FIFA ruling body shortlists two goal line technologies

From a total of eight companies involved in last year's first phase of testing, the remaining candidates are the Hawk-Eye ball tracking system developed at Roke Manor Research and the GoalRef system developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS. The Hawk-Eye tracking system, already used in sports such as tennis and cricket, works on a principle of triangulation - using images and timing data provided by high speed video cameras at different locations around the field of play. Hawk-Eye is unable to provide real time data, so play must be stopped to enable the official to review the footage. Fraunhofer IIS' system is a radio based solution that tells the referee immediately whether or not a goal should be awarded. By producing low magnetic fields around the goals, GoalRef creates the radio equivalent of a light curtain. As soon as the ball has wholly crossed the goal line between the posts, a change in the magnetic field is detected. A goal alert is then instantaneously transmitted to the game officials using an encrypted radio signal, with a message displayed on their wristwatches. The system uses a small and compact electronic device embedded in the ball. The final decision won't be announced until IFAB assesses the results from new trials in July 2012. However, Premier League chief executive, Richard Scudamore is keen that the decision be made sooner rather than later. "The technology is available, it is the fairness that is important and the Premier League would introduce it tomorrow if it could. Now FIFA is constructively engaged we are hopeful the 2012/13 season is a realistic aim," he said.