GoalControl Technologyat 2014 FIFA World Cup
High-tech is entering the world of football. For the first time in history goal line technology is being used at a major tournament. GoalControl, provided by a German company, will be used in all stadiums of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The new technology is similar to the "Hawkeye" in tennis, which has been used since 2005. 14 cameras posted high around the stadium track every object. Cables connect the cameras to a main computer, which calculates the ball's exact position when it is near the goal lines. When the ball crosses the goal line within the goal posts, a signal is sent to the referee's watch saying "GOAL". In addition, the scene can be shown on a giant video wall in the stadium. But it is still the referee’s decision to accept a goal or not.
FIFA has chosen to use the GoalControl system after Frank Lampard had scored a goal for England against Germany at the 2010 World Cup. The referee decided against a goal because he was not sure if the ball had passed the line. Video footage of the scene shows that the decision was wrong.
By allowing goal-line technology FIFA hopes to make the game fairer and eliminate some wrong decisions made by referees. Football’s ruling body claims there is too much money in the game and it cannot afford to make wrong decisions.
GoalControl won the bid to install the technology in Brazil against three other bidders. It costs FIFA $3.2 million dollars for the 2014 World Cup, a small amount compared to the millions that the organization will earn during the tournament.
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Words
- accept = here: to allow
- afford = here: allow something to happen
- bid = an offer to provide a service or work for a certain price
- body = organization
- cable = plastic or rubber tube that has wires in it; telephone, radio, TV or Internet signals can pass through it
- calculate = analyse, work out
- claim = to say officially that something is true
- compare to = here: if you look at …
- connect = link
- cross = go over
- decision =choice
- eliminate = remove, do away with
- exact = correct
- fair = honest, good
- giant = big
- goal line = a line at the end of the playing field, along which the goal is placed
- goal post = box on the goal line through which the ball must go
- in addition = also
- install = set up
- major = big
- post = place, put
- provide = deliver, offer
- referee = someone who makes sure that the rules of a game are followed
- ruling = to be in control of
- similar = like
- tournament = competition in which teams compete against each other to find out which is the best
- track = record, trace