February 02, (THEWILL) – FIFA has announced intentions to conduct live trials of “limb tracking” equipment, or robotised referees, intended to make off-side calls in the club world cup.
These “Robo-refs” are semi-automatic systems that make and determine off-side calls using computer programmes and algorithms. Their availability at the World Cup itself in Qatar will be determined by the success recorded in the club world cup.
Chelsea, which qualified for the competition by virtue of winning the UEFA Champions League, will be the first Premier League club to employ the new technological marvel.
Johannes Holzmuller, Fifa’s football technology and innovation director, explained the modus operandi of the technology: “When the ball is played, the real-time AI software can send a signal automatically to the VAR.
“We will have a committed assistant VAR who can process the offside data and help determine if the player deemed to be offside was active and interfering with play, so they can swiftly validate and confirm the decision.”
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