Does the women's game need goal-line technology?

Recent controversy in the Women’s Super League (WSL) has reignited an ongoing debate about the potential use of goal-line technology (GLT) in the women's game.

An incident in Chelsea's eventual 5-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur this month sparked a new call from Sonia Bompastor for the use of goal-line technology. Spurs' Amanda Nilden's long-range shot saw a goal given by referee Emily Heaslip despite a furious counter-argument from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, who claimed to have stopped the shot before it crossed her line. The decision at the time took the score to 1-1.

Speaking after the match, Bompastor remarked: "We just need to help the referees. From what I was watching the game it's difficult to say if the ball was in or out. I just feel like if the technology is in for the men's game why don't we have the same?

"If the technology is here, we should use it. It's about having a budget - it costs money. If we want to look professional we just have to have the same thing as the men's game."

History of goal-line technology

The Premier League first introduced goal-line technology, or ‘Hawk-Eye’, in 2006 at Fulham's Craven Cottage and the applied science has existed in the English men’s top-flight ever since. 

After its first testing at Craven Cottage in 2006, the Premier League then moved the experiment to the home of Reading for further development in 2007. Despite ongoing efforts from the Premier League to introduce GLT, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) banned the use of technology in football until its permanent inception in 2012.

The technology is now a staple across the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, Championship, Ligue 1 and select matches in the Eredivisie. However, despite huge strides in men's football, the women's game hasn't been as fortunate in reaping the rewards.

Most recently, FIFA enabled the use of GLT in the 2023 Women's World Cup, where the argument for its permanent use was strengthened. A penalty from Lina Hurtig was deemed to have crossed the line in Sweden’s round-of-16 shootout against the United States. The technology confirmed that the ball had crossed the line by a matter of millimetres, awarding a justified victory to Sweden in the elimination game.

When discussing whether GLT should be introduced into the women’s game, the answer should be a resounding yes. There are still significant gaps between the men’s and women’s top leagues worldwide, with one major difference being the level of technology used.

GLT removes any ambiguity, providing a clear, decisive answer as to whether the ball crossed the line under any given circumstance. To sustain the rapid growth and professionalisation of the women’s game, it’s essential that top leagues have access to the same reliable technology as the men’s game, reducing the risk of human error as a result.

Not yet' to VAR

With the discussion of GLT comes the inevitable debate on whether or not the women’s game should also introduce the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). 

While VAR is in place to ensure a thorough officiating process, the technology does not eliminate the possibility for human error. On top of this, the use of VAR means that officials are made to give their own interpretation of the rules - something that has often generated loud controversy in the Premier League. 

The slow reviewing process often harbours the exciting momentum of a match, meaning fans are made to wait in prolonged anticipation for a decision to be made.

When it comes to the nitty gritty, VAR has its benefits, including situations where the checks for possible handballs or offside calls can ensure the game remains fair. However, as the system still has many issues to be resolved, the debate over whether to introduce this technology into women’s football remains ongoing and highly contested.

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