September 2 – Video replays, for years rejected by FIFA as too great a step to take in modernising the game, were used for the first time in an international fixture on Thursday and hailed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino as “football history”.
The system was employed during France’s 3-1 win over Italy at the San Nicola Stadium in Bari when the hosts appealed for a penalty after a perceived handball in the box by defender Layvin Kurzawa.
Referee Bjorn Kuipers stopped play while TV replays were consulted and it was decided not to award a spot-kick.
Infantino has said he hopes the technology will be used at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Trials have already taken place in the United Soccer League – the third tier of football in the USA – and will also be tested in six other countries in the next two years, including Germany and Italy.
Video replays are restricted to contentious goal-scoring decisions, penalties being awarded, players being sent off, and cases of mistaken identity. The only scientific aid currently used is goalline technoclogy.
“You could see that the referee stopped play for a couple of seconds and during those seconds the two referees in the truck verified that there was no penalty,” Infantino told Italy’s Rai TV.
“We’ve seen football history here. We’re in 2016 so it’s about time to try it.”
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