New shin pads that can alert a referee if a footballer has dived were unveiled this week. They could spell the end of the culture of cheating prevalent in British football as the sensors and magnets built into the shin pads can detect the impact of tackles.
The player wearing these shin pads can not dive without contact being made as an alarm will get triggered warning the referee about the cheating. The design also has a proximity sensor which will not allow players to kick themselves to simulate a foul. And they would help eliminate poor refereeing decisions and help catch perpetual divers.
'Anti-Dive' shin pads. Image Credit: Smallfry. (www.smallfry.com)
The managing director of Smallfry, Steve May-Russell hopes that the Football Association will use more technology in games. Smallfry creative consultants developed the prototype shin pads. As per him each pad has two sensors and magnets. One sensor confirms another player is close and the other is an impact sensor.
Once both sensors are triggered the alarm is set off. Thanks to the proximity sensor if a player tries to cheat by kicking himself the proximity sensor will tell that there was no player close to him and despite the impact will not trigger. The shin pads had a trial at a game between fans in Battersea Park in London.