Ballinno, a Dutch company, lost its lawsuit against UEFA and VAR technology manufacturer Kinexon on Monday. The company claimed that the European football governing body had no permission to use its offside detection technology for video referees during the upcoming European Championship.

The lawsuit was heard at the Hamburg division of the Unified Patent Court, which deals with European patents. Ballinno approached UEFA when it became clear that the European organization intended to use Ballinno’s offside technology at the Euro 2024 in Germany.

The lawsuit ensued after both parties failed to reach an agreement. Ballinno’s lawyer, Rien Broekstra, expressed disappointment following the ruling. “Ballinno is disappointed. Once the reasons for the court’s decision are known, Ballinno will decide on the next steps,” Broekstra said. The exact reasons for the court’s rejection of the claim are still unknown to Broekstra

Peter Borst, owner of Ballinno, invented the patented offside detection system in 2007 alongside two engineers. They were granted a patent for their invention in 2011. The system uses a sensor in the ball to determine the exact moment a pass is made, which is crucial for determining whether a player is offside.

Borst recently discovered that UEFA plans to use his technology without permission during the Euro 2024, which begins on June 14. This same technology was used during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where the company was unable to challenge its use.

The court ruling is a significant setback for Ballinno, which had hoped to secure its rights and potentially negotiate a licensing agreement with UEFA. The company must now consider its options and possible further legal actions once the detailed court decision is released.

As the European Championship approaches, this decision allows UEFA to proceed with its plans to implement the contested VAR technology, promising more precise offside decisions during the tournament.