FIFA World Cup, Qatar 2022
FIFA Qatar 2022 has been one short month full of memorable moments.
From Morocco becoming the first ever South African team to reach semis, Neymar equalizing Pele’s 77 goals record, Mbappe’s hat-trick in the final match making things messier for Messi to win the World Cup, Messi announcing his retirement after winning the World Cup…
To Japanese teams and fans leaving the locker room and the stadium spotless clean, and the “No Discriminations” armbands sported by various players…
This world cup has teams, players and fans winning the hearts of people all over the world.
But this year FIFA 2022 is also on the front row for technological advancements in the sport.?
The stadium cooling technology to maintain an 18 to 24 degree Celsius temperature (FIFA is typically played in June and July, however owing to the extreme summers in Qatar, this year it is being held in November and December).?
The Bonocle and Feelix Palm technologies make the World Cup an enjoyable experience for the visually impaired making FIFA more inclusive and accessible to everyone.?
The all new revolutionary world cup ball - “Al Rihla”?
Meaning “journey” in Arabic, which when merged with player position data and AI, helps in assisting the referees in taking optimized decisions by contributing to FIFA’s semi-automated offside technology.
And the FIFA Player App?
Gives the players access to their performance data after their match and their on-field performance analysis and insights. The app has been developed in accordance with the FIFA President’s Vision 2020-2023 to use technology to further improve football.?
are making headlines for the tech advancements
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But, one of the most discussed by far is the “batman masks”?
being sported by Croatia's defender Jo?ko Gvardiol, South Korea’s midfielder Son Heung-min and Tunisia's midfielder Ellyes Skhiri. These “high-tech protective devices” are not for a fashion statement but here to revolutionize the physical sports industry.?
Why are these players wearing these masks?
On October 28, Ellyes Skhiri suffered a broken cheekbone in his Conference League match for FC K?ln, threatening his World Cup 2022 appearance.
On November 1, Heung-Min Son’s Champions League clash left him with a fractured eye socket for which it was announced that he will be undergoing an eye surgery a mere 22 days before South Korea’s first clash in FIFA 2022.?
On November 10, Jo?ko Gvardiol suffered a face injury which left him with a severely broken nose and multiple minor injuries on his face. With the first Croatian World Cup match just 15 days away, Gvardiol wore a mask to protect himself from any further damage.
Under no circumstances, these men could miss representing their country in the much awaited FIFA. But playing would mean risking further facial injuries.?
The answer to their dilemma is the face protective high tech protective masks made from polycarbonate and other materials.
These lightweight 3D printed masks are designed to protect the wearer from a broad range of facial injuries (eye, nose, cheek and orbital) and protect from further damage. The masks can be customized to exactly match the contours of the athlete’s face, making them more comfortable and like a second skin.
Though these masks are not that common in football, they have been around for a while. They have been sported across sports like basketball, baseball, etc. which are more prone to facial fractures.?
We can even see these masks making their way into cricket with all rounder Rishi Dhawan. The Himachal Pradesh captain wore this protective face shield for Punjab Kings match in IPL 2022 match of after suffering from a blow in Ranji Trophy and undergoing surgery for the same.