The Great Debate: Instant Replay in Sports

In other professional sports the use of instant replay and HawkEye technology has been part of the game for quite a long time. In cricket and rugby (Union) it is use not only for line calls but also in other critical umpire, linesman or referee decisions that can have a outcome of the game. I think the use of technology is a must as this will remove the human error in fast moving games and will also provide a just outcome of the game.

It is actually amazing what can be done with high speed camaras and slow motion.

There is a bit more to it than just being right or wrong or precise about what happened, could or would have happened.

1. The use of these technologies for training purposes. I remember in the early eighties when hitting golf balls and ones swing could be recorded and adjusted according to what could be observed in hind sight, on a big screen.

2. Use for medical diagnosis and avoiding of future injuries. In instant replays it can be recognized if a head was hit sufficiently, intended or not, to warrant a sending off of a player. I can imagine that it would help a doctors diagnosis to know exactly how the injury occurred and giving first aid. The difference between an ice bag or hospital, instantly.

3. The castration of officials and elimination of brown paper bags changing hands. I know this is just a conspiracy but some times one still wonders, even with all the tech involved.

4. Material testing and appropriate placing of such. These super slow mos give great evidence of the forces involved in any sport or the tools they are played out with.

There is a down side to all this and that is, that entertainers like John McEnroe will have to yell and scream at seven or more cameras and a computer, to get his rocks off. (justice done) Blaming them for making him look stupid or erroneous (but funny and very entertaining, I miss him). A loss to the game and as for some others, rules are there to be challenged, not only in tennis.

Do not, ever, even by accident, touch a ref in Australian rugby/football codes. Only the captain may try and get a word in. These guys are the true untouchables and that is something to behold. Not like in European football (sucker, sooker) were they can be touched and even be pushed around. Unthinkable and completely not acceptable, how ever wrong the decision might have been.

These are only games, played by humans therefor complete justice will never happen. Wrong decisions are still made. Fine studies of humans and tools in motion are the best out come in my opinion, and right or wrong will come out in the next wash, when we beat SA, again, , Ky.

ky,

Congratulations, Oz beat SA.

You are right, slow mos and high speed cams are very useful in sport science in its broadest aspect, game analysis, as well as tactical gameplay.

On Saturday's game, I remember 3 occasions where the TV Ref. with the use of cameras and replays, had the last word. Without the TV Ref., SA would have lost even further, but let us not go there, this is a total different debate. Cowboys don't cry.

I asked this question about a year ago with regards to football (soccer) it was met with toat apathy.
In the UK we have alread had a 'goal' which hit the back of the net, not given beacause none of the 4 offiacals manged to see it. (Actually the 4th official isn't allowed to help the ref!!!! How barking mad is that???)
It is a total joke. FIFA and UEFA who control footabll basically hate the English because our league has more money than the foreign leagues.

There have been trials of 'goal line technology' in the UK but these have been disscontinued & banned.
The reason given is that they want the game played at any level (eg Sunday league footaball' to have the same technology as European cup final.
This is patent nonsense as they will refer to video evidence when they want to (The notorious Zinedine Zidane headbutt incident is an example).

Could the fact that Michel Platini (president of EUEFA) is French be significant (the French hate us Brits more than anyone else and they believe themselves to be right about everything)?

The game was invented in England (or at least Britain) we should be leaders not followers. We should install goal line technology for the Premiership before the game becomes a laughing stock.

There are fatuous arguments that it wastes time, it wastes no more time than taking an undeserved penalty or taking a goal kich when all 22 players knew it was a goal!
...Blimey Mrs Cat had a good idea...let the managers have a maximum of 3 appeals to the video ref in each game (like the appeals in tennis).
Del

(Blimey everyone has fallen asleep)

How about adding instant replays and eliminating commercials?

Agreed