Clamping down on playacting?

[Paul Bacon]

Seems this World Cup we have seen more play acting than most, with players going down like they have been shot, as soon as a hand goes near their face. Kaka incident yesterday and the Chile one today. Im sure there have been others but cant remember.

Should Fifa review match footage after the game, and anyone found guilty of playacting like we have seen, be given an automatic 1 match ban? Would surely stop it, as the players know there is no chance of getting away with it. Atm there is no punishment for them to do it.

I get embarrased when i see it, so god knows how the player must feel after the game and all the world can see him crying like a baby over nothing

[jmr]

Nigeria v Greece was just as bad as well, but yeah Fifa need to step up and sort this out.

[pouncer]

It's embarrassing, but it's too much a part of the game now. FIFA won't be able to outlaw it: playacting and simulation are too entwined into the game for it to be wholly removed or even worth wholly removing it. There will always be an element of gamesmanship in football (as in any sport) so, much as it annoys me, I don't think it would really be worth the bother - it will just create further controversy in the long run.

[miketheheadlesschicken]

A couple of Swiss players were at it today, mainly because they realised the ref could be conned so easily. When you've got a ref flashing the cards about, players are going to take advantage of it.

[bomma]

I have to agree. It's disgraceful.

Stop acting like little children and play the ****ing game ffs.

[Ruud van Nistelrooy]

Not really a fan of retrospective punishment. Referees just need to be better and be more prepared to give out cards for blatant cheating.

[Paul Bacon]

Not really a fan of retrospective punishment. Referees just need to be better and be more prepared to give out cards for blatant cheating.

I think in alot of instances its hard for the refs. Its ok us seeing things is super HD slow motion and going he faked that injury, but at full speed the ref will see an arm near a guys face, then see the guy roll over on the floor.

[DJ]

The mean thing about play acting is, that it is impossible to tackle during the game. If a player goes down and claims to be injured, he might really be injured. Who will judge whether it's real or not? The ref? He's in no way medically qualified enough to make any but the most obvious calls. And who can judge whether someone is really in pain or making the most of a minor thing or even faking it completely?

So the only way would be to judge situations after the match and at least if you can't stop it during the game, you can punish the fakers by banning them. One might argue that FIFA (and other FAs) won't change their ways, but there have been incidents already - Rivaldo vs Turkey the most famous I think - where bans for this sort of thing have been issued.

As far as I'm concerned, they should keep going on that route. I don't mind that only players who are on TV would be targetted. Things aren't the same 'all the way down the pyramid' anyway. If you get caught on TV, tough luck for you.

[samba23]

One of the reasons that I have always been against video technology is that often descisions are not obviously black or white. Harry kewell's sending off for example - some people will say it was a hand ball and that he should have been sent off but others will say that there was nothing he could do about it and it wasn't deliberate.

Diving is another one where it is often hard to tell - did he dive? was there contact? was the contact of sufficient force? was he looking for it? etc.

But for feigning injury it is very often absolutely clear that the player has cheated. Keita was not seriously injured, no-one can argue about that. When it is clear beyond any doubt that a player has feigned injury then that player should retrospectively be banned. Busquets/Thiago Motta being another prime example.

[CaptainPlanet]

I think we should do more of it, who cares what the media make of us, every other country does it to their advantage, we should stop having such a stigma about it.

If you can't beat em, join em.

[Paul Bacon]

Yea im not suggesting do it for all playacting. Stuff like "is he really that injured" or "did he make contact as he fell over" are too close to call in alot of cases. But some like the elbow in the face incidents are clear as day

[Paul Bacon]

I think we should do more of it, who cares what the media make of us, every other country does it to their advantage, we should stop having such a stigma about it.

If you can't beat em, join em.

What do other nations media think when their player cheats like that? You can bet if Rooney got a man sent off for playacting he would be slaughtered in the tabloids over here.

[CaptainPlanet]

Unless it was Ronaldo and he winked afterward. Instant tabloid hero.

[Paul Bacon]

Refs are also meant to book players if they wave the imaginary card to get someone booked. Ive yet to see 1 player getting booked for it though?

[Confused Clarity]

Not really a fan of retrospective punishment. Referees just need to be better and be more prepared to give out cards for blatant cheating.

If referees don't see something, what is wrong with retrospective punishment?

It's used in pretty much every other televised sport, why should it not be used in football?

[PMLF]

I don't like retrospective punishment for things like this, if the ref doesn't see it on the game, or does nothing about it, then move on and forget what happened.

[Confused Clarity]

I have to agree. It's disgraceful.

Stop acting like little children and play the ****ing game ffs.

When that Maori kid for New Zealand went down clutching his face during the Italy-New Zealand game, I thought to myself "I guess that's why you're a Soccer player & not an All Black".

[Confused Clarity]

I don't like retrospective punishment for things like this, if the ref doesn't see it on the game, or does nothing about it, then move on and forget what happened.

Yes but you also see nothing wrong with players doing this in the game.

[PMLF]

Yes but you also see nothing wrong with players doing this in the game.

Well, it's part of the game, the refs should of course do something during the game like they have to do with any fouls, etc..., but you can't go and punish everyone after the game is over.

[Paul Bacon]

When that Maori kid for New Zealand went down clutching his face during the Italy-New Zealand game, I thought to myself "I guess that's why you're a Soccer player & not an All Black".

