Premier League to use Hawk-Eye goal-line tech

LONDON - The Associated Press

Arsenal's Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky (2L) heads the ball off the goal line from a header from West Bromwich Albion's Argentinian midfielder Claudio Yacob (not pictured) during the English Premier League football match between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal at The Hawthorns in West Bromwich, central England, on April 6, 2013. AFP photo

The English Premier League has become the first leading domestic competition to approve a goal-line technology system, with Hawk-Eye selected for use from next season.

The camera-based ball-tracking system, which has been successfully deployed in tennis and cricket, has been chosen ahead of three rival FIFA-sanctioned products.
 
Hawk-Eye, which is owned by Sony, sends a signal within a second of the ball crossing the line to the referee, who has the power to make the final call on a disputed goal.
 
The English have championed goal-line technology for years, but FIFA ended its long-standing opposition to referees being given high-tech aids only in 2010.