Uefa wants debate on goal-line technology

Uefa has called for a debate on the use of goal-line technology before any decision is taken by football's international board next week.

Kiev – Uefa has called for a debate on the use of goal-line technology before any decision is taken by football's international board next week.

Michel Platini, the president of European football's organizing body, said Saturday he was against any technological aids, as Uefa instead recommends the use of additional referees behind the goal.

“I am wholly against goal-line technology,” Platini said following an executive committee meeting in Kiev.

“But it's not just goal-line technology. I am against technology itself because it will invade every single area of football.”

The International Football Association board IFAB, which determines the laws of the game, is to meet in Zurich on Thursday to discuss whether to go ahead with the use of goal-line technology following a number of trials.

World governing body Fifa President Joseph Blatter, who sits on the board, is now a supporter of goal-line technology following errors at both the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.

But Uefa's executive committee has “requested that a full debate on the use of technology in football takes place before a decision is taken on this matter,” a statement said.

Uefa instead is giving its backing to the use of five-strong refereeing teams, including the two assistant additional referees behind the goal-line, which it has been using as an experiment for the past three years.

The experiment had been “extremely positive,” Uefa general secretary Gianno Infantino said.

In around 1,000 games there had been “one error” - Ukraine's goal against England at Euro 2012, which was not given although the ball had clearly crossed the line.

Platini said that if goal-line technology was introduced, technology including sensors would also be needed to spot offsides, handballs and balls crossing the byline.

“It (the missed Ukraine goal) was a mistake but there was an offside before then, so why not technology there as well, or Maradona's hand of god goal in 1986? Where does it stop, where do we stop?” he said.