Pierluigi Collina has given his backing to the decision by the International Football Association Board to allow goal-line technology into the game.
Pierluigi Collina has given his backing to the decision by the International Football Association Board to allow goal-line technology into the game.
The IFAB voted yesterday in favour of trialling two specific technologies to aid referees in-game to determine when the ball has completely crossed the line.
They also confirmed that goal-line officials will be introduced on a wider scale, after trials held in UEFA competitions the Champions League, Europa League and Euro 2012.
A number of high-profile instances of legitimate goals being disallowed in recent seasons has brought the issue of goal-line assistance in the game to the fore and former Serie A official Collina for one, believes that the IFAB's actions are a step in the right direction.
“The trials on goal-line referees, as strongly desired by UEFA, have yielded significant results and the decision from the IFAB to pass from this stage to the final one is a definitive demonstration.
“I am very happy with this result,” Collina told Sky Sport 24 on Friday.
Collina, a top-flight match official in Italy for 14 years of his career, is now UEFA’s chief refereeing officer and a member of the UEFA Referees Committee.
In February, Collina spoke in detail about his faith in goal-line officials, but suggested that to introduce it on a wider scale than the Champions League and Europa League might prove difficult due to the demands it would place on training and staffing levels.