FIH to review video referral after World Cup

New Delhi, March 11 (IANS) The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is likely to review the controversial video referral system at its executive committee meeting here Monday.

"There have been lot of issues with the referral system that have come up in this tournament (the Hockey World Cup). The executive committee will have a fresh look into it," an FIH official told IANS.

The new video referral system has come under fire from top coaches like Australia's Ric Charlesworth and India's Jose Brasa.

Brasa was livid with the system after onfield umpires Ged Curran and Roel van Eert asked for a video referral, disallowing his team's third goal against South Africa.

Sarvanjit Singh was denied a goal after the South Africans called for a video referral when the ball was in the Indian D and before the goal-bound move started. The case was referred to the video umpire, and finally not only was India's goal turned down, but a penalty corner was also awarded to the South Africans.

Brasa questioned the timing of the referral while Charlesworth came down hard, stating even with the help of video, umpires were "constantly making wrong decisions."

World Cup umpires manager Clive McMurray earlier said in a presentation that the system has been put in place to reduce "gross" umpiring errors.

"There are certain grey areas. Clarity is needed in the process so that we can go forward. The referral system is not here to make it a zero error game. It is also not about making the umpires perfect," McMurray said Wednesday.

"The umpires want the game to be skillful and flowing and they wanted it to be fast and full of action. It (video referral) is in the initial stage and the umpires are trying to get used to it. This is to eliminate the gross errors that could make the game horribly wrong, which affects the result of the game. The umpires are here to serve the game and make it more attractive and entertaining," he added.