Match officials at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 will be able to enhance their decision-making process with the Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) system, which will be implemented at all 51 matches of the tournament.
This marks the first time that SAOT will be in place at an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competition and makes the AFC the first Confederation in world football to apply the system at the Continental Men’s national team level.
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The introduction of SAOT in the tournament to be played between 12 January and 10 February, 2024 in Qatar, complements the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, which will make its full debut following its successful implementation from the Quarter-final stage during the 2019 edition in the United Arab Emirates.
AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said: “Our Asian match officials are established as among the best in the world and the landmark debut of the Semi-Automated Offside Technology will only serve to drive them to set higher standards.
“The AFC is determined to continue to be leaders in world refereeing and by embracing the latest technological innovations, along with the full implementation of the Video Assistant Referee system at Asia’s crown jewel, it reinforces the AFC’s Vision of providing the ultimate stage for our players, teams and record cast of match officials to shine.”
The SAOT system has undergone extensive testing, in line with protocols and guidelines issued by FIFA and approved by the IFAB, leading up to its implementation at the AFC Asian Cup 2023.
It utilises 12 specialised cameras, which are strategically placed to track the exact position of the ball and players on the field of play. In particular, the position of the limbs, as well as all the other body parts that are relevant for offside decisions, can be established.
This technology facilitates accurate and rapid position checks, utilising artificial intelligence. When a player, who is perceived to be offside, receives the ball, an alert will be sent to the VAR, who can then check the position immediately from the offside lines drawn automatically by the technology.
In every such instance, the final decision will require validation from the VAR before the on-field referee is informed. The referee will always make the final decision on the field of play.
Once the decision-making process has been completed, the same data points that were used to determine a player’s position will be generated into a 3D animation that will be shown on the giant screens at the stadiums and will also be provided to TV broadcasters, which ensures transparent insight for fans.
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