<I've told you THIS>


I wrote a piece on referee decision some months ago.


Though I recently wrote another 10 points to note on World Cup, I don't watch football much - except during World Cup time - so I have no idea on the frequency of huge mistakes like the Lampard-goal-but-no-gal and the Teves-offside-but-a-goal-counted.  But according to my weak memory on World Cup, since the Maradona's Hand of the God, we have so-called game-deciding mistakes in every World Cup (e.g. 2002 and 2006).


I believe the need for introducing instant reply is real for the soccer game. But unlikely other sports with decision subject to instant reply (e.g. tennis, NBA), soccer has one very important characteristics : it does not stop and in principle, will last for the whole 45 minutes.  There is no time out, no court-switching (before half time). So I do not expect instant replay will apply to all game plays in soccer.  Instead, I expect the following :


--- The instant reply will first apply to goal plays - Game stops, court-side referee uses RFID or Hawk-eye-equivalent technology to decide if that is a goal (indeed the ball can be equipment with RFID technology, and the main referee will receive a beep or vibration for any goal), referee makes decision, game restarts. 

--- The instant replay will apply to local league game, then international game.  As to the bet that in 1-to-3 replay will be used in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, i believe it a very optimistic case.  For planning purpose, it might take a year to set up and consider the rules, technology and procedures for the replay.  Then you would have tested it for, say, 1 to 2 seasons.  Further you test it in World Cup regional matches.  So it barely give sufficient time to do so, if there is no slippage, no controversies, no technological problem, no other unintended consequences in between.


Granted successful application of the instant reply to the goal decision, then we have offside plays subject to reply - but this would involve most substantial changes to the game flow (in undecided plays, the referee should not stop the game; it will allow the players to keep playing until the ball goes in.  Then the referee will decide whether that is a legitimate goal). 


Meanwhile, post-game replays shall suffice for some plays (e.g. indecent attack).  In this aspect, the need for instant replay is not as strong as goal or offside plays.