(REUTERS) – FIFA admitted one glaring mistake in their use of technology during Sunday’s World Cup last-16 matches – but refused to acknowledge the other that left England fans fuming. Carlos Tevez scored the opening goal from a blatantly offside position in Argentina’s victory over Mexico on Sunday night, and Mexican players and supporters reacted angrily when instant replays on the giant screens showed up the officials’ poor decision.
And FIFA communications director Nicolas Maingot admitted that it had been a mistake to show the replay, which sparked a melee during the game and more trouble at halftime as rival substitutes squared up to one another.
“This shouldn’t happen,” Maingot said. “Replays can be shown but not when there are controversial situations. We will work on this and be tighter in future.
“It has worked so far very well. Last night was a mistake. It should not happen again.”
But Maingot refused to discuss the use of video evidence to aid referees’ decision-making – despite replays showing clearly that Frank Lampard scored an equaliser for England while they trailed Germany 2-1 in their afternoon match in Bloemfontein.
“There are some questions on technology and additional assistant referee experiments and the International FA Board meeting in March took a stance on goal-line technology,” he said.
“We will not enter into any debate on refereeing.”
FIFA blocked any further experiments with technology at a meeting of the International FA Board in March, and the spokesman faced a barrage of questions at a media briefing in Johannesburg that reached almost farcical proportions.
Maingot added: “The International FA Board, which FIFA is a member of along with the four British associations, dealt with this topic in March. A clear decision on the use of technology was taken at the time.
“I don’t think football is very much different from other sports and not all sports have recourse to technology.”
Asked if FIFA were embarrassed by becoming a laughing stock, Maingot was forced to straight-bat the question.
He added: “FIFA is not working on refereeing after just one case, FIFA is working on refereeing for many years with the confederations and the national associations.
“Refereeing is a global part of the game and we will continue to work on this.”
Meanwhile, Spanish striker Fernando Torres added to calls for technology being used to stop mistakes by officials altering the course of matches.
“We’re tired of asking for technological help for these kinds of situations because they can determine something as important as whether you get knocked out of a World Cup,” he told a Spanish radio station.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has rejected goal line technology, saying he wants football to be played under the same rules at all levels and to retain its human element.