The Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) is trying to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) video reading technology to the volleyball scene.
KOVO said in a press release on the 21st, "We are recruiting AI video reading technology developers to increase the accuracy of advanced league operation and video reading and transparent game management."
Currently, baseball and soccer are known to use AI or automatic judgment systems to make judgments in professional sports. For example, the KBO League in Korea has officially introduced robot strike zone referees since 2024, and it is known that they used robot referees for the first time in the world among professional baseball leagues.
The system officially debuted at an exhibition game on March 9 last year, and at that time, the number of walks per game decreased from 7.64 to seven, and the reliability rose significantly, with a 1.4% increase in strikeouts from 13.98 to 14.17.
Artificial Intelligence Scores Gymnastics
Both players and fans were praised for reducing the conflict between players and referees over the misjudgment that inevitably occurs when caught with the human eye. In 2025, the standard was slightly improved, lowering the top and bottom of the strike zone by 0.6% each.
In addition, the Korean soccer team adopted an AI reading system. Accuracy in goal line technology and semi-automatic offside decisions have increased. Through the Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) system introduced at Euro 2024, data is collected using sensors on the ball, real-time three-dimensional rendering is performed using AI, and the reading is made. The system was applied to beach volleyball, swimming, and diving in a similar way at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Currently, the domestic V-League is using a VAR system that directly sees and determines the broadcast screen with the reader's eyes if it is not read by the housewife's deep line. It has been introduced in the Korean league since 2014. In addition to the referee, the coaches of both teams can apply for the video challenge themselves, and in this case, they will be given two opportunities per set. If the request is successful, the opportunity will be maintained, and if it fails, one will be deducted.
Currently, the V-League has a total of nine judges, including six on the court (four on the main, assistant referee and assistant referee) and two on the stand-by referee and two on the record. However, the team cannot avoid controversy over misjudgment in every game. As a result, the flow of games is cut off or delayed too much, and coaches' shouting in and out are often seen during games.
There is a saying that 'misjudgment is part of the game'. However, basically, a referee is standing there to minimize misjudgment. In the professional sports arena, even the slightest judgment can determine the main outcome. Video reading was introduced to reduce misjudgment that cannot be grasped by the human eye. Nevertheless, embarrassing judgments are always made due to the nature of the VAR, which basically passes through video with the human eye.
KOVO has continuously drawn an AI reading roadmap to minimize this, and will now begin development.
KOVO, who spoke to MHN Sports on the phone on the 21st, said, "This research has been going on for a few years. There were companies that had already developed or were interested in it in Korea, so we held meetings. I tried to set some guidelines. We have set the direction internally, and now we are at the stage of selecting a company that can develop this."
However, the timing of its introduction is unknown as it is still in its first stage of development. Analysts say that it will be difficult to immediately introduce the measure in the upcoming next season (25-26 season).
Asked if there was any purpose other than technical excellence, KOVO said, "(The introduction of the reading itself) aims to increase the accuracy of the judgment," adding, "We constantly agonized over the development of the judgment because there were some plays that were ambiguous even by reading the broadcast screen." If the judgment so far was made through collaboration between KOVO and broadcasters, it is now a work to increase more accuracy. However, in the field, people continue to have priority over what they can do. And when they enter video reading, AI readers will have priority over the judgment."
Although the video reading system has not been introduced, there are places where AI systems are currently used in the domestic amateur volleyball edition. Currently, all games hosted by the Korea Secondhand Volleyball Federation are returned to the AI relay system. The Korea Secondhand Volleyball Federation has been broadcasting more than 500 games every year through the AI system since 2020.
In addition, it has developed a platform that uses AI learning data through broadcasted game videos and provides various information based on the calculated data, becoming valuable data for each team leader and player.
Meanwhile, the Dodram V-League, which is currently in the sixth round, will end its regular season on March 20 with the men's Hyundai Capital-OK Savings Bank and the women's GS Caltex-Hungkuk Life Insurance match 스포츠토토. The women's playoff (P.O.) will start on March 25 and the men's P.O. will start on March 23 and 24, when the semi-P.O., which will be held when the gap between the third and fourth places is within three points.