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