FRANKFURT, March 21 (Reuters) - FIFA hopes to have a new communication system
for referees in place in time for the 2006 World Cup.
Three different systems are being tested by world soccer's governing body in
Zurich and one of them, or a combination of the three, should be ready for the
start of the tournament on June 9.
"It could be used for the first time at the World Cup," Jose Maria Garcia
Aranda, director of FIFA's department of refereeing, told Reuters at the start
of a referees' workshop on Tuesday.
"It's basically a way for the referee to communicate with the two assistants
and the fourth official during the match.
"We may choose to optimise one of the systems by taking the best from each."
In December last year, FIFA decided a smart-ball technology system, designed
to rule out mistakes on goal-line decisions, needed more testing and would not
be used at the World Cup.
Devising a closed system to enable match officials to talk to each other
sounds a lot simpler although there are potential problems.
"One of the most important things is to make sure there is no interference
and that people can't listen into the conversations," said Garcia Aranda, a
former World Cup referee.
UEFA has been using a communication system for its referees in some European
club matches. FIFA has yet to run any tests of its systems in matches.
The 44 refereeing trios still in the running for World Cup places gathered on
Tuesday for a four-day workshop designed to test their knowledge of the game and
levels of mental and physical fitness.
QUOTA SYSTEM
FIFA will decide on March 31 how many of the teams to use at the World Cup,
which will feature 64 matches in 12 venues from June 9 to July 9.