Ukraine, the co-hosts of the European Football Championships, have every right to feel disgruntled and aggrieved today.
On Tuesday night, Marko Devic’s shot on the England goal clearly went into the back of the net, a goal which should have been given, and a goal which would have given them hope to inch closer to the knockout stages of the competition. Although television cameras caught the ball at the back of the net, and players too saw it clearly cross, the five football officials in charge of the game saw nothing. It should be noted that Uefa, European football’s regulatory body, has added two goal-line judges in its international competitions. But in this instance, the humans failed.
Football is not the game it was 100 years ago, when gentlemen in baggy shorts kicked a roughly sewn leather ball around. It is a sport where millions are at stake, players are quicker, more agile, better prepared than ever before.
Goal-line technology is needed at the game’s top level. Anything else is a disservice to players, fans and nations alike.
