ZURICH: The first formal duty for the new president will be to fly to the Welsh capital of Cardiff to represent FIFA at the annual meeting of the lawmaking International Football Association Board next Saturday writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

He will find himself immediately challenged to open up a new era for football out on the pitch since IFAB is being recommended to approve two years of trials for video assistance for referees.

IFAB . . . sign of the times for the new president

FIFA has four votes on the board with one each being cast by the four British associations. A minimum of six votes is needed to approve any proposal.

The Dutch federation had led the way in unofficial experimentation but last spring IFAB delayed a decision on official trials pending further discussion.

Last month a general meeting in London recommended that formal tests should go ahead. Decisions which are liked to fall within the purview of the experiments are expected to be goals, red cards, penalties and identification issues.

Several federations have offered to stage the trials including the Football Association – possibly in next season’s FA Cup – and Germany with the Bundesliga in mind.

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