championship games, following its successful trial at this summer Fifa
World Cup in Brazil
The spray was a useful invention at the Brazil tournament and its
employed in marking the position of free-kick and the distance the
defensive wall must retreat.
It evaporates about a minute after being spread on the grass and it
helps prevent players from stealing unallocated ground at free-kicks.
In picture above is The First-Ever Instance Vanishing Spray Was Used
at a Fifa Tournament Involving the Opening 2014 World Cup Fixture
Between Brazil and Croatia.
"After a successful test at the 2014 UEFA European Under-17
Championship in Malta, I am pleased that the Referees Committee
decided to approve the use of the vanishing spray in our senior
competitions," explained UEFA President Michel Platini.
The spray use received positive feedback after it was tried out at the
Uefa European U-17 Championships in May this year.
European football's governing body says it will make its debut in the
Super Cup game between winners of the last season's Champions and
Europa Leagues, Real Madrid and Sevilla respectively, next Tuesday at
the Millenium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales.
UEFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina added: "In my
opinion, there is no doubt that the spray allows the referees to have
an easier control in free-kick situations, as players cannot try to
make the wall distance shorter by using the so-called 'penguin walk'
tactic. Once the defensive wall has been correctly positioned, the
free-kick will be taken with the distance respected."
It will be passed on to the UEFA Champions League from the play-off
round onward, and in the UEFA Europa League from the start of the
group stage.
The Spray will also be a regular item in every centre-referee's kit in
the qualification rounds for Euro 2016.
The English Premier League earlier announced the spray will be
introduced in its next campaign.
The spray has been in use in the Brazilian and Argentine leagues for
several seasons.
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