FIFA President Sepp Blatter has apologized to the English and Mexican football associations, which were harmed by refereeing errors in their second round matches of the football World Cup in South Africa.
Blatter also noted that at their next meeting the FIFA management will discuss the possibility of video replays, which could make it possible to prevent mistakes. He emphasized that it is exclusively a matter of technology to make it possible to determine whether or not the ball
crossed the goal line, not of detailed examination of any disputable point.
The facts of the matter relate to moments which took place during the England - Germany and Argentina - Mexico matches. In the case of the England team, the referees didn‘t allow a goal scored by Frank Lampard. Subsequently, German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer admitted that he
deliberately behaved in such a way that the referee would doubt that the ball had crossed the goal line, but German coach Joachim Löw said that Lampard’s goal was scored in accordance with all the rules.
England lost 4:1. In the 38th minute, when the referees did not take the goal scored by Lampard into account, the Germans were leading 2:1. In Mexico's case, a goal scored by Argentinean footballer Carlos Tevez, which, as became evident during the replay, was scored from an offside position, was allowed. Before allowing the goal, referee Roberto Rosetti consulted with his assistant for a long time, but eventually judged in favor of the Argentinian national team. The match ended with the defeat of Mexico 3:1:. It should be noted that the goal scored by Tevez was broadcast on the big screen installed in the stadium, but FIFA rules prohibit referees from taking them into account.
Blatter has emphasized before that management wasn’t going to introduce any technological innovations that would help avoid situations similar to the one with Mexico, because it could affect the game’s character.
George Saralidze, exclusively for VK
