The Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) will debut in the European Super Cup between Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt next Wednesday in Helsinki. UEFA announced this Wednesday the application of the new detection technology for the first title of the season, and also for the next edition of the Champions League, whose group stage begins the first week of September. “The system is ready to be used in official matches and to be implemented in each field of the Champions League,” UEFA refereeing chief Roberto Rosetti confirmed.
UEFA explains that it has carried out a total of 188 tests since 2020, including all Champions League matches, both men’s and women’s, and more recently, in the Women’s Euro Cup that was held this summer in England. The system works with 12 tracking cameras that track the ball and 29 points on each player’s body, 50 times per second. The 29 data points collected include all limbs and extremities that are relevant to making offside calls, allowing you to calculate your exact position on the pitch at all times. In addition, with this information, 3D images can be designed that reflect the player’s situation at the exact moment of the offside. “This innovative system will allow VAR teams to determine offside situations quickly and more accurately, improving the fluidity of the game and the consistency of decisions,” explains Rosetti.
This urgency to lighten the time in arbitration decisions since the implementation of VAR four years ago is a concern shared by UEFA and FIFA. Just a month ago, the governing body of world football gave the green light to the application of this technology during the next World Cup to be held in November in Qatar. Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s director of refereeing, pointed out in February that since the implementation of VAR, there had been a loss of continuity in the game, and that this new tool would help prevent refereeing decisions from being drawn out. “Technology only provides them with valuable support to make more accurate and faster decisions, especially when the offside incident is very tight and very difficult,” said the former referee.
In addition to lightening arbitration decisions, the SAOT system also serves to avoid controversy and argue its decisions before the spectators. With the data collected by the special cameras, 3D animations can be created that are broadcast on the screens of the stadium and on television to accurately reflect the play. “By using the exact same data to create a 3D animation for spectators in the stadium and on-air viewers, they will receive a quick and accurate visualization of the offside situation,” explained FIFA Head of Football Technology Sebastian Runge.
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