A new initiative developed by Riedel Communications aims to offer football fans a new perspective through its RefCam referee camera system.
Developed through a joint venture called In-YS (In Your Shoes) in collaboration with referees Patrick Kessel and Nicolas Winter, the technology aims to give fans a closer view of the action and allows an insight into communications between officials and players. The innovation recently debuted in a Bundesliga match between German sides Eintracht Frankfurt and VfL Wolfsburg with referee Daniel Schlager wearing the lightweight system.
The development takes into account concerns over the use of technology and the needs of referees officiating in a high-pressure environment, said the companies.
Comprising a head-mounted camera integrated with a transmission system, RefCam weighs just six grams. It features a mute and shutdown function to ensure privacy for the operator.
“Our goal is to provide fresh perspectives and further increase the transparency of referees’ work,” said Nicolas Winter, co-founder and managing director, In-YS. “Our camera shows unmediated reality, the true speed at which we must make decisions. We hope that this will increase appreciation of our work among fans and athletes — and help counteract the current shortage of young referees.”
