Vanishing spray

Last updated

A referee applying vanishing spray before a free kick 2017 Confederation Cup - CHIAUS - Vanishing spray.jpg
A referee applying vanishing spray before a free kick
Vanishing spray used in the match between Achilles '29 and Sparta Rotterdam Vanishing spray.JPG
Vanishing spray used in the match between Achilles '29 and Sparta Rotterdam
Vanishing spray in use at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Switzerland and Ecuador match 2014-06-15 Vanishing foam.jpg
Vanishing spray in use at the 2014 FIFA World Cup
Vanishing spray can be clipped to a referee's waist Vanishing spray on belt.jpg
Vanishing spray can be clipped to a referee's waist

Vanishing spray, also known as vanishing foam, is a substance applied to an association football pitch in order to provide a temporary visual marker. It is most often used by the referee to indicate the minimum distance that the defending team may position themselves from the ball during a direct free kick, as well as to indicate the spot from where the kick is taken. The spray appears similar to white paint or watered-down shaving foam when initially applied. It completely disappears within a minute, leaving no visible residue behind.

Contents

Used mainly at the highest levels of competition, vanishing spray is said to help prevent unnecessary delays by preventing the defensive team from encroaching closer than the mandated 10 yards (9.15 meters) from the ball during a free kick, and also by preventing the attacking team from illegally moving the ball from the spot where the referee awarded the kick. [1] Its use in football is not regulated by the Laws of the Game, with authorisation being in the hands of the governing body of a match, league, or tournament.

Overview

Vanishing spray is applied from an aerosol can carried by the referee in a holster secured to their shorts. The referee has full discretion on whether or not to use vanishing spray, and opponents are required to retreat 10 yards from the spot of a free kick regardless of whether vanishing spray is used (unless the team awarded the kick elects to take a "quick" free kick with opponents still within 10 yards). It is generally only used when a free kick is awarded where a goal-scoring attempt is highly likely to develop (e.g. it is usually not used when a team is awarded a free kick in its own half of the pitch). When the referee chooses to use vanishing spray, they will usually mark the spot of the ball, then pace 10 yards in the direction of the attack, then spray a line marking that distance. Finally, the referee will indicate for the free kick to be taken, usually by blowing the whistle. The marks disappear after about one minute.

Technical details

The can contains water (~80%), butane gas (~17%), surfactant (~1%), and other ingredients including vegetable oil (~2%). [2] The liquefied butane expands when the product is ejected from the can. The butane evaporates instantly, forming bubbles of gas in the water/surfactant mixture. The surfactant(s) cause the bubbles to have stability and hence a gas-in-liquid colloid (foam) forms. The bubbles eventually collapse and the foam disappears, leaving only water and surfactant residue on the ground. More technical details can be found in the US patent applications for two of the commercial products available: Spuni (2001) and 9-15 (2010).

History

Referee Chris Foy uses the spray on the opening day of the 2014-15 Premier League season. Tottenham Vanishing Spray.jpg
Referee Chris Foy uses the spray on the opening day of the 2014–15 Premier League season.

In 2000, Brazilian inventor Heine Allemagne developed the spray under the name "Spuni" (pronounced SPOO-nee, from espuma, the Portuguese word for foam). Its first use in a professional level was in the 2001 Brazilian Championship, Copa João Havelange. [3] Referees unanimously approved its use and the spray was since adopted in Brazilian competitions. An international patent application for "Spuni" was filed by its inventor on March 31, 2000 and the patent granted on October 29, 2002. [4] Since then, the spray has been used in many international football competitions. In June 2014 the spray's latest commercial version, "9-15", made its debut in the FIFA 2014 World Cup. [5] "9-15" was developed by Argentinian entrepreneur Pablo Silva and its commercial production started in 2008. [6]

In 2018, Allemagne publicly alleged that FIFA have not paid him for the spray, instead continuing to produce and use the spray without paying royalties. In December 2017, a Brazilian court acknowledged Allemagne's patent and ordered FIFA to stop using the spray in its competitions; FIFA have refused to comply, arguing that the Brazilian courts have no jurisdiction over them. [7]

The 2011 Copa América tournament was the first tournament for national teams to use the spray. [8] Its success caused it to be adopted by several national leagues in 2011 in America, including Major League Soccer. [8] It has also been used in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey, the 2014 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Malta and Gozo, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Modern use

