Football
Doug McIntyre, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Jurgen Klinsmann: Video technology to help referees is long overdue

U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann believes that video replay must be used to help referees get potentially game-changing decisions correct.

Officiating around the world has been under intense scrutiny lately. A number of controversial calls were made during Sunday's high-profile Premier League match between leaders Leicester City and West Ham United.

Hours later, MLS referee Baldomero Toledo got two late penalty decisions wrong in a nationally televised MLS match involving Orlando City and the New England Revolution -- just the latest in an embarrassing series of errors during the first six weeks of the 2016 domestic season.

"The last thing you want to see is that a game is decided by referee mistakes," Klinsmann said in an interview on U.S. Soccer's website.

"Referees are trying their best. They're humans, and mistakes happen. But we are at a time know where technology is just outstanding.

"Not only goal line technology that finally was used at the last World Cup -- it was overdue for 20 years -- now we're at time where we can stop real quick, you have [someone] on the sideline looking at it real quick, was it inside the box was it outside? Was it a red card was it not a red card? Was it a penalty or not?

"Just take those 10 seconds and decide that, and not leave it up to the human decision that in that moment maybe saw the wrong way."

Klinsmann's comments echoed those made on Tuesday by new FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who said he hopes that video can be used to ensure correct calls are made on goals, penalty kicks and red cards.

FIFA will conduct rigorous testing over the next two years to make sure the technology is viable and can be implemented in time for its next marquee event. World soccer's governing body approved testing protocols last month.

"I hope that Russia 2018 will be the first World Cup where the referees will be a helped a little bit by video technology," Infantino said.

Whenever it's ready to go, Klinsmann is among a growing throng who will welcome the change with open arms.

"Video technology is overdue in important decisions on the soccer field," he said. "It has to be part of the game in the future."

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