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Furnishings & DecorJOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – FIFA reversed its stubborn resistance to considering goalline technology on Tuesday after two glaring mistakes blighted the World Cup and caused an international outcry.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter, speaking ahead of matches between Japan and Paraguay and Spain and Portugal to settle the last two quarter-final berths, apologized for mistakes that contributed to defeats of England and Mexico in their last 16 matches against Germany and Argentina on Sunday.
He said it would be "nonsense" not to re-consider using technology but made clear that only goalline decisions and not video replays to determine offside and other match rulings would be discussed.
Blatter has for years opposed technology that is used to settle controversial decisions in most other major sports, and soccer's law-makers rejected the idea as recently as March.
Later, Japan and Paraguay in Pretoria (1400 GMT) and Spain and Paraguay in Cape Town (1630) were due to contest the final second-round matches before the quarter-finals on July 2-3.
Blatter apologized directly to the English and Mexican football federations after television replays showed they were victims of blatantly wrong decisions over a disallowed England goal and an Argentine offside.
He harshly criticized the quality of some refereeing here.
"It is obvious that after the experiences so far at this World Cup it would be a nonsense not to re-open the file on goalline technology," Blatter said.
"We cannot change anything with 10 games to go in the World Cup, but we will look again at technology, goalline technology, at the business meeting of the (law-making) International Football Association Board in Cardiff, Wales in July."
FRENCH WARNING
Blatter also threw down a stern warning to the French government not to interfere in soccer, saying its federation would face sanctions that could include suspension -- and a consequent international competition ban for its national and club teams -- if the sport was treated as a state issue.
Most observers think such measures are unlikely against a nation of France's stature although FIFA has applied them elsewhere.
The French federation head, Jean-Pierre Escalettes, announced his resignation on Monday after the team returned in disgrace after a chaotic players' revolt and dismal first round failure in South Africa.
A top level political inquest is set to continue in France despite Blatter's warning. Both Escalettes and outgoing coach Raymond Domenech are due to appear at a parliamentary commission on Wednesday.
On the field, Asia's last survivors Japan face Paraguay and Spain assault the so far impregnable defense of neighbors Portugal to take the last two places in the quarter-finals, to be played on Friday and Saturday following a two-day break.
Japan, a vastly improved team compared to their form in the qualification campaign, will want to turn on more of their recent free flowing style and set-piece quality to beat Paraguay -- one of the less convincing Latin American sides.
But they will have to overcome a powerful jinx -- no Asian team has ever beaten a South American side in the World Cup.
Paraguay, bidding to join Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay in the last eight, still have to show the bite expected of their top class attacking trio of Roque Santa Cruz, Lucas Barrios and Nelson Valdez.
In Tuesday's second match, Spain will try to reproduce the classy close-passing style with which they beat Chile 2-1 in their last group stage match, after a feeble start to the World Cup for the pre-tournament favorites.
South African police said on Tuesday they had arrested a British tabloid journalist for helping a fan gain access to the England dressing room after a World Cup soccer match.
Sunday Mirror reporter Simon Wright was arrested in Cape Town on Monday after closed circuit television footage indicated he helped 32-year-old fan Pavlos Joseph get into the England locker room after their June 18 draw with Algeria, police said.
Crime was a major concern before the World Cup but so far there have only been minor incidents. The latest hit FIFA itself, when burglars stole seven replicas of the World Cup trophy after breaking into the soccer body's offices in Johannesburg.
(Writing by Barry Moody; Editing by Ossian Shine)
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