Sports Briefs
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HISTORY was made after video replays were used for the first time during France’s 3-1 friendly win over Italy in Bari on Thursday, September 1. Video was used when Italy appealed for a penalty after a perceived handball in the box by Layvin Kurzawa, a French defender.
Referee Bjorn Kuipers stopped play while TV replays were consulted and it was decided not to award a spot-kick.
Apparently impressed, Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, hailed the method, saying: “It was a first at this level with national teams. We’re moving forward. It was promising,” adding: “On two occasions in particular we used video replays. It’s positive.” The FIFA bosss said he hoped “video assistant referees” would be used at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. “If we can help the referee make fewer mistakes while protecting the game, that’s good,” he continued. “The referee is the only one not to have access to the images. But we must analyse all that because we must not interrupt the game.”
Trials have already taken place in the United Soccer League – the third tier of football in the USA – and it will also be tested in six other countries in the next two years, including Germany and Italy.
“You could see that the referee stopped play for a couple of seconds and during those seconds the two referees in the truck verified that there was no penalty,” Infantino told Italy’s Rai TV.
“We’ve seen football history here,” he added. “We’re in 2016 so it’s about time to try it.”
— Sep 12, 2016 @ 01:00 GMT
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