LONDON -- Referees will be allowed to get help from video replays at the Club World Cup in Japan in the first full live in-game trial of the technology that could transform soccer.Referees could halt games to review footage of game-changing decisions on pitch-side monitors or just rely on information being fed by Video Assistant Referees (VARs) watching broadcast feeds away from the field, officials said Wednesday.Since experiments with replays were approved by soccers lawmakers in March, FIFA said semi-live trials in games have taken place with some information being transmitted to referees by VARs.But on the eve of the Club World Cup opener between Japanese side Kashima Antlers and New Zealands Auckland City, FIFA said Thursdays game and the rest of the Club World Cup through Dec. 18 would be used for an important piece of history.It is the latest sign of FIFA belatedly embracing technology, four years after the Club World Cup saw the first use of systems to detect whether the ball has crossed the line for a goal.Its important to remember that we are entering somewhat unchartered territory here, given that we are going live for the first time, said Marco van Basten, the former Ajax and Milan forward who was hired as FIFAs chief officer for technical development in September.Ultimately, these tests should prove invaluable in terms of determining whether the processes are sound or whether any further refinements are needed.The VARs in a video operations room will only give information to the main referee to help correct any game-changing decisions, the International Football Association Board, the games lawmaking body, said. These involve four situations: goals being scored, penalties being awarded, players being sent off and cases of mistaken identity.In a significant development that will be new for many viewers, the main referee may decide to review footage directly on a pitch-side monitor -- particularly for subjective decisions, as opposed to factual ones where he can rely solely on the information provided by the VAR, IFAB said in a statement. The philosophy underlying the experiments is not to achieve 100 percent accuracy for all decisions, as this would destroy the essential flow and emotions of football.The aim is to achieve `minimum interference, maximum benefit, with the technology only being used for the defined match-changing situations and any serious missed incidents. In these cases, the question a VAR will consider is not `was the decision correct? but `was the decision clearly wrong?Referees still retain the authority to take the make the final judgment. Managers and players will not be allowed to appeal to referees to review an incident.Live tests are set to be expanded globally in 2017 with a decision anticipated by the following year on VARs becoming a permanent feature in soccer. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has observed recent off-line trials with VARs at Italy games, wants video replays in use at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.The progress FIFA has made on this project, especially around educating referees and ensuring all technical requirements are met, has been impressive, IFAB technical director David Elleray said.Hawk-Eye, which provided the goal-line technology at Euro 2016, is being used by FIFA at the Club World Cup for the replays experiments.The Club World Cup also includes Champions League winner Real Madrid and Copa Libertadores champion Atletico Nacional from Colombia.---Rob Harris is at www.twitter.com/RobHarris and www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports Evan Engram Giants Jersey . 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Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. What do you need to know about last nights big stories? Joe McDonald gives us his take on the biggest and best. This is where we say Morning, Joe.Pressure is on Price: If the Montreal Canadiens had the blueprint to keep goalie Carey Price healthy, successful and fresh for a possible Stanley Cup playoff run this spring, it has been shredded because his workload is about to increase. The Atlantic Division leaders lost two key players as forwards Alex Galchenyuk and David Desharnais will both be sidelined six to eight weeks with knee injuries. This could be devastating for the Canadiens. Galchenyuk, 22, has been a potent offensive threat with nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points in 25 games. Montreal hasnt been a dominant team from a defensive standpoint, but when you have the best goalie in the world, it makes up for any deficiencies on the back end. Along with veteran blueliner and first-year Canadien?Shea Weber, Price will need to play out of his mind. His workload will increase as the teams puck possession will likely decrease. Veteran forward Andrew Shaw, who won two Stanley Cup championships with the Chicago Blackhawks before being traded to Montreal, can be moved from the wing to center, but thats not the solution. A trade is not, either. Price will have to do his job to keep the Canadiens in a playoff position.Out of the box, Caps: If Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz wants to publicly criticize captain Alex Ovechkin for being penalized too much, that message needs to extend to Ovechkins teammates. While No. 8 stayed out of the box during a 4-3 overtime win over the Boston Bruins on Wednnesday, it was a power-play score that helped Boston erase a three-goal deficit to tie the game late in the third period.dddddddddddd. It was a stupid penalty by the Capitals Tom Wilson that led to a game-tying goal from Bostons?Colin Miller. On the penalty, the Bruins Anton Blidh got rid of the puck in plenty of time before Wilson came in with a late hit and made head contact. Its those types of penalties, especially with a one-goal lead, that the Capitals need to avoid. It doesnt matter if its Ovechkin or any of his teammates. An undisciplined team wont win, and Trotz is trying to make that point.Best of luck, John: Im going to miss everything about?John Scott?and what he stood for during his 10-year NHL career. Ive enjoyed his openness in the last calendar year over his All-Star appearance in Nashville last winter. It was wonderful to see how the fans and players accepted his presence at the event, even though it started off as an online voting joke. The NHL now has the John Scott Rule in place so a player who is demoted or injured wont get into the game again. He recently wrote a column in The Players Tribune in which he announced his retirement. It was a wonderful and honest read from an educated husband and father. He believes fighting should remain part of the game, and I agree, as long as its not staged. Yes, the game is changing, but I hope theres another quality guy like John Scott in this game soon, with the only difference being he can score a few more goals. ' ' '
