Video referees "could help to drive new rule changes" such as a "penalty goal" being awarded for a handball on the line, football’s lawmakers revealed. The "successful trial of video assistant referees" in the match between France and Spain on Tuesday is "likely to accelerate the introduction of the system into the professional game." Int'l FA Board Technical Dir David Elleray said that the idea of penalty goals "is among ideas being considered" (LONDON TIMES, 3/30).
The campaign for research into the link between football and dementia helped secure a "vital victory" on Thursday when the FA committed to a "major new study" into what affected families have called "sport’s silent scandal." The FA and Professional Footballers' Association made an announcement "inviting independent researchers to submit proposals that will answer the question of whether footballers are suffering disproportionately from degenerative brain injury" (London TELEGRAPH, 3/30).
The Association of European Professional Football Leagues and Perform Group, Sportradar and Genius Sports announced a data cooperation involving eight European leagues (the Austrian Bundesliga, Belgian ProLeague, Danish Divisionsforeningen, Israeli Professional Football League, Dutch Eredivisie, Norwegian Toppfotball, Swedish Föreningen Elitfotboll and Swiss Football League). It is the first multi-league agreement signed under the umbrella of the EPFL. The leagues will make available official betting data collection and supply rights on a non-exclusive basis for an initial three-year period (EPFL).
