Technology debateHawk Eye decisions are ''instant''

July 2, 2010


Paul Hawkins, the man behind 'Hawk Eye', has revealed in an exclusive interview with Soccernet that the technology could be introduced to football - providing accurate and instant verdicts to contentious goal-line decisions.

Interview with Paul Hawkins

Goal-line technology has long been a subject of debate and has always been rejected by football's lawmakers, but FIFA has revealed that after Frank Lampard's 'goal' against Germany it will be reviewing whether or not it can be used in the sport.

Hawkins has seen his technology used successfully in tennis and cricket but says that, should FIFA decide to bring it in, the system would be instant, with no delay.

"The football system is slightly different to tennis and cricket. What FIFA have asked for is a system that will immediately tell the referee. So there's no review and no time taken out of the game," Hawkins said. "As soon as the ball crosses the line the referee receives a beep in the ear-piece that he already has to communicate with the linesman, so it's seamless. From a fans' perspective in the stadium you wouldn't even know it's there."

"We've discussed the system with FIFA also telling them if the ball is close to the line without actually crossing it, the referee will receive positive information that it hasn't. Because it is instant it doesn't slow the game down. If anything it speeds it up."

One of the main opponents to the use of technology has been FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who has maintained that it is not 100% effective, but Hawkins played down his fears.

"For any camera-based system the key area that people need to be convinced by is in a crowded penalty box with people around the ball obscuring it," he said. "That is the cleverest thing about our technology - being able to do that by positioning the cameras to detect the ball if only a small part of it can be seen."

Blatter apologised to England and Mexico after poor decisions cost them a place in the latter stages of the World Cup, but the incidents also prompted FIFA to put goal-line technology back on the agenda at next month's official meeting in Cardiff.

''On the face of it, it is encouraging. But the champagne is very much on ice. We'll have to wait and see what FIFA say after their meeting in July,'' Hawkins added. "It is a shame he tries to form his opinion on how a system works. What any non-scientist needs to do is form an opinion based on test results and whether it works or not.

"It is human nature to be slightly afraid of change and tennis was a little bit split, certainly before the 2004 US Open when there was a big controversy over line calls. That was really the catalyst for change."

"We'll have to wait and see whether this latest instance in the England versus Germany game is the catalyst for change in football."