The International Football Association Board met this week in Zurich, where it took three historic decisions aiming to improve football. Inas Mazhar reports The first item on the agenda was goal line technology (GLT). Following the conclusion of a nine-month test process that began in August 2011, led by EMPA (the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology), the International Football Association Board (IFAB) unanimously decided to approve in principle both companies that took part in test phase two: GoalRef and Hawk-Eye. The approval is subject to a final installation test in each stadium before the systems can be used in real football matches, in accordance with the FIFA Quality Programme for GLT. IFAB was keen to underline that technology will only be used for the goal line and for no other areas of the game. Revisions to the wording of specific Laws of the Game will now consequently be made, relating to Law 1 (The Field of Play), Law 2 (The Ball), Law 5 (The Referee), and Law 10 (The Method of Scoring). The second decision of IFAB concerned additional assistant referees (AAR) following a two-year experiment in the UEFA Champions League, Europe League and EURO 2012, as well as the AFC President's Cup and competitions in Brazil, France, Morocco and Qatar. Following a presentation by the AAR experiment coordinator, Donald McVicar, IFAB again unanimously agreed that the use of two additional assistant referees be approved, acknowledging the support they can provide in officiating football matches. As a result of the decision, an amendment will be made to the Laws of the Game, with a separate section concerning additional assistant referees. It was also approved that communication equipment be permitted between match officials in the Laws of the Game. The third main topic for discussion concerned Law 4 -- The Players' Equipment, and specifically the headscarf. IFAB agreed to unanimously approve -- temporarily during a trial period -- the wearing of headscarves. The design, colour and material permitted will be defined and confirmed following the IFAB annual business meeting in Glasgow in October. Currently there is no medical literature concerning injuries as a result of wearing a headscarf, and therefore the decision taken this week will be reviewed at the IFAB general meeting in 2014. In other matters, IFAB confirmed that the annual business meeting will further discuss the issue of "triple punishment", currently detailed in Law 12 (Fouls and Misconduct; Sending-off Offences), and also agreed to discuss further how IFAB can improve consultation within the game. The decisions concerning the Laws of the Game recently taken regarding GLT and AAR will come into effect immediately. The 127th IFAB annual general meeting will take place in Edinburgh on 1-2 March 2013. On the other hand, FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said preparations for the 2014 World Cup are in full swing. "A year from now, on 30 June 2013, we will be at the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup at the iconic Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, marking the end of a major milestone for all of us, Brazil and FIFA, on the way to the 2014 FIFA World Cup," said Jerome Valcke in a statement on the official FIFA website. "On my just-concluded three-day visit in Brazil, it was great to witness that the preparations for next year's Festival of Champions and the FIFA World Cup 12 months later are in full swing, with the stadiums taking shape. "The Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha in Brasilia in particular will be a real jewel; you can already see and feel this now. It is truly a stadium worth representing the capital of Brazil. Furthermore, it will be a role model for sustainable construction not only for Brazil but worldwide. However, the arenas in Recife and Natal will also be beauties in their own right. "Accompanied by my friends Ronaldo and Bebeto, LOC (Local Organising Committee) Board of Administration members, and Romero Britto, our ambassador for the FIFA World Cup, we could feel the incredible excitement and passion of the Brazilians -- in particular the thousands of construction workers -- every minute during our journey through Recife, Natal and Brasilia. That is also why we will reward the workers involved in the construction of the 12 FIFA World Cup stadiums with tickets. They are working stone by stone to make sure the stadiums are completed on time and are so central to the FIFA World Cup returning to Brazilian shores after 64 years. "There is really no doubt that the hosting of the FIFA World Cup, the world's biggest single-sporting event, is a huge responsibility. It is an event which demands a lot of energy, enthusiasm, dedication, long hours and thorough planning. This week we have seen the hard work and effort that is invested in the host country. For sure there is still lots of work ahead of us and not a single minute to be lost. "We -- and here I mean FIFA, the LOC, the Brazilian government and the host cities and states -- must now continue in the pace picked up over the last few weeks to ensure we will provide the best possible conditions not only for the teams and officials, but particularly for the fans. They are, along with the players, the heart and soul of the event. In the now-formed working groups for airports, accommodation and transportation, all efforts are being put into simulating pre- and match-day scenarios city by city to find the best solutions, which is undoubtedly challenging given the size of the country and the ambitious match schedule." The FIFA Confederations Cup will be the overture for a great spectacle in June/July 2014, showcasing the beauty, vibrancy and culture of the people of Brazil. "I look forward to my next trip at the end of August to discover more of the host cities," concluded Valcke.
