The Ball 2006

How about we use a fair-trade football instead?

In a previous post, I wrote about scientists researching the perfect free-kick. Now, with the rebirth of the video-replay debate as a result of Roy Carroll’s shameless lack of sportsmanship in the Man Utd v Spurs match a week or two ago (where he appeared – to the ref at least – to “save” what was clearly a goal) I thought I’d have a little look at some of the technologies which may be part of high-end football’s future.

There are several competing technologies vying for the attention of football’s rule-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), who hold their 119th annual general meeting in Cardiff on 26 February 2005. From a purely Spirit of Football perspective, I’m interested in this issue because it will also determine the nature of The Ball that travels from Battersea Park every four years.