MARRAKECH: FIFA’s strategic committee has provided further support for the use of goal-line technology – even though it continues to be shunned by European federation UEFA.

GLT has been used at the current FIFA Club World Cup – Bayern Munich face Raja Casablanca in the final – and was apparently praised by the committee who included European Club Association chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and players’ union [FIFPro] secretary-general Theo van Seggelen.

Two outstanding items of FIFA’s governance reform process – limits on age and terms of office, both of which will be on the agenda at next year’s FIFA Congress – were also discussed at by the committee along with the fight against discrimination and racism, match manipulation and doping.

Other topics included the use of video evidence for disciplinary matters – only possible after the game – and the promotion of women’s football.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who chaired the meeting, has also spoken up this week in favour of free kick wall vanishing spray. This is another technological aid shunned by UEFA associations but which has been used at a number of FIFA competitions this year and is likely to be implemented at next year’s World Cup finals.

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