Football and technology 2

Controversy around the uses and implications of technology is present everywhere. Is technology a menace to our supremacy in the world? Or should we view it as a tool capable of making our daily life easier? If you have been reading my previous posts, you would already know that my position as regards technology is ambiguous. Of course I’m in favour of technological devices but what I do not approve of is making use of it in excess. This time, I want to comment on an application of technology that I do approve of: the use of cameras in football matches.

Although I am not a keen follower of football, I have been following some of the most important matches of this World Cup. As you may know there were two controversial scenes in two matches that started off a heated debate as regards the necessity of installing cameras in football matches. You may already know what I’m talking about, don’t you? I’m referring to the goal scored by the English which was not considered as such and that scored by Argentina which was illegal. Each goal led to the English and the Mexicans defeat at the hands of the Argentineans and the Germans. Happier as I was that Argentina won that match, I couldn’t stop thinking of how unfair it is to score a goal and having it disallowed or scoring a goal offside.

I find that there is a kind of contradiction between referees failing to judge the legality of a goal and the slogan of this World Cup: “Fair play”. Don’t you think that installing cameras is a necessary measure to ensure a fair play? In this case, I need to acknowledge that technology helps. Human beings are not perfect and we can’t expect them not to commit mistakes. But this can’t be a valid justification for a team which crashes out of the World cup after an unfair defeat. Cameras can make an invaluable contribution to the fairness of the match. I think it’s high time football authorities started considering this issue.