The first World Cup match to feature the vanishing spray was the opening game of the 2014 FIFA World Cup between Brazil and Croatia on 12 June, used by referee Yuichi Nishimura. [9] [10] The spray is now authorised for use in top flight football for the Bundesliga in Germany, [11] (though Germany's consumer protection agency, TÜV, initially banned it due to environmental concerns), [12] Serie A in Italy, Ligue 1 in France, La Liga in Spain, the Premier League in England, [13] Major League Soccer in the United States of America and Canada, the Iran Pro League, the Czech First League, the Hong Kong Premier League, the A-League in Australia, [14] the Thai Premier League, the Primeira Liga in Portugal, [15] the Ekstraklasa in Poland, [16] the Danish Superliga, [17] the Indian Super League, [18] the J-League in Japan, [19] and the V.League 1 in Vietnam. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Association football</span> Team sport played with a spherical ball

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each who primarily use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for a total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is often considered the world's most popular sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rivaldo</span> Brazilian footballer

Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira, known simply as Rivaldo, is a Brazilian former footballer who played mainly as an attacking midfielder but also as a second striker, and on occasion deployed as a wide midfielder or as a winger. Rivaldo is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and among the most skillful and creative players of his generation. He was renowned for his bending free kicks, bicycle kicks, feints, powerful ball striking from distance, and ability to both score and create goals. In 1999, he won the Ballon d'Or and was named FIFA World Player of the Year. In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. With success at club and international level, he is one of nine players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d'Or.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roberto Carlos</span> Brazilian footballer (born 1973)

Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha, known as Roberto Carlos and sometimes referred to as RC3, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who currently works as a football ambassador. He started his career in Brazil as a forward but spent most of his career as a left-back and has been described as the "most offensive-minded left-back in the history of the game". A free kick specialist throughout his career, his bending shots have measured at over 105 miles per hour (169 km/h). In 1997, he was runner-up in the FIFA World Player of the Year. Widely considered one of the greatest full-backs and left-backs in history, in 2004 he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penalty kick (association football)</span> Type of direct free kick in association football

A penalty kick is a method of restarting play in association football, in which a player is allowed to take a single shot at the goal while it is defended only by the opposing team's goalkeeper. It is awarded when an offence punishable by a direct free kick is committed by a player in their own penalty area. The shot is taken from the penalty mark, which is 11 m from the goal line and centred between the touch lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 FIFA World Cup</span> Association football tournament in Brazil

The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's national football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014, after the country was awarded the hosting rights in 2007. It was the second time that Brazil staged the competition, the first being in 1950, and the fifth time that it was held in South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beach soccer</span> Association football played on a beach

Beach soccer, also known as beach football, sand football or beasal, is a variant of association football played on a beach or some form of sand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howard Webb</span> Former English football referee and General Manager of the Professional Referee Organisation

Howard Melton Webb MBE is an English former professional football referee who officiated primarily in the Premier League from 2003 to 2014, as well as for FIFA as a FIFA international referee from 2005 to 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Luiz</span> Brazilian professional footballer

David Luiz Moreira Marinho is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Flamengo. He is primarily a centre back but can also be deployed as a defensive midfielder. Lauded in his prime as one of the best defenders in the world, Luiz is noted for his strong presence on the pitch as well as his specialty in taking free-kicks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuichi Nishimura</span> Japanese football referee

Yuichi Nishimura is a Japanese football referee. He has refereed in the Japanese J. League Division 1 since 1999 and has been a full international referee for FIFA since 2004. He refereed the opening game in the 2014 FIFA World Cup between hosts Brazil and Croatia, and also the second leg of the 2014 AFC Champions League final between Al Hilal and Western Sydney FC. His poor refereeing performance in the former of the matches have led people to criticize him.

The knockout stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was the second and final stage of the World Cup, following the group stage. It began on 26 June with the round of 16 matches, and ended on 11 July with the final match of the tournament held at Soccer City, Johannesburg, in which Spain beat the Netherlands 1–0 after extra time to claim their first World Cup. The top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout stage to compete in a single-elimination style tournament. A third place match was included and played between the two losing teams of the semi-finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 FIFA Club World Cup</span> International football competition

The 2013 FIFA Club World Cup was the 10th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, a FIFA-organised international club football tournament between the winners of the six continental confederations as well as the host nation's league champions. It was hosted by Morocco, and played from 11 to 21 December 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 FIFA World Cup final</span> World Cup final, held in Brazil

The 2014 FIFA World Cup final was the final match of the 2014 World Cup, the 20th edition of FIFA's competition for national football teams. The match was played at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 13 July 2014, and was contested by Germany and Argentina. The event comprised hosts Brazil and 31 other teams who emerged from the qualification phase, organised by the six FIFA confederations. The 32 teams competed in a group stage, from which 16 teams qualified for the knockout stage. En route to the final, Germany finished first in Group G, with two wins and a draw, after which they defeated Algeria in the round of 16, France in the quarter-final and Brazil, by a score of 7–1, in the semi-final. Argentina finished top of Group F with three wins, before defeating Switzerland in the round of 16, Belgium in the quarter-final and the Netherlands in a penalty shoot-out in the semi-final. The final took place in front of 74,738 supporters, as well as over a billion watching on television, and was refereed by Nicola Rizzoli from Italy.

