Source: REUTERS/Paul Childs
[Saba Sports News] According to British media, Premier League clubs are concerned that the semi-automated offside technology may not be introduced this season, as testing for the system is still ongoing. Two years ago, FIFA used such a system during the World Cup, employing additional cameras and artificial intelligence to determine when players were offside. Subsequently, UEFA also adopted this system in the Champions League and domestic leagues in Europe. The system was originally planned to be introduced to the Premier League this autumn to replace the current VAR system, which is manually drawn on screens by VAR technicians, potentially leading to delays of two minutes or more. However, clubs have been informed that the semi-automated offside system will not be fully tested until next year, and some club officials believe it is unlikely that the system will be implemented this season. It is reported that occasional “black spots” were discovered during testing, particularly when many players are around the ball. Clubs are expected to receive the latest results in a meeting on Friday. Part of the delay in implementing the system may be due to the Premier League’s choice to use a different system from FIFA, UEFA, and other leagues.