Not a single nil-nil draw had been played since the tournament began. -Photo by AFP

WARSAW: UEFA president Michel Platini on Monday said that having five match officials at Euro 2012 has led to more goals being scored, as not a single nil-nil draw had been played since the tournament began.

“How is that you're seeing more goals scored in these championships? I think you know the answer: five officials makes things easier,” Platini told reporters in Warsaw.

“With extra officials you're aware of more things: the fear of getting caught is there. There's no more shirt-pulling, players know that the referee is there and they can't commit fouls all the time,” he added.

“With five, officials see everything. They don't take decisions without being fully aware. There's also a uniformity of refereeing, for example, they don't call unintentional handballs. That uniformity has led to more flowing football.”

Platini said that with five officials, an incident like Frank Lampard's disallowed goal during England's match with Germany in the World Cup last 16 would never have happened.

The former France captain said he expected the guardians of football's laws to allow goal-line technology to be introduced into the sport, as world governing body FIFA president Sepp Blatter backs the system.

But Platini again stated his position that its introduction could be a slippery slope.

“Goal-line technology isn't a problem. The problem is the arrival of technology because after you'll need technology for deciding handballs and then for offside decisions and so on. It'll be like that forever and ever,” he added.

“It'll never stop. That's the problem I have.”

Opinion

Editorial

Sustainable path?
Updated 13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

The FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth.
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...
A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...