Premier League stakeholders have agreed to introduce Semi-Automated Offside Technology in the Premier League
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The new technology will be deployed next season and is designed to assist referees in making quick and accurate decisions on offside situations.
The Premier League statement confirming the planned implementation of the technology revealed all stakeholders agreed unanimously to adopt the technology in the Premier League Stakeholders Meeting on April 11.
The statement added the new technology will make for quick decisions on offsides as it deploys sophisticated optical systems to track the positioning of the players with a magnified view of the virtual offside line in real-time.
The technology is also designed to enhance the experience of fans in the stadium with high-quality graphics, and elaborate and sophisticated broadcast systems, the statement adds.
“At a Premier League Shareholders’ meeting today, clubs unanimously agreed to the introduction of Semi-Automated Offside Technology.
“The new system will be used for the first time in the Premier League next season, and it is anticipated the technology will be ready to be introduced after one of the autumn international breaks.
“The technology will provide quicker and consistent placement of the virtual offside line, based on optical player tracking, and will produce high-quality broadcast graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for supporters, the Premier League statement reads.
Details of the Semi-Automated Offside Technology reveal the technology is not designed to supplant VAR but complement it. One of the similarities between VAR and Semi-Automated Offside Technology is that they deploy optical technologies to transmit data in real-time to match officials. However, Semi-Automated Offside Technology is said to be an improved version of VAR and can relay information 30 seconds faster than VAR.
Notably, it will not be the first time the Semi-Automated Offside Technology will be deployed in competitive games. The technology was deployed in the 2022 World Cup and was lauded for aiding quick and seamless offside decisions.
As per Daily Mail, it has also been deployed in other top leagues in Europe and has recorded 0 glitches so far, hence the decision of the Premier League to adopt it in the English topflight.
Discussions on the introduction of the technology began after the 2022 World Cup. It was thought the Premier League would introduce it after rave reviews of the technology but they turned it down and planned to introduce more VAR cameras instead to curtail controversial offside decisions.
The lingering controversies on offsides such as Luis Diaz’s incorrectly disallowed goal against Tottenham in September, and other harrowing error cases must have necessitated the decision to introduce the technology.
How the Semi-Automated Offside Technology works
According to FIFA.com, Semi-Automated Offside tracks two things on the field – limb and ball. The data relay system is automated using AI, and it relays real-time information to the video match officials.
The information is relayed to the video match officials first before they pass same to the on-field referee after doing due diligence to verify the data.
The verification process by the video match officials could be done in a few seconds before the information is relayed to the center referee for an on-field decision.
The greatest import of the technology is assisting faster decision-making on offside situations and curtailing VAR-induced delays.
