SINGAPORE, Aug 11, (AFP): The controversial issue of goal-line technology will be discussed at a meeting of the International Football Association Board in October, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Wednesday.
During the World Cup in South Africa, Blatter indicated it would be tabled at a meeting of football’s rulers in Wales in July, but that never happened.
“At this meeting (in October), we will bring the point of goal-line technology. It is now on the agenda,” he said in Singapore where he is attending the Youth Olympic Games.
Goal-line technology was forced back onto FIFA’s agenda after England’s Frank Lampard had a goal disallowed in South Africa, despite replays showing the ball clearly crossed the line.
FIFA have previously rebuffed all demands to use video technology to resolve contentious refereeing decisions, despite it being successfully implemented in other sports such as tennis, cricket and rugby union.
Their rationale has been that it would disrupt the free-flowing movement of the game.
But with international pressure growing, Blatter has softened his stance, and said Wednesday that the technology could be allowed providing it was reliable.
“My personal opinion on goal technology has never changed,” he said.
“I have said if we have an accurate and simple system then we will implement but so far we have not had a simple, nor an accurate system.”
The International Football Association Board, which determines football rules, holds a business meeting in October but any law-changing decision is unlikely until its next annual meeting in March next year.
Meanwhile, Blatter demanded answers from North Korea after reports that its World Cup squad was publicly humiliated and coach Kim Jong-Hun sentenced to hard labour.
World football’s governing body this week opened an investigation and sent a letter to the North Korean football authorities.
It followed new, unspecified evidence brought to its attention by Chung Mong-Joon, the powerful South Korean former chairman of Hyundai, who is also the president of the South Korean Football Association.
“We sent a letter to the football federation to tell us about their election of a new president and to find out if the allegations made by the media that the coach and some players were condemned and punished are true,” said Blatter.
“We are doing this as a first step and we will see how they answer.
“But it is not easy,” added the Swiss, who is in Singapore for the Youth Olympic Games.
“We once had a case in another country where it was said players were also condemned and under physical pressure and we sent someone and it turned out not to be true.
“So let’s see what we hear before we make an official statement.”
North Korea bowed out of their first World Cup since 1966 after an impressive performance during a 2-1 defeat to Brazil in South Africa before being routed 7-0 by Portugal and 3-0 by Ivory Coast.
The showing of live games in the impoverished communist state had been banned to avoid national embarrassment, but after the Brazil game state television made the Portugal match its first live sports broadcast ever.
They could not have picked a worse game, with the hail of goals from the European side leaving the commentator speechless.
According to Radio Free Asia, on their return home team members were made to stand on a stage at the People’s Palace of Culture in the capital Pyongyang and were subjected to “ideological criticism” for six hours.
Citing sources in the country, it said around 400 officials including Sports Minister Pak Myong-chol, other athletes and sports students were among the audience.
The players were apparently forced to criticise coach Kim, who was punished for “betraying” Kim Jong-Un — one of supreme leader Kim Jong-Il’s sons and his heir apparent.
The coach was reportedly expelled from the Workers’ Party of Korea and sentenced to hard labour on a building site.
Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam travelled to North Korea recently and met several World Cup players, but there was no sign of coach Kim.
He was unable to confirm whether they had been mistreated or publicly humiliated.
“I was actually in North Korea three weeks back and met with four of the players and we had a chat,” said the Qatari, who was in Singapore on Wednesday.
“But I haven’t heard anything from within.
“There have been reports of course that some players have gone through torture, but personally I cannot confirm this because I have not seen anything with my eyes or heard anything with my ears.
“FIFA decided to have an investigation to clear the air, and possibly clear the North Korean officials, and I support this.”