In a surprising turn of events, video-assisted refereeing for offsides in the upcoming Euros may be scrapped, as the inventor of a similar system takes UEFA to court. A Dutch firm called Ballinno, which created technology similar to that used by VAR to detect goalside attackers, has filed a patent infringement suit against UEFA and German ball tracking experts Kinexon. They claim that their idea has been copied, and they have now secured a court date just ten days before the opening match of the tournament.
If Ballinno is granted an injunction, it could mean that UEFA will not be able to use the video-assisted refereeing system, which has been a source of both love and hate among fans. This would undoubtedly be an embarrassment for European football’s governing body, considering the substantial amount of money they have spent licensing the system from another company.
Fans are already expressing their frustration with the situation, particularly as they have just started getting used to VAR. The thought of a controversial decision going against their team due to the absence of video-assisted refereeing is causing concern among supporters. The potential uproar that would ensue if England were eliminated from the tournament because of a missed VAR call is a nightmare scenario for UEFA.
Ballinno alleges that they were granted a patent for a “method and system for detecting an offside situation” thirteen years ago. Their proposal included a chip in the ball that would alert officials via an earpiece when an offside situation occurred, eliminating the need for constant monitoring. Now, they are accusing UEFA and Kinexon of unauthorized use of their technology.
The timing of this legal battle is raising eyebrows, as the initial application was filed five weeks ago, with the first contact about the claim made last year. Florian Müller, a patent law expert, believes that the timing was deliberately chosen to put UEFA under pressure. The court hearing is scheduled for June 3rd, just days before Germany and Scotland kick off the tournament in Munich on June 14th.
UEFA, however, remains unfazed by the legal action. A spokesperson stated that they are not overly concerned and don’t believe that the use of VAR will be impacted, even if they were to lose the case. It remains unclear whether Ballinno’s claim is directed at the entire VAR system or just the offside component.
In conclusion, the potential scrapping of video-assisted refereeing for offsides at the Euros due to a patent infringement suit adds an unexpected twist to the tournament. Fans who have just started to accept VAR now face uncertainty about its absence. The court battle between Ballinno and UEFA will undoubtedly have implications for the future of technology in football, and it remains to be seen how the case will unfold.