MOSCOW — On a warm, sticky morning in Kazan, Russia, a couple of weeks ago, a British journalist decided to brave the heat and go for a run. His apartment for the duration of the World Cup overlooked the city’s state-of-the-art stadium, so he decided to do a couple of laps.

By the time he rounded the arena for the second time, he had been reduced to walking, his face pink and his T-shirt soaked in sweat. Two police officers at a security checkpoint eyed him suspiciously. They had a brief, whispered conversation before moving to intercept him.

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Worried he was about to be asked for his papers and speaking little Russian, he readied himself to explain that he had left his passport at home and would be happy to retrieve it. Before he could speak, one of the officers uttered a short sentence into his cellphone. He held it toward the journalist, and an electronic voice asked, in English, “Do you require medical assistance?”

This was always supposed to be a World Cup indelibly marked by technology. FIFA’s decision to appoint a team of video assistant referees to review controversial incidents during matches was hailed as soccer’s next great leap forward, the moment it would join almost every other sport, including cricket and the N.F.L., in the 21st century.