Pierluigi Collina has said supporters will get a “new experience” at this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup with footage from the referee’s body camera available to broadcasters during matches.
Fans could get the perspective of goals, free kicks, tackles and attacking moves from the perspective of the referee immediately after they happen.
Body cameras have been trialled by officials in grassroots in England over the past two seasons as a tool to reduce abuse directed at referees.
The IFAB has also permitted their use in limited senior competitions for training and education purposes. At senior level, it forms part of the referee’s headset with the camera attached to the ear.
After the trials at grassroots level had a positive impact on player behaviour, the IFAB is to continue with the testing and promote the use of body cameras.
The Club World Cup referees from UEFA attended a seminar in Zurich this week, following on from earlier events in Dubai and Buenos Aires, to prepare for the tournament.
“[It’s the] first time ever to have the best clubs… from each corner of the world competing,” Collina added. “So it’s, I would say, an extra responsibility for us, for refereeing, because we want to have our referees ready in the best conditions when the competition will start.
“And we are aware that a high standard of refereeing is key to having a successful competition.
“We are following [and] monitoring their fitness, their health. Basically, we try to provide them all the support they may need. Our objective, our goal is to have the FIFA ‘Team One’ at the very best of their conditions when the ball will start rolling in Miami.”
