Take note Fifa, ice hockey proves television replays work

I DOUBT Sepp Blatter or Michel Platini have followed much of the Winter Olympics here in Vancouver - but they could learn a thing or two if they did.

COMPLETE CONTROL: Ryan Suter of the USA remonstrates with the official but he is in complete control throughout with the help of video replays (Getty Images)

When nearly 2000 athletes descend on a city for the greatest sporting event of their life there is bound to be a hint of controversy in the air.

The tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, Canada disputing Amy Williams' skeleton gold and Evgeni Plushenko's outburst at figure skating judges are just three examples of such uproar in Canada.

But look a little closer and dig a little deeper and you'll see that winter sports - unlike others - handle controversy relatively well.

Just take Wednesday's ice hockey quarter-final between the USA and Switzerland as a prime example.

With the game goalless heading into the third period America thought they had scored as the clock hit zero when Swiss netminder Jonas Hiller fumbled Ryan Kesler's shot into his own net.

The buzzer went and the crowd cheered but with officials clearly uncertain as to whether it was scored in or out of time they called for a video replay.

Within moments the replay came up on every big screen and with the aid of it, it was plain to see the puck crossed the line after the clock hit zero.

I ask why can't the same happen in football?

Year on year such goal line dramas occur. Does anyone remember Roy Carroll spilling - sorry not spilling - Pedro Mendes' shot from the halfway line over his own goal line against Manchester United in January 2005?

How about Luis Garcia's phantom goal for Liverpool against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final in the same year?

Or even Ahmed Hassan's goal that wasn't for Egypt against Cameroon in African Cup of Nations quarter-finals just last month?

The list is endless and I could name more. However, such occurrences didn't happen just once the other night at Canada Hockey Place - later on in the third period Switzerland's Sandy Jeannin looked to have slotted in off the post and made it 1-1.

Referees waved play on before reviewing the call when play came to halt with video replays again proving conclusive and showing it clearly wasn't a goal.

Both decisions took less than a minute and such technology has been in place in ice hockey for nearly two decades.

Why can't FIFA and UEFA see that they are missing a trick and take action before a phantom goal clouds a World Cup final?