FIFA has curtailed the use of vanishing spray in football matches as a long-running legal dispute over its ownership and use remains unresolved.
The foam spray, once a familiar sight during free-kicks, is applied by referees to mark the position of the ball and enforce the required distance for defensive walls.
Its ability to disappear within seconds made it both practical for officials and popular with fans.
However, its use has been scaled back following legal action brought by Brazilian inventor Heine Allemagne, who claims the world governing body used the product without adequate compensation.
READ ALSO: Ashley Young Announces Retirement after 23-Year Football Career
According to reports, the dispute reached a critical point when a Brazilian court ruled that FIFA must stop using the spray in certain competitions.
The decision followed allegations that intellectual property rights linked to the invention had been breached.
Despite the ruling, FIFA has continued to contest the judgment, arguing its position through ongoing legal channels.
While the case remains before the courts, the organisation has opted to limit the spray’s deployment to avoid further legal exposure.
As a result, referees in some matches have reverted to more traditional methods of managing free-kicks, reports added.
0 Comments