Blatter dismisses calls for TV replays
Sepp Blatter remains adamant that TV replays will not be used to review decisions as long as he is the president of Fifa.
There has been renewed pressure to use video technology after a handball by Thierry Henry in the lead-up to the goal that allowed France to reach the World Cup at the expense of Ireland last month.
“Referees shall remain human, and we will not have monitors to stop the game to see if we are right or wrong,” Blatter said.
“Please don’t insist on this theme.”
Fifa has resisted the use of replays since Blatter said results were inconclusive when tested at the Club World Cup two years ago.
“There will be no more discussion [between fans] and then no more hope and then no more life,” added Blatter. who plans to run for re-election in 2011.
Low attendances have marked the first batch of games at the Club World Cup, with Al Ahli’s early exit not helping.
“We dreamed of a better performance,” UAE football federation president Mohammed Khaltan Al-Rumaithi said.
Al-Rumaithi said the UAE was keen to bring the event back in the future, with the event returning to Japan for two years after another year in Abu Dhabi in 2010.—Sapa-AP
