Lesson 2 Why Sports Technology is the Game Changer
Technology Kicks in Soccer
Technology has sparked a wave of innovation, not just in our everyday lives but also in the world of ____.
Sports technology has undergone considerable advancement over time, ____ various aspects such as player performance, training, fan engagement, and referee decisions.
____ soccer, which has as many as 3.5 billion fans, is no exception.
Let’s dive into ____ technology has brought about positive transformations in soccer.
Many would have experienced the frustration of their team losing a game due to a controversial ____ by the referee.
Disagreements with referee ____ happen a lot in soccer.
However, technology ensures fair ____ in soccer by assisting the referee in making accurate judgments.
Multiple tracking cameras installed on the stadium roof and the sensors in the soccer ball detect the ball’s position more than 500 times per second and transmit this information to the Video Assistant ____ (VAR).
In the 2022 World Cup, the power of VAR was demonstrated in the match ____ the Saudi Arabian team, ranked 53rd in the world, won 2-1 against Argentina, ranked 4th in the world.
Three of Argentina’s goals were canceled by the VAR system because of ____ penalties.
Since the introduction of this technology, players have almost entirely stopped making significant protests ____ referee decisions.
Goal-line technology ____ if the ball has crossed the goal line and informs the referee.
To accomplish this, seven cameras are installed for each ____.
A 3D image is created with videos captured by each camera to calculate the ____ position of the ball.
When the ball completely crosses the goal line, the referee’s watch vibrates within ____ one second and displays the word “GOAL.”
This video is also ____ to the audience.
Advanced connected ball technology measures physical touch and helps determine the scorer for ____ goal.
In the match between Portugal and Uruguay, a ____ player kicked the ball in from the left, and another player jumped up and scored with a header.
The latter was ____ as the scorer.
____, it was soon corrected by crediting the player who had kicked the ball in from the left.
As seen in the image above, movement was detected in the ____ when the ball was kicked, but the graph remained still when the header was attempted.
As a result, it was technologically proven that the scorer was the player who kicked the ____, not the player who attempted the header.
Wearable technology monitors the physical conditions of soccer players, which enables “high-tech soccer” ____ on big data.
People started to take an interest in wearable ____ during the match between South Korea and Portugal at the 2022 World Cup.
A South Korean player scored the winning goal and removed his ____ in celebration.
He was wearing a black vest that came down ____ below his chest.
____ fans wondered what it was for, discovering later that it contained a small tracking device.
These days soccer teams use wearable technology ____ this to collect data, such as distance run, top speed, and players’ heart rates during matches.
This data enables coaches and players to make more ____ decisions regarding training and game strategies.
Technology is ____ used to protect soccer players.
Repeated headers ____ damage the brain and be dangerous for players in the long run.
This is why the Football Association prohibits players under the age of 12 ____ performing headers altogether.
It also recommends that all players, ____ professionals, shouldn’t be exposed to more than 10 headers a week in training.
So, ____ teams have introduced virtual reality platforms so that players can practice headers without the risk of brain damage.
Artificial intelligence is also being used to analyze players’ medical profiles, fitness assessment results, and performance data to identify those who might be at risk of suffering an ____.
Last but not least, technology is being used to make the experience of ____ fans much more enjoyable.
Fans can now easily purchase tickets online and enter the stadium more quickly by ____ facial recognition technology without showing their tickets.
Furthermore, in addition to live broadcasting on television, fans can enjoy the game at home or on the go, thanks to ____ online streaming.
With technology shifting so quickly, the world’s biggest and most celebrated sport, ____, could improve even more.
____, this change also comes with its opposition and concerns.
Many are against the Video Assistant Referee ____, arguing that it disrupts the natural flow of games.
____, wearable devices and facial recognition data pose privacy risks.
Lastly, the more money a soccer club has, the more it may benefit from technology, which causes ____ about fairness.
Nonetheless, by balancing the advantages and disadvantages of sports technology, the coming years will be exciting for ____ players, teams, and fans alike.