SOCCER: Goalline technology will be used at next year's World Cup finals if an experiment at this month's Under-17 World Championship in Peru is successful, Fifa president Sepp Blatter said yesterday.

"We will definitely use the technology in Germany next year if the experiment works in Peru," Blatter told reporters. "The technology will also be used along the touchlines to show whether the ball is out of play."

A total of 32 matches are taking place at four venues in the junior championship but Blatter said that in the unlikely event there were no goalline incidents another match would be arranged outside the competition to use the equipment installed at one of the stadiums.

The experiment was sanctioned by the International Association Football Board (IFAB) at its meeting in Llantisant, near Cardiff in February and members of the board would attend the second week of the tournament which runs from September 16th to October 2nd.

The experiment will then be reviewed by the board at a meeting in Zurich in October and if it has been found to be successful will be sanctioned at its next annual meeting in Lucerne next year before being seen at the World Cup for the first time.

Adidas has developed its "smartball" system that involves balls fitted with electronic chips sending a signal to a wristband or earpiece worn by the referee when the ball has crossed the line.

Blatter also said he is convinced that officiating at World Cup matches would show a big improvement on the standard at the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.

"We have trios of referees and linesmen training and working together now for the World Cup," he said.

"I take part of the responsibility for what happened in 2002 because we had trios from all over the world officiating at matches who had not worked together before. I allowed that to happen.

"Now we have worked hard to ensure all the referees and linesmen know each other and work well together. There will be either trios from the same country, or those from the same confederations who understand each other. I am certain the standard will be much better next year than it was in 2002."

The 2004 European Championship used trios of officials from one country and there were few major controversies.

Blatter also returned to his popular theme of calling for professional referees around the world and said Fifa's funds would be used to pay the salaries for referees in some countries to improve standards.

Blatter also confirmed that a Britain team will compete in the 2012 Olympics and their participation will not affect the home nations' separate representation on the game's world governing body.

Blatter said Fifa have given written guarantees that fielding a host British team will not interfere with England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland maintaining their separate identities.

However, the Scottish Football Association insist their stance on a British Olympic team has not changed despite Blatter's assurances would not affect separate identities.

Blatter's words have been met with a cool reception from the SFA, with suggestions the decision might compromise their separate position within Fifa.

An SFA spokesman said: "Fifa have said before that this is a matter for the British associations to decide. We are not currently party to any discussions on this and we have made our views entirely clear about an Olympic team. So the position has not changed as far as we are concerned."

But Blatter insists a British team will be able to compete at the Games in seven years' time. "We have confirmed in writing that they have to provide a Great Britain team for the 2012 Olympics but the four British associations will not lose the rights and privileges acquired back in 1947. They will play with one team but it is up to them how they do it," said Blatter.