{"id":1082857,"date":"2022-05-10T17:04:42","date_gmt":"2022-05-10T17:04:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/05\/10\/how-ai-will-help-referees-at-the-2022-world-cup\/"},"modified":"2022-05-10T17:04:42","modified_gmt":"2022-05-10T17:04:42","slug":"how-ai-will-help-referees-at-the-2022-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/05\/10\/how-ai-will-help-referees-at-the-2022-world-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"How AI will help referees at the 2022 World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Referee Victor Gomes during the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier between DR Congo and Morocco held at the Pentecost Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa, DR Congo on 25 March 2022 \u00a9 Imad Attalal\/BackpagePix<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

SuperSport viewers on DStv and GOtv will be counting down the days to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, with the tournament set to run from 21 November to 18 December and provide the most thrilling distillation of \u2018The Beautiful Game\u2019.<\/p>\n

DStv and GOtv is the only true home of football in Africa, offering a range and depth of action that no other rival can match \u2013 it\u2019s literally \u2018Unbeatable Football\u2019! If you\u2019re going to spend your money on something, it may as well be on the best football in the world.<\/p>\n

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is set to help referees in making their decisions at the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup, with the world governing body having been testing the use of limb-tracking offside technology, which uses AI along with a series of cameras around the stadium to follow players\u2019 movements and instantaneously create virtual offside lines for referees.<\/p>\n

The technology has so far been used at the Club World Cup and FIFA Arab Cup, and FIFA expects it to be used at Qatar 2022.<\/p>\n

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Given that VAR (Video Assistant Referees), which was first used at a World Cup at Russia 2018, remains a controversial and relatively unpopular element in the modern game, there are naturally concerns about the addition of another layer of technology, AI, in the decision-making process.<\/p>\n

However, Dr. Patrick Lucey, chief scientist at sports data firm Stats Perform says that FIFA\u2019s approach when it comes to limb-tracking is spot on.<\/p>\n

He says that rather than a fully-automated decision, the AI is used to give precise measurements and create the offside lines that before would have to be drawn manually. This removes human error, but ultimately the decision is still made by humans.<\/p>\n

The referee or assistant referee can look at the image created by the AI and know straight away if a player is offside, but the human official can also use their own judgement to decide whether that player is interfering with play or if there is any other reason why the goal should be given or not.<\/p>\n

Dr. Lacey says this approach combines \u201cgetting humans to do what they do really well and getting computers to do what they do really well\u201d. That\u2019s why FIFA\u2019s referee committee chair Pierluigi Collina says this is not \u201crobot offside\u201d.<\/p>\n

With the line drawing being taken care of by computers, the accuracy and speed of a VAR decision in regards to offside will be far quicker \u2013 thereby helping to remove one of the major criticisms of VAR.<\/p>\n

Making the decisions quicker and more accurate suggests that this AI element will enhance VAR and hopefully make it a less obtrusive and controversial element, allowing us fans to focus on the players\u2019 actions rather than those of the officials!<\/p>\n

No rival can compete with SuperSport\u2019s coverage. Our viewers on DStv and GOtv enjoy an unrivalled selection of football from around the world!<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss the New Football Season on SuperSport on DStv and GOtv. Visit www.dstv.com and www.gotvafrica.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you\u2019re on the move, you can stream matches on the DStv App.<\/p>\n

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