FIFA responds to requests for goal-line technology: ‘We already said no.’

Fifa , world soccer’s organizing body, has responded to requests for goal-line technology (among other technologies) with a non-response. Said the organization, by way of spokesman Nicolas Maignot, at a media briefing earlier today: “The International FA Board, which Fifa is a member of along with the four British associations, dealt with this topic in March. A clear decision on the use of technology was taken at the time.” He then added, “We will not enter into any debate on refereeing at the daily media briefing. I am not competent to do so.” Competent, you say? /me taps nose

You’ll recall that the International FA Board decided that technology is evil and recommended against its use. This decision led to France qualifying for the World Cup instead of Ireland, and we all know how that went. The world, and the World Cup, would have been much better served with Ireland rather than the dysfunctional French!

Basically, all that hogwash that Fifa likes to spew about the integrity of sport, forget it. Fifa says it wants to see better referring, as if putting a chip or sensor in the ball is independent of better referring.

And again, Fifa uses technology all the time. The refs are armed with microphones. The advertisement boards that run along the pitch are electronic. Adidas and Nike develop new, super-advanced balls seemingly every season—Fifa had no problem taking Adidas’ money when it came time to bid on the ball rights!

The matches of this World Cup are broadcast in 3D, for the love of God! Who even has a 3D TV yet? But no, if Sony wants to pay up for the rights to be the official provider of 3D technology, well then!

And I’m not pro-technology here just because this is a tech site. Most of the tech I see on a daily basis is either boring or annoying. Goal-line technology just so happens to be a very real solution to a very real problem.

For the zillionth time: the integrity of the game is at stake. Would England have beaten Germany yesterday if Lampard’s goal had counted? I doubt it, considering how absolutely dire England played. Never has a collection of “world class” players flattered to deceive so dramatically.

I’ve never been one of those anti-Fifa people before this whole mess, but my God. The organization comes across like a giant collection of jerks, one that’s threatening the very game it purports to protect.

This post is tagged: 3d tv, Adidas, ball, board, body, briefing, collection, cup, daily basis, decision, dysfunctional, england, Fifa, fifa world, france, game, Germany, goal line, goal line technology, god, Headline, hogwash, integrity, international, international fa board, Ireland, line technology, member, microphones, Nicolas Maignot, nike, Organization, pro technology, problem, qualifying for the world cup, real solution, refereeing, refs, Soccer, spokesman, Sports, stake, tech, Technology, Time, today, topic, use, way, world, world cup, world soccer, zillionth time