Argentina to use Free Kick Spray...

Mitch Connor

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7776602.stm

The Argentine Football Association is to introduce an aerosol spray to stop defenders creeping closer to the ball during a free-kick.

From next year, referees will use the spray in first division matches.

Referees will mark a temporary white line 9.15 metres (10 yards) from the ball, which defenders cannot cross. The spray will disappear 30 seconds later.

Pablo Silva, who invented the spray, got the idea when he failed to score with a free-kick at an amateur match.

"In the 88th minute, we were losing 1-0 and won a free-kick on the edge of the area. When I took the kick, the wall was three metres away," he told Reuters earlier this year.

"The referee didn't book anyone and didn't do anything," he said.

"We lost the game, and driving home later, with a mixture of anger and bitterness, I thought that we must invent something to stop this."

The spray has been given a trial in second division matches and a similar spray has been used in some competitions in Brazil.
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I had images of the ref's pepper spraying guys who got to close. Would have been much cooler, funnier, and probably very effective.

Victor McDade

Brilliant! Not sure if the old farts in UEFA will approve of it though

Xavi6

Coulda sworn this was being used already in Italy and that it was talked about on one of the big podcasts the other week.

Simple idea but effective.

Victor McDade

Xavi6 wrote: »

Coulda sworn this was being used already in Italy and that it was talked about on one of the big podcasts the other week.

Simple idea but effective.

If so, I stand corrected!

Blackhorse Slim

If this is going to be used, refs will also have to spray the location of the foul, to stop attackers moving the ball back a yard or two after the wall is positioned.

Xavi6

Sorry I was slightly off. It's Brazil where a spray has been used for a few years but apparently the products are different.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=601022&sec=global&&cc=3436

A spray has been used in some competitions in Brazil in the last few years for the same purpose.

egan007

I like it - maybe the ref could spray ronaldo in the face when he's being a pup....stick a bit of pepper spray in for good measure

podge018

Should really speed the game up as the ref wont have to keep moving the wall back and freetakers won't be remonstrating with refs about the wall moving forward anymore. As soon as he marks out the 10 yards he draws the line and that's the end of it. Genius.

Samurai

Al Gore won't be pleased

LuckyLloyd

Samurai wrote: »

Al Gore won't be pleased

No. But I will. Any innovative solution which will cut down on the errors of human judgment is to be welcomed imo.

pickarooney

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

No. But I will. Any innovative solution which will cut down on the errors of human judgment is to be welcomed imo.

Robot refs (which run on used chip oil)!

Iang87

excellent idea, now we can all get ready for the ten yard argument.

ie whats ten yards and whats not. i imagine steve bruce to be the first to complain about the size of the referees steps