Goal-Line Technology Suffers Further Set Backs

Plans to introduce goal-line technology in the Premier League for the 2012-13 season will be delayed for at least a year.

Alex Horne, General Secretary of the FA, delivered the news today, after Sepp Blatter said the tests could be resumed following England's disallowed goal in the World Cup.

The International Football Association Board has authorised the testing of goal-line technology although they are not expected to proceed with its implementation for at least another year.

The General Secretary said: "I think that'll be too late for season 2012-13.

"I think it'll be 2013-14 because there's then a big capital decision-making process for any league or any competition who want to apply it".

FIFA is testing eight or nine systems and all could eventually be sanctioned.

"There's not going to be one technology for all of world football," he said. "Multiple technologies, if they meet the criteria, will be available then to go into the market and people will buy.

"IFAB will licence them as successful products and other products could join in later if they can reach the standards.

He added there would be big decisions for competition organisers to take.

"Do you have one technology for a competition, do you have multiple technologies for multiple competitions?" he said.

"There's a phase of testing that will run up until March that will establish, basically, whether technology can actually achieve reasonable accuracy of 90 per cent, 99 per cent, maybe even 100 per cent.

"The tests are being carried out live in stadia all around Europe. They can simulate light, they can simulate dark, they can simulate balls rolling across the line, balls being fired in from all different angles.

"The testers can move in and spend three or four hours testing their system".

FIFA think that the tests can be completed in time for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.