Electronic cards in football: Uruguay shocked the world with an experiment
In Uruguay, tested electronic cards for football referees. The smartphone-sized device replaces traditional paper cards and makes it easier to record violations. Judge Eduardo Varela tried the gadget during the Uruguay Cup match. The developers note the convenience of the system, but recognize the problems with the visibility of the screen in bright light. It is planned to finalize the device with the addition of backlight for better readability in the stadium and on television.
Uruguayan football is switching to digital: referees tested electronic cards.
Uruguayan football has embarked on an experiment to modernise refereeing that could change one of the game's most conservative rituals. This week, during the Uruguay Cup match between Nacional and Rentistas, chief referee Eduardo Varela used a smartphone-sized electronic device for the first time instead of traditional cards.
The initiator of the innovation was the company REFe. Project director Mauro Sacco explained that the goal of the reform is to introduce modern technology into the only remaining analogue component of football. The idea of creating a device arose more than three years ago, when the creators of the system, watching the match in rainy weather, thought about the inconvenience of manually filling in the protocols and the subsequent transfer of data to the digital environment.
The new device allows time-stamped disciplinary incidents to be recorded and makes it easier to send official information to the Uruguay Football Association’s COMET platform. According to Eduardo Varela, the gadget was convenient to use, and its software shows a high reaction rate. The arbitrator noted that the tool would significantly facilitate administrative work, although he acknowledged that digital replacement deprives the process of expressiveness inherent in the classical gesture.
However, the first field tests revealed a problem with visibility. Previous tests had to be interrupted due to the glare of the sun on the screen, and during Thursday's match, spectators in the stadium and television viewers had difficulty distinguishing the color of the signal. Diego de la Peña, who also serves as the project director, noted the need to refine the device to ensure clear color visibility for all categories of viewers. As a possible solution, the developers are considering installing LED backlight around the screen.
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The trademark of the project is registered, patents for hardware and software have been obtained, and hardware implementation is conducted in China. The reaction of the public to the debut of the novelty was mixed: both positive reviews and memes appeared on social networks. REFe believes that the very fact of the innovation discussion is important and intends to improve the technology in order to achieve its implementation in the future under the auspices of CONMEBOL and FIFA.
