FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Tuesday that he had "received assurances from the Russian government that the economic crisis convulsing Russia would not affect preparations" for the 2018 World Cup, according to Jack Stubbs of REUTERS. Russia, which "faces a second straight year of recession" after its gross domestic product fell 3.7% last year due to lower global oil prices and Western sanctions, plans to cut state spending by 10% on average in '16. Its World Cup budget has been "repeatedly slashed and was limited" to 620.9B rubles ($9.5B) in February. Infantino said, "Everyone knows, of course, the economic situation and we have received sufficient guarantees that this will not have an impact. I think actually quite the opposite, I think that the World Cup can contribute to boost not only the football movement but the general economy here in Russia" (REUTERS, 4/19).
VIDEO ASSISTANCE: The AP's James Ellingworth reported Infantino said that video replays "could be used at the 2018 World Cup." The Int'l FA Board, which sets football's rules, "approved trials of video assistance last month." Calling the technology "something that everyone was waiting for," Infantino said it could be used on the sport's biggest stage "almost as soon as those experiments come to an end." Infantino: "We will know in time and I hope that Russia 2018 will be the first World Cup where the referees will be helped a little bit by video technology." The use of video will be "restricted to referees ruling whether a goal has been scored, a penalty should be awarded and a player should be sent off as well as cases of mistaken identity." A large multi-camera operation "will be required for games where video assistance is used" (AP, 4/19). The BBC reported in the experiments, a video assistant referee "will have access to video replays during matches and will either review an incident on request or communicate with the referee proactively about an incident that may have been missed by the officials on the field of play." UEFA decided to introduce the technology in January "after incidents where goals had not been given despite crossing the line." In contrast to the Premier League, UEFA has "previously opted to use additional assistant referees in its competitions," including the Champions League, and will continue to use five officials at Euro 2016 in France (BBC, 4/19). Professional Referee Organization GM Peter Walton appeared on ESPNews' "ESPN FC" to discuss the ongoing trials for introducing video technology into football, including its use at the 2018 World Cup. Walton said, "Between now and when it's introduced, there will be protocols established that will give referees some guidelines as to when they should interfere with the referee's decision." Walton said that if the on-field referee has awarded a penalty kick, the official "in the booth" will review the play and if there "wasn't any contact obviously he'd say to the referee, 'I think you got it wrong.'" But if there is contact he "leaves it up to the referee's subjective viewpoint" to give that penalty kick. Walton said, "Unless it's a clear and obvious error from the referee" ("ESPN FC," ESPNews, 4/19).
LEX FIFA: REUTERS' Michael Shields reported Switzerland enacted new rules, dubbed by Swiss media "Lex FIFA," on Wednesday "cracking down on bribes paid to private individuals as part of a fight against corruption in sport." The government put into force from July "revised legislation that allows prosecutors to investigate suspected bribes without having to await a criminal complaint, and even if payoffs do not skew competition, as the current law now holds" (REUTERS, 4/20).
