees "will still be helped by additional assistant referees" (REUTERS, 4/19).
LIBEL CASE: Former DFB President Theo Zwanziger has "won the libel case" brought against him by Qatar and its FA following a hearing at a Dusseldorf regional court. Zwanziger, 70, has been "critical of the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to the Gulf state," and has repeatedly said that Qatar was "a cancer on world football." The Gulf state described Zwanziger's words as "unacceptable" and sued him for libel in June '15. The civil case between Zwanziger and Qatar was "heard before the court in February before the judgement was passed on Tuesday, when the case was dismissed on the grounds that the statement was covered by freedom of expression" (ESPN, 4/19).
FOOTBALL BRIEFS ...
Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau will not allow big-screen TVs to be installed on the streets of Barcelona for fans to watch Euro 2016 games. In '10, 75,000 fans gathered along Avenida Maria Cristina in Barcelona to watch Spain win the World Cup. The "installation of the screens was not going to cost the city government, as the promoters were going to cover the cost" (MARCA, 4/19).
On Wednesday, before La Liga side Valencia's home game vs. Eibar, "there will be a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the recent earthquake in Ecuador and of former Valencia player Quique Martin," who died last week at the age of 91. The magnitude-7.8 earthquake hit Ecuador on Saturday night (SUPERDEPORTE, 4/18).
Bermudian CONCACAF presidential candidate Larry Mussenden has "vowed to recover millions of dollars seized in the FIFA corruption scandal and share it among the region’s football associations if he is elected president of the confederation next month." Bermuda FA President Mussenden "made the pledge in his election manifesto." He said he would like to see a "significant share" of the $190M seized by the U.S. Department of Justice returned to CONCACAF. He added that those funds would then be "divided between the federation, the unions, and member associations getting the lion's share" (STABROEK NEWS, 4/19).
The Belgian Red Devils will earn a "handsome" €700,000 ($795,410) per player if the national team wins this summer’s Euro 2016 in France. In an agreement between the players and the Belgian FA (KBVB), the players were entitled to "60% of all the prize money the KBVB received." That agreement will run until the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Euro 2016 may "turn into the golden goose for Belgium's golden generation." In total, teams "can earn up to" €27M ($31M) during Euro 2016. That would amount to €16.2M ($18.4M) for the Belgian squad or €700,000 per player (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 4/19).
