Governing Bodies
VAR FAILURE HEADLINES PREMIER LEAGUE RESUMPTION
Bosses from goal line technology providers, HawkEye have issued a grovelling apology to Sheffield United, Aston Villa and the Premier League after the Blades were denied what appeared to be an obvious goal on the opening night of the resumption of the top flight.
Responding to the controversy in a post-match statement, HawkEye claimed that the players and goalpost had obscured the sightlines of seven cameras and insisted that the failure had never happened in more than 9,000 previous games.
‘During the first half of Aston Villa v Sheffield United match at Villa Park, there was a goal line incident where the ball was carried over the line by Aston Villa goalkeeper, No. 25 Nyland,’ they said.
‘The match officials did not receive a signal to the watch nor earpiece as per the Goal Decision System (GDS) protocol. The seven cameras located in the stands around the goal area were significantly occluded by the goalkeeper, defender, and goalpost.
‘This level of occlusion has never been seen before in over 9,000 matches that the Hawk-Eye Goal Line Technology system has been in operation.
‘The system was tested and proved functional prior to the start of the match in accordance with the IFAB Laws of The Game and confirmed as working by the match officials.
‘The system has remained functional throughout. Hawk-Eye unreservedly apologises to the Premier League, Sheffield United, and everyone affected by this incident.’
Villa goalkeeper Orjan Nyland flapped at a dangerous inswinging left-wing cross before seeming to carry the ball over the line when team-mate Keinan Davis bumped into him.
Fans and pundits were baffled as replays seemed to demonstrate that the ball had comfortably crossed the line and commentators questioned why a VAR check had not been carried out.
Speaking as the Premier League returned after a suspension of more than three months due to the coronavirus pandemic, former England and Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp told Sky Sports: ‘Incredibly lucky – we normally talk about goalline technology as being perfect. You trust it, but it certainly wasn’t perfect here.
‘It went missing and Villa have got away with it.
‘It is a really spiteful ball in by Oli Norwood and very difficult to deal with. Nyland never looks comfortable for one second when it is coming in and he loses it for a second and then manages to get hold of it and then is pushed into his own goal.’
Ex-Villa midfielder Ian Taylor chuckled ruefully as his fellow pundit told him that his former side had ‘got away with one there, mate.’
‘It is never a goal, Jamie,’ laughed Taylor. ‘We have got away with one there.’
Redknapp added: ‘I cannot understand why they have not gone to VAR. I was over that side and it was the same passage of play.’
United’s official Twitter account attempted to see the funny side of an apparent error that has the potential to cost them dearly in their pursuit of qualifying for Europe in their first season in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship, cheerfully observing: ‘It wasn’t working.’
Visiting manager Chris Wilder was seen remonstrating with referee Michael Oliver in the tunnel at half-time as the United boss attempted to ascertain whether speculation that the technology, which tells the referee when the ball has crossed the line via his watch, had failed.
The Premier League has confirmed that Oliver’s watch did buzz at half-time after testing it rather than a delayed reaction to the first-half effort.
Sportsmail understands discussions are ongoing to find out what happened with regards to the goal.
-Daily Mail
FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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The supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps, a professional football (soccer) club in Canada, have staged a protest outside the FIFA Congress on Thursday, voicing fears that the Major League Soccer club could be relocated as uncertainty deepens over its ownership and long-term future.
The club is one of Canada’s most historic football institutions and has long been a central part of Vancouver’s sporting identity.
Around 100 fans gathered as delegates arrived for the annual FIFA meeting in Vancouver, chanting, singing and waving club flags in a show of solidarity. The demonstration comes just days after Vancouver Whitecaps FC revealed difficulties in securing a buyer willing to keep the club in the city.
The Whitecaps disclosed earlier this week that “stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations” have complicated efforts to sell the club, despite a 16-month search for new ownership.
Season ticket holder Derek Hawksworth said supporters felt compelled to act amid growing fears of relocation.
“I wanted to come down given the threat of the team possibly moving,” he said. “It’s a rich history with the Whitecaps in North America… we want Vancouver to stay and not relocate. The history is here, and we want to continue with that history moving forward.”
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional football (soccer) club based in Vancouver, Canada. They currently compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier league in the United States and Canada.
Concerns were heightened by reports that cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are leading contenders should the club relocate.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has urged intervention, calling on the provincial government — which owns BC Place — to negotiate a “bridge deal” that would allow the team to remain while plans for a new stadium are explored. The club’s current lease at BC Place expires at the end of the year.
Despite the off-field uncertainty, the Whitecaps have been one of the standout teams this MLS season. They currently sit second in the Western Conference with 24 points from nine matches, just three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
For supporters, however, performances on the pitch offer little comfort as the future of their club hangs in the balance — a situation they hope global football leaders gathering in Vancouver will not ignore.
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