A new video technology initiative was launched at the ROWE British Grand Prix Championship in September, the biggest squash event this year in the UK which took place at the National Squash Centre in Manchester.
After extensive trials at recent major PSA World Tour events, the Professional Squash Association has chosen to launch its new initiative for all future televised PSA events.
The system allows match officials to review decisions (eg, ‘Let’, ‘Stroke’ or”
“‘No Let’) questioned by the players, via TV action replays viewed by a fourth official, the Video Referee.
Players are allowed one appeal per game, which remains live following a successful appeal. In the event of a game moving into a tie-break, each player has his single TV appeal opportunity renewed.
The replay of the incident is played on a large screen, with the decision then flashed up on the screen for all to see. And for those who watch on PSASquashTV, the replays and decisions are also displayed.
“Following the successful trials at the Canary Wharf Classic in London and the Australian Open in August, we are delighted to be introducing Video technology at all our future PSA televised events,” explained PSA COO Lee Beachill.
“Video technology is used in most of today’s high profile sports and we don’t feel squash should be any different. We are now filming and producing squash to a level where this technology is available to our officials and, after consultation with referees and players, it has been decided that it should now be used wherever possible.
“The Australian Open was a resounding success, with fantastic crowd participation and far less player/official dialogue,” added Beachill. “We are confident that this will continue to improve the spectator experience at our major events.”
