Chelsea news: Ex-Fifa official claims rule-makers could ‘rewrite the law’ after what he’s seen at Blues
Keith Hackett has given his view on the Premier League using “robot refs” after Chelsea became one of the first sides to use one.
The ex-FIFA and Premier League referee, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, compared the new system to goalline technology.
Chelsea became the first Premier League team to have a match officiated by so-called ‘robot refereees’ when they faced Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup on Wednesday (9 February).
The technology used is a limb tracking system that will make automatic offside decisions.
As per Football.London (9 February), the technology is quick as half a second and operates via special cameras fixed to the roof of stadiums to create a visual animation that will determine the decision.
Hackett wants any “human element” taken away if robot referees are ever to be used in the Premier League.
“My view is simple after having been involved in goalline technology and Hawkeye’s introduction,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Ben Wild.
“I have always made it very clear that I don’t want people involved in that system.
“If they are going to have a robotic decision-making process, take away the human element.
“Rewrite the law if necessary. If I’m a fan on the terraces, I just want a decision that I can understand.
“I want the confidence to say ‘I’m not questioning that’. No one questions goalline technology because it works.
“That what this system has to achieve. But then you have the same problem as VAR when it comes to grassroots football.
“You have robots in the Premier League but not in the EFL or in non-league.”
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