The Hawk-Eye system, a technology for determining the position of a ball with respect to the boundary in tennis, could be a solution to reduce controversies when the ball is near the line.
The controversial ball save by Kaoru Mitoma in the match against Spain. (Photo: Kyoro).
The decision made by Ao Tanaka in Japan’s 2-1 victory over Spain in Group E of the 2022 World Cup on December 2 sparked significant controversy, as images suggested the ball had gone out before Kaoru Mitoma crossed it for the goal. This decision was contentious as it indirectly led to Germany’s exit from the tournament right from the group stage.
On the evening of December 2, FIFA released “evidence” showing that the ball had not completely crossed the goal line. According to the organization’s explanation, the referees in the match used cameras at the goal line to determine that the edge of the ball was still slightly touching the line.
FIFA’s illustration showing that the edge of the ball was still partially within the goal line, even though it appeared to be completely out from a side angle. (Photo: FIFA).
While the 3D illustrative video appears quite clear, FIFA referees only had access to “available evidence,” which was the goal-line cameras used to make the decision. Continuously updated with new technologies each season, the ability to accurately determine the ball’s position concerning the boundary still does not exist in football. If FIFA had used a Hawk-Eye-like technology at the 2022 World Cup, similar controversies regarding Tanaka’s goal could have been clarified more definitively.
What is Hawk-Eye?
The Hawk-Eye system is a complex computational system used to track the trajectory of moving objects. Hawk-Eye was initially created for use in cricket. Due to its positive impact, it was soon adopted in billiards and tennis. This technology was first applied in tennis at the Australian Open in 2003, where it was used experimentally without affecting match results.
By 2005, the system passed the International Tennis Federation’s series of tests, accurately determining the position of 80 balls fired from an automatic machine.
Hawk-Eye has been around for 20 years, greatly enhancing the appeal and accuracy of tennis. (Photo: Perfect Times).
On the surface, the Hawk-Eye system appears quite simple. A court that supports this technology will have about 10 cameras placed around it. These devices record the movement of the tennis ball from various angles. The information is then transmitted to a central processing computer.
Once the initial measurements are taken, three additional computers are brought in to supplement complex calculation equations. This way, the landing position of the tennis ball is confirmed accurately with an error margin of less than 3 mm.
In tennis, Hawk-Eye is not used in every situation. The rules include a challenge system when The Call (the call when the ball goes out) is made. Each player has three opportunities to request the use of Hawk-Eye in each set. If the technology provides a favorable result, the right to challenge is retained.
Hawk-Eye in Football
In fact, the Hawk-Eye technology has been applied in football since 2013. The Premier League was the first tournament to implement this solution from the 2013-2014 season. The goal-line technology uses a similar approach with seven cameras placed around the pitch, focusing on the goal area and employing various algorithms to confirm the ball’s status concerning the goal line. This allows referees to easily confirm goals in contentious situations.
England accelerated the adoption of this technology after their defeat to Germany in the 2010 World Cup with a score of 4-1. In that match, a goal by Frank Lampard was disallowed even though the ball had crossed the line but was caught by Manuel Neuer, and the referee was unable to keep up with the play.
Goal-line technology uses a similar solution to Hawk-Eye with a smaller monitoring area. (Photo: FIFA TV).
In reality, goal-line technology is not used as frequently as Hawk-Eye. Sensitive situations where it is difficult to determine whether the ball has crossed the line are rare in football. Meanwhile, through the challenge mechanism, Hawk-Eye is used more frequently in professional tennis.
Additionally, the cameras and algorithms of goal-line technology focus on the correlation between the ball and the goal. In contrast, interactions with the crossbar and sidelines are not taken into account. Therefore, there was no technology to assist referees in sensitive situations during the match between Spain and Japan at the 2022 World Cup.
Modern football favors a variety of tactics. Early passing and pushing down the flanks to exploit speed bursts have become more prevalent. As a result, situations that are difficult to determine at the sideline occur more frequently.
The 2022 World Cup introduced semi-automated offside technology along with VAR and goal-line technology from before. Controversial incidents, such as Lampard’s disallowed goal in the 2010 World Cup, served as motivation for implementing new technologies.
However, using Hawk-Eye for the entire pitch presents many issues that need to be addressed. A football field is large, and with many players, it requires different technical specifications compared to tennis.
The use of Hawk-Eye in tennis has previously sparked debates. It is viewed as a gentleman’s sport. At certain levels, the game does not have referees and is decided by the players themselves. Therefore, the application of technology has been criticized for potentially diminishing the emotional aspect of the sport.
Similar issues are arising in football, where VAR has taken away many emotional goals. Additionally, the duration of matches is extended as referees need to consult technology to make decisions.