This is a record of Colombia's results at the FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the first tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946, due to World War II.

The 32 teams at the 2014 FIFA World Cup were split into eight groups of four, labelled A–H. Group A comprised Brazil, Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon. The first match was played on 12 June 2014, with the last two played concurrently on 23 June. The top two teams, Brazil and Mexico, advanced to the round of 16.

The following article concerns the performance of Brazil at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. They played their first home-soil World Cup after 64 years, since the 1950 World Cup, and thus were automatically qualified for the group stage.

Croatia participated in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This was their fourth appearance having missed out on 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Video assistant referee</span> Football official reviewing decisions

The video assistant referee (VAR) is a match official in association football who reviews decisions made by the referee.

The knockout stage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup was the second and final stage of the competition, following the group stage. It began on 30 June with the round of 16 and ended on 15 July with the final match, held at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. The top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout stage to compete in a single-elimination style tournament. A third place play-off was also played between the two losing teams of the semi-finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 FIFA World Cup Group E</span> Football tournament

Group E of the 2018 FIFA World Cup took place from 17 to 27 June 2018. The group consisted of Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, and Serbia. The top two teams, Brazil and Switzerland, advanced to the round of 16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bartosz Frankowski</span> Polish football referee

Bartosz Frankowski is a Polish football referee who officiates in the Ekstraklasa. He has been a FIFA referee since 2014, and is ranked as a UEFA first category referee.

References

  1. ↑ Crossman, Steve (10 June 2014). "World Cup 2014: Vanishing foam 'could see more free-kick goals'". BBC.
  2. ↑ "The story behind football's magic foam". Outlook. BBC World Service . 28 July 2014.
  3. ↑ Rossi, André (9 May 2003). "Brasileiro quer levar spray revolucionário para o mundo" [A Brazilian wants to bring the revolutionary spray to the world]. Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). São Paulo. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014.
  4. ↑ BrazilPublished 0002743-A,Dias Heine Allemagne Vilarinho,"BR-0002743-A: Foaming aqueous composition, use thereof and process for temporary demarcation of regulation distances in sports.",published 2002-10-29
  5. ↑ Herndon, Astead (12 June 2014). "Vanishing spray makes World Cup debut". CNN . Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  6. ↑ ""El aerosol me cambió la vida"" ["The spray changed my life"]. La Nueva España (in Spanish). 3 December 2013.
  7. ↑ Utton, Dominic (28 June 2018). "World Cup bosses kicked me in the teeth". The Daily Express . Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  8. 1 2 Torres, Cesar R. (7 August 2011). "Vanishing Spray and the Future of Technology". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  9. ↑ Smith, Ben (12 June 2014). "World Cup: Brazil 3 Croatia 1". BBC Sport . Sao Paulo. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  10. ↑ "Vanishing spray used for first time at tournament". BBC Sport. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "DFL approves vanishing spray". Bundesliga . Düsseldorf. 11 August 2014. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014.
  12. ↑ "Football League Decides To Jump On Board The Vanishing Spray Bandwagon". World Soccer Talk. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  13. ↑ Meagher, Gerard (30 July 2014). "Premier League referees will use vanishing spray in new season". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  14. ↑ Migliaccio, Val. "The A-League set to use vanishing spray after popularity during World Cup and Barclays Premier League". Fox Sports (Australia) . The Advertiser. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  15. ↑ "Garrafas de Spray nas competições profissionais" [Spray cans in professional competitions] (in Portuguese). Liga Portugal. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "Premier League jak Ekstraklasa" [Premier League like Ekstraklasa] (in Polish). Ekstraklasa. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  17. ↑ Davidsen, Martin (20 February 2015). "Superligaen indfører nyt redskab" [The Superliga introduces a new tool]. Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). Tipsbladet.
  18. ↑ Chakrabarty, Shamik (11 August 2014). "At CFL, vanishing spray appears in Indian football for very first time". The Indian Express .
  19. ↑ Orlowitz, Dan (24 February 2015). "J-League introduces vanishing spray for 2015 Season". FootballChannel.Asia. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015.
  20. ↑ Tùng, Lê (2 March 2016). "Trọng tài V.League được trang bị bình xịt tự hủy" [The V.League referee is equipped with a self-destructing spray]. Zing News (in Vietnamese).
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.