Hawkeye To Be Used By Premier League

The Premier League will use goal-line technology provided by British-based firm Hawkeye from next season.

League sources have confirmed the system made by Basingstoke-based Hawkeye was ratified at a meeting of the 20 top-flight clubs in London on Thursday April the 11th.

A German system, GoalControl, has also been under consideration after submitting a tender.

The decision means Hawkeye's camera-based system will be in place at Premier League grounds and at Wembley Stadium from next season.

Hawkeye, which was sold to technology giant Sony two years ago, already provides systems for tennis and cricket.

The Premier League provided money to help Hawkeye develop a goal-line technology system back in 2007, but there was no longer a formal relationship with the company.

League chiefs made their recommendation based on both cost and ease of implementation and use.

Earlier this month Fifa chose GoalControl, which is also a camera-based system, for the Confederations Cup in Brazil in June and next year's World Cup finals.

Two other systems, also German, have also been licensed by Fifa but they both use magnetic sensors rather than cameras.

Former Arsenal and FA vice-chairman David Dein, who has long campaigned for goal-line technology, claimed every top-flight referee in England was in favour of having a system.

He said at the Soccerex conference in Manchester:

"The Premier League will be the first league in Europe to introduce it.''

"I have been on this campaign for six or seven years and now it's going to happen.

"The referees need help, the camera will always beat the eye, and every referee in the Premier League is in favour of it.''

The head of Spain's La Liga said it would follow suit and bring in goal-line technology in two or three years.

Francisco Roca Perez told the Soccerex conference:

"We are truly advocates for technology and we will look at the systems and the cost.

"We are not going to be as quick as the Premier League but we are in favour of the system.

"I expect that in two or three years we will be able to do something like this either with technology that we buy or that we create ourselves.''