Folium: Spanish Researchers to Train FIFA Referees With 3D Technology via Engadget

Posted by LEAF Architect on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 · Leave a Comment

(Image via Element Technica)

Folium: Spanish Researchers to Train FIFA Referees With 3D Technology via Engadget

Did you know that in Europe, “soccer” is called “futból”?

Now… can we never state the obvious again? We all know…

On the other hand, are you familiar with FIFA? This one might be a little more specific, and inside the United States FIFA isn’t really widely noticed unless you see their logo stamped on soccer balls.

FIFA World Cup 2014 Logo

FIFA stands for the “Fédération Internationale de Football Association”. It is a worldwide organization dedicated to the governance of competitive soccer, and as you can tell from their title French is one of their primary operating languages. However that is a topic for another post…

Much like in the NFL, NBA, the NHL, or the MLB, officiating league-play soccer is a high-stakes business. The calls that referees make on a daily basis means the difference between winning or losing games, and that can translate into billions of dollars in revenue from around the world. Some have gone as far as to say that FIFA has more influence than the United Nations in international politics.

So when this much is at stake, it’s not surprising that such high-level technology is called in to help officials make the right calls.

You wouldn’t think that high-definition 3-D modeling technology would be used for officiating soccer games, but as the technology becomes more accessible it becomes a tremendous investment in the future of the sport.

Just another example of the intersecting roads of international sport, computer technology, and world politics.

What are some other examples of the use of technology in high-stakes sporting events?

Have you ever thought about how many non-players contribute to the business of sport around the world?