GOA: Michel Platini may be banned and gone but his pet project of additional assistant referees not only lives on but is spreading beyond Europe writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

The Frenchman had promoted the use of goal-line officials in opposition to the development of goal-line technology since he was a fervent opponent of technological interference in the running of a game.

Up until now the additional assistant referees have been used only by European federation UEFA, of which Platini was president until his ethics ban at the end of last year, in its club competitions and the European Championship.

Now the Asian Football Confederation’s referees committee has proposed that AARs be introduced in the AFC Asian Cup 2019 and the AFC’s top club competitions.

A statement said the committee had agreed to implement the system from the quarter-final stages of the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup in 2017 and for the finals of the AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2019.

The benefits were giving “referees additional support when a decision has to be taken around the penalty area, to help make decisions on the goal line and assist in making offside decisions.”

Better late than never, the committee also recommended that the AFC introduce referee coaches in AFC competitions and courses, involving all the current 2018 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers final round, who will act as mentors to younger referees.

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