Spain’s Comité Técnico de Árbitros has hired cybersecurity veteran Chema Alonso as adviser for innovation and artificial intelligence, the organisation’s new president, Francisco Javier “Fran” Soto, announced on 21 July. Alonso, 50, spent more than a decade at Telefónica, where he was chief digital officer and steered projects such as the Aura voice assistant before leaving the telecoms group earlier this year. The CTA said Alonso will design data-driven systems to improve referee selection, match assignments and use of video-assistant refereeing. The appointment forms part of Soto’s plan to “start from scratch” after years of criticism over officiating standards, and marks the first time the referees’ body has recruited an external technology specialist to spearhead an overhaul based on artificial intelligence.