KOR
▲ A referee holding up an electronic card
Electronic cards have been tested in a professional football match in Uruguay.
Reuters reported today (October 17) that an electronic card was used instead of a physical yellow card to caution a player during the Copa Uruguay match between Nacional and Rentistas held on October 15 (local time).
The electronic card system was introduced with the aim of streamlining referees' administrative tasks by digitally recording disciplinary decisions immediately.
When issuing a yellow or red card, referees typically show the card to the player and then manually write down the details of the decision on paper.
Transferring it into digital information happens afterward.
The electronic card system allows the decisions recorded by the referee on a device to be transmitted instantly to the competition management platform of the Uruguayan Football Association.
"We are trying to introduce technology to what is uniquely analog in football," said Mauro Sacco, a director at REFe, the company that developed the system.
Eduardo Varela, the referee who first put the technology into practice during the match between Nacional and Rentistas, said the device was easy to use and the software responded quickly, though it lacked some of the drama provided by the traditional card-pulling gesture.
"That magical touch of quickly pulling out a card is slightly lost," he said. "However, I think it will be of great help to us, especially in terms of administration."
The remaining issue is visibility.
In previous tests, the electronic cards were difficult to see due to sunlight, leading to suspensions.
During the match on October 15, spectators and TV viewers reportedly had difficulty recognizing some of the decisions as well.
REFe plans to make improvements, such as adding lights around the perimeter of the device, so that the color of the electronic card can be clearly seen both on the field and on TV screens.
(Photo provided by broadcast screen capture, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
