- Sep 2, 2003
- 5,850
- 8,794
Lately I have been browsing the BBC football website. Just now I saw the headline "UEFA overturns Eduardo diving ban". The article quotes both Eduardo and an Arsenal statement, both of which - predictably enough - express their satisfaction at the outcome and the removal of the implicit blemish on the player's reputation.
Let me point out that what I am about to say is not particularly aimed at Arsenal Football Club or Eduardo. The same comments could just as easily be directed towards Wayne Rooney and Manchester United, or any number of players (including some of our own) who regularly perform the same act of cheating during the course of a game. It just so happens that this appalling decision by the obviously spineless UEFA involves an Arsenal player.
There can be no doubt about the fact that Eduardo dived against Celtic. He did what so many players now do: stopped moving his legs so that he fell forward into the goalkeeper, therefore giving the appearance that he had been fouled. It is exactly the same thing that Rooney did for Manchester United against Arsenal; the only difference is that Almunia clattered into Rooney (thereby fulfilling the charade) whereas Boruc did not. Eduardo's dive was obvious, whereas contact with the goalkeeper renedered Rooney's less so.
After both incidents, it is sickening to hear the players concerned proclaim that they are 'fair' players. They did not, and have never, sought to gain an advantage by 'simulation'. Eduardo is quoted as saying "I just want to say that I am a fair player. To score goals you must take your opportunities and I'm not the type of player who needs to be dishonest to score goals." So black is white, and in spite of all of the evidence to the contrary, we must believe that he does not cheat. His club compounds the hypocrisy; this from its statement: "We fully support the drive for fair play in football and believe it is important that Uefa provides clear and comprehensive standards that will be consistently enforced going forward." So they're glad that UEFA is taking action against this type of offence, they just want to be excluded from it.
Such words - and indeed the act of cheating itself - are perhaps understandable given all that is at stake in matches played at he highest level. Not acceptable, but understandable. What is both unacceptable and inexplicable is the apparent basis for UEFA's decision to overturn its original ban. This again from the Arsenal statement: "We were able to show there was contact between the keeper and Eduardo and that the decision should be annulled,".
So there you have it: as long as there is 'contact' between two players, anything goes. As long as there is 'contact', it does not matter that one player is diving, for he will not be punished for his 'simulation'. All cheating is absolved if there is 'contact'. Not necessarily a foul, you understand, but 'contact'.
What a shameless abrogation of responsibility by one of the world's principal governing bodies. Consider the following extract from the laws of the game:
Now I may be missing something, but I can't see any reference to 'contact'. I can see 'intent'; I can see 'careless' and 'reckless'; I can see 'excessive force'. 'Contact' is conspicuous by its absence. It could of course be argued that Boruc (and subsequently Almunia) were 'careless', but it seems to me that Boruc in particular was extremely careful in his attempt to avoid contact with the somehow tumbling Eduardo.
So UEFA has (in what must be presumed to be an attempt to avoid any act that might - God forbid! - set a precedent that it has to follow) pandered to the false belief of most commentators that 'contact' constitutes a foul. Never mind what the laws of the game state, let's not rock the boat. Better to allow cheating that can be ignored than to take steps to show that it is unacceptable and to work at eradicating it.
This, my friends, is a sad day for the beautiful game. This watershed decision has shown all those who wish to cheat that they may do so with impunity. UEFA had a chance to improve the game and has blown it in spectacular fashion.
I fear that it is all downhill from here.
Let me point out that what I am about to say is not particularly aimed at Arsenal Football Club or Eduardo. The same comments could just as easily be directed towards Wayne Rooney and Manchester United, or any number of players (including some of our own) who regularly perform the same act of cheating during the course of a game. It just so happens that this appalling decision by the obviously spineless UEFA involves an Arsenal player.
There can be no doubt about the fact that Eduardo dived against Celtic. He did what so many players now do: stopped moving his legs so that he fell forward into the goalkeeper, therefore giving the appearance that he had been fouled. It is exactly the same thing that Rooney did for Manchester United against Arsenal; the only difference is that Almunia clattered into Rooney (thereby fulfilling the charade) whereas Boruc did not. Eduardo's dive was obvious, whereas contact with the goalkeeper renedered Rooney's less so.
After both incidents, it is sickening to hear the players concerned proclaim that they are 'fair' players. They did not, and have never, sought to gain an advantage by 'simulation'. Eduardo is quoted as saying "I just want to say that I am a fair player. To score goals you must take your opportunities and I'm not the type of player who needs to be dishonest to score goals." So black is white, and in spite of all of the evidence to the contrary, we must believe that he does not cheat. His club compounds the hypocrisy; this from its statement: "We fully support the drive for fair play in football and believe it is important that Uefa provides clear and comprehensive standards that will be consistently enforced going forward." So they're glad that UEFA is taking action against this type of offence, they just want to be excluded from it.
Such words - and indeed the act of cheating itself - are perhaps understandable given all that is at stake in matches played at he highest level. Not acceptable, but understandable. What is both unacceptable and inexplicable is the apparent basis for UEFA's decision to overturn its original ban. This again from the Arsenal statement: "We were able to show there was contact between the keeper and Eduardo and that the decision should be annulled,".
So there you have it: as long as there is 'contact' between two players, anything goes. As long as there is 'contact', it does not matter that one player is diving, for he will not be punished for his 'simulation'. All cheating is absolved if there is 'contact'. Not necessarily a foul, you understand, but 'contact'.
What a shameless abrogation of responsibility by one of the world's principal governing bodies. Consider the following extract from the laws of the game:
A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any
of the following seven offences in a manner considered by the referee to be
careless, reckless or using excessive force:
of the following seven offences in a manner considered by the referee to be
careless, reckless or using excessive force:
• kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
• trips or attempts to trip an opponent
• jumps at an opponent
• charges an opponent
• strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
• pushes an opponent
• tackles an opponent• trips or attempts to trip an opponent
• jumps at an opponent
• charges an opponent
• strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
• pushes an opponent
Now I may be missing something, but I can't see any reference to 'contact'. I can see 'intent'; I can see 'careless' and 'reckless'; I can see 'excessive force'. 'Contact' is conspicuous by its absence. It could of course be argued that Boruc (and subsequently Almunia) were 'careless', but it seems to me that Boruc in particular was extremely careful in his attempt to avoid contact with the somehow tumbling Eduardo.
So UEFA has (in what must be presumed to be an attempt to avoid any act that might - God forbid! - set a precedent that it has to follow) pandered to the false belief of most commentators that 'contact' constitutes a foul. Never mind what the laws of the game state, let's not rock the boat. Better to allow cheating that can be ignored than to take steps to show that it is unacceptable and to work at eradicating it.
This, my friends, is a sad day for the beautiful game. This watershed decision has shown all those who wish to cheat that they may do so with impunity. UEFA had a chance to improve the game and has blown it in spectacular fashion.
I fear that it is all downhill from here.