Handball, offside, penalty…: focus on the technology of the Euro 2024 ball which will help VAR

© Adidas

Some hate it, others think it is necessary. In any case, VAR will be well used at Euro 2024. And in addition to the usual technologies, refereeing will also be able to rely on a ball which includes an electronic component at its center.

Like the ball for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, that of Euro 2024 will use Adidas Connected Ball Technology. According to the brand's explanations, the FUSSBALLLIEBE (or love of football) ball has a suspension system which stabilizes a movement sensor called an inertia center and which operates at a frequency of 500 Hz. The electronic component uses a battery which is rechargeable by induction.

© Adidas

But what will this sensor be used for ?

According to Adidas, the inertial unit will give the referee an “unprecedented” vision of all the movements of the ball. For its part, UEFA indicates that ball data will allow refereeing decisions to be made more quickly on offside, when combined with data on player positions and with artificial intelligence. On the other hand, the sensor is capable of identifying each touch of the ball, and can therefore help refereeing handballs or penalties.

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What advantages compared to classic VAR?

In an article published this week, the journal Nature interviewed John Eric Goff, a sports physicist at the University of Lynchburg, Virginia (United States), about this technology. The researcher explains that with a frequency of 500 Hz, the ball is 10 times faster than the VAR cameras. Thus, the sensors would make it possible to know more precisely the moment and point of contact of a player with the ball. The sensor will also be able to detect contact (including hands) with the ball.

Regarding aerodynamics, John Eric Goff assures that the presence of this technology inside the ball should have no impact on the game.Thanks to the shock absorbers, the sensor is well placed in the center. And its weight would be negligible compared to that of the ball.

• The Euro 2024 ball will include Connected technology Ball Technology from Adidas
• This is a motion sensor that is stabilized in the center of the ball with shock absorbers
• This sensor will provide additional data to VAR referees to facilitate decisions
• Its weight would be negligible compared to that of the ball

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