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Vanishing spray to be used at World Cup

By on December 19, 2013

20131219-205840.jpgNewly developed vanishing sprays to spot walls creeping in to block free-kick will be used by referees at the 2014 World Cup according to Fifa president Sepp Blatter.

The shaving cream-like spray is already in use in the Fifa Club World Cup and after receiving glowing views from teams such as Bayern Munich Blatter announced it would be used by referees in next summer’s World Cup.

“I think it’s a very good solution. Some say it takes too much time and I was also quite sceptical at the beginning but all the referees who have used the system were pleased with it,” Blatter said. “It’s a novelty, we will start using it in the World Cup in Brazil.”

“The representative of Bayern Munich said that here they can take free-kicks with the wall nine metres away, while at home it’s only five.

Referee’s used the spray when a free-kick near the penalty area is awarded to mark the spot where the ball should stand and the customary ten yards back the wall should be by spraying a line of the water-based substance on the group, which disappears in less than a minute.

The spray has been in development for six years in Argentina by journalist and player Pablo Silva and has been used in Argentina since 2008 while American Major League Soccer uses spray called Aero Comex Futline. Applied from an aerosol can, Silva said the spray has come a long way: “We’ve climbed a long, steep curve to get here. Economically, this will be very important for us but what makes us most proud is that the product will be recognized at an international level. You can’t put a price on that.”

Silva also revealed he got the idea for the technology after becoming increasingly frustrated at walls creeping forward when he took free-kicks.

”We were losing 1-0 and had a free kick and as I stood over it I knew I could make this left-footed shot and even the game,” Silva said. “But when I finally took my shot the ball struck the defender in the stomach as he was just 3 meters away.

”I was in a rage and I ran straight to the referee who would eventually show me a red card for protesting. And that’s when it came to me.”

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.