Nyantakyi - FIFA must pay for African's goal-line technology

Published on: 25 July 2012

Ghana FA chief Kwesi Nyantakyi says FIFA must consider paying for African countries to implement goal-line technology.

Nyantakyi, who is also a member of the CAF Executive Committee, says most countries on the continent cannot afford the system that detects whether a goal has been scored.

After a long list of controversies - including Sulley Muntari's 'goal' against Juventus in the Serie A last season - FIFA has approved the technology to avoid future arguments over goals scored.

The International FA Board (IFAB) gave the go-ahead to both the Hawk-Eye and the GoalRef systems at a meeting in Zurich few weeks ago.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke has revealed that goal-line technology will be in place for next year's Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Valcke also said FIFA would pay for the systems - around $250,000 per stadium - and leave them in place in the stadiums.

Some countries in Europe, Asia and north America are considering deploying goal-line technology for matches but no African country has so far expressed interest in using the technology.

Nyantakyi says African countries will lag behind in the implementation of the technology because of the lack of funds.

"Goal-line technology has been approved but I think that in Africa it will take a long time for a lot of countries to embrace it," Nyantakyi said.

"It will only happen during the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup for us.

"For local competitions it will take a very long time.

"How many countries in Africa can raise $250,000 to fix it in just one stadium. Look at the number of stadiums in each country.

"In Ghana we have more than 15 stadia so just imagine how much we have to spend to implement it. We don't have the money.

"It will take some time as countries will have to struggle to look for the money.

"Maybe FIFA should consider adopting these things as GOAL projects to help some of the struggling countries to help us."

The Hawk-Eye system - developed by a British company now owned by Sony - is based on cameras and GoalRef, a Danish-German development, uses magnetic fields.

Each system is required to send an immediate message to a watch worn by the match officials within a second of the ball crossing the line.

The tests included exposing the equipment and watches to extreme heat and cold, as well as humidity and heavy rain.

Experiments also took place during live matches including England's match against Belgium on June 2.

FIFA's Club World Cup in Japan in December is likely to be the first competition where the technology is used.

Source: MTNfootball.com

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