Debate in Germany over the Semi-Automated Offside Technology
The use of semi-automated offside technology, employed by UEFA during the Euro Cup and already present in LaLiga EA Sports in Spain, will be debated in Germany with a view to its implementation in the Bundesliga next season.
According to the sports weekly Sport Bild, the president of the German Football League (DFL), the organization that runs the German competition, Hans-Joachim Watzke (also the head of Borussia Dortmund), supports this mechanism to determine borderline positions. However, he still needs to reach an agreement with the other 36 clubs that are part of the organization.
As reported, the new technology would be managed by the DFL’s partner, Sporting Solutions, and would "significantly" speed up the review of potential offside situations by the VAR.
For now, the video assistant referee is responsible for resolving such situations, using a calibrated line drawn at the moment the ball leaves the passer's foot.
