UEFA has begun the process of stepping into a Michel Platini-free era after the executive committee approved the use goal-line technology (GLT) at Euro 2016 and in next season’s Champions League.
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Ukraine were denied a goal against England at Euro 2012, while at the 2010 World Cup Frank Lampard was denied a goal for England against Germany.
The decision is a breakthrough for the European federation which had been the only one of the world’s regional bodies wedded to the concept of the five-referee system favoured by its now-banned president.
After analysing different versions of goal-line technology, the Premier League announced they would be using Hawk-Eye in April 2013 ahead of the following season.
A total of 24 European national teams qualified for the Euro Cup final tournament in 2016, after the contestants’ format, which was used since 1996, was chose to be extended from 16 to 24 teams.
“Now we are going to look at how to implement it”, he added.
UEFA’s referees chief Pierluigi Collina said: “This is not a decision we have taken quickly”. We have been looking at it for the a year ago and a half.
Snowball explained: “The technology, also used at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, has practically ceased the debate on whether a ball has crossed the goal-line….”
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The technology is already used in the English Premier League, Italy’s Serie A, the German Bundesliga and Ligue 1 in France. It will also be considered in the Europa League from 2017/18.