Only reason rugby players dont do it is because the ref doesnt give a crap. You can have punch ups in the game and the ref wont take action, so no point faking injury.

Football you do go obviously, so you do need some punishment for people doing it, otherwise players will catch on like they have been doing and do it more

[Paul Bacon]

Another game, another faking injury

[Confused Clarity]

You can have punch ups in the game but the referee won't take action?

When was the last time you saw a Rugby Union game? Any time a punch is clearly thrown in Rugby and the referee will instantly sin bin the player. If it's missed, the player is cited and it is dealt with by the disciplinary panel after the game.

[bomma]

Poorly though. Took him 8 seconds to fall on his arse. Poor Show.

@Paul Bacon

[jmr]

One of the funniest thing's I've seen in sport is that ESPN advert where there are about 5 or 6 Aussie Rules players in a punch up and the game just continues on around them Should just do that in football, they'll soon get back up sharpish.

[Paul Bacon]

You can have punch ups in the game but the referee won't take action?

When was the last time you saw a Rugby Union game? Any time a punch is clearly thrown in Rugby and the referee will instantly sin bin the player. If it's missed, the player is cited and it is dealt with by the disciplinary panel after the game.

Punch ups might be a little strong of a word thinking about it. But if they throw a few slaps like they do in football the ref will just tell them to stop it and get on with play.

[Paul Bacon]

Poorly though. Took him 8 seconds to fall on his arse. Poor Show.

@Paul Bacon

Yea dunno what he was thinking

[ericcantona7]

Only reason rugby players dont do it is because the ref doesnt give a crap. You can have punch ups in the game and the ref wont take action, so no point faking injury.

unless it's a blood injury!

the thing that annoys me most is when rugby fans moan "all these footballers are pussies rolling around whenever someone touches them", they're not pussies because they're not hurt, they are pretending to be hurt because they cna con the ref and gain an advantage. Rugby players would do the same thing if it got them an advantage but it doesn't, so instead they bite, kick, stamp, punch, eye gouge, twist bollocks, scratch each other when the refs not looking in order to gain their advantage, and sometimes it seems they will also fake injury if that helps their team, they are just as pathetic and just as cowardly. It's got nothing to do with the natures of the specific sport and is related to human behaviour and the pressure and rewards of winning. It just manifests itself in a different way.

Doesn't happen in cricket ofc, they are still true gentlemen.

[ericcantona7]

also not only are players often rewarded for diving, they are often punished for being honest, if a footballer tries to stay on his feet and succeeds the referee will usually bottle it and not give the foul because they don't like making judgements, especially ones that result in penalties etc. That needs sorting as much as anything.

[SirZ]

Definitely in favour of retrospective punishment. The diving and feigning injury should be driven out of the game. Its becoming rampant as well and its embarrassing as fan. I would love a one match ban and a fine to be applied retrospectively.

[Cobbler]

Should Fifa review match footage after the game, and anyone found guilty of playacting like we have seen, be given an automatic 1 match ban? Would surely stop it, as the players know there is no chance of getting away with it. Atm there is no punishment for them to do it.

Been saying this for years, even if they did it though everyone would just be up in arms when there were only seven players available for the next game or something...

[Rafalution]

Well, it's part of the game, the refs should of course do something during the game like they have to do with any fouls, etc..., but you can't go and punish everyone after the game is over.

why not?

[Icelander83]

Because South Americans love their cheaters and not only condone but actively encourage diving/feigning injuries.

This post may or may not be a bit over the top yet accurate

[PMLF]

why not?

Because this is the ref's job, and because of what others said, you'd end up with several ruined teams, like would be the case of Brazil (and Côte d'Ivoire) after yesterday's game.

[silva_gunner]

The other problem with anything like that would be taking it down the leagues. By League 1/2 the clubs can't always afford that and below that some games still don't have linesman, and if we have different rules at the top it just makes life even harder for refs/players to make the step up.

[Paul Bacon]

Been saying this for years, even if they did it though everyone would just be up in arms when there were only seven players available for the next game or something...

Until teams realise they can stop that by not faking injury?

[Rafalution]

Because this is the ref's job, and because of what others said, you'd end up with several ruined teams, like would be the case of Brazil (and Côte d'Ivoire) after yesterday's game.

Why does it have to be just the refs job? Your argument basically comes down to we can't do it a different way because it's not how it's done now. Why would it ruin other teams? Because they dive a lot? Easy way to fix that.

[Rafalution]

The other problem with anything like that would be taking it down the leagues. By League 1/2 the clubs can't always afford that and below that some games still don't have linesman, and if we have different rules at the top it just makes life even harder for refs/players to make the step up.

Making the step up to not diving?

As for refs, it doesn't make it harder for them, they do the same job they always have.

[Icelander83]

Because this is the ref's job, and because of what others said, you'd end up with several ruined teams, like would be the case of Brazil (and Côte d'Ivoire) after yesterday's game.

It's also the refs job to notice violent conduct. By your logic there shouldn't be any punishment for one player punching another player unless the ref sees it. This line of arguing is flawed. Players who breach the rules should be punished. If there is video evidence of a player breaking the rules, he should be punished, simple as that.

[silva_gunner]

Making the step up to not diving?

As for refs, it doesn't make it harder for them, they do the same job they always have.

If a club wins promotion to say, the Championship (where it is introduced) and they are suddenly told 'Oh yeah, you know you used to fall over occasionally? That's a ban now' Not going to go down well. If we are going to have things like this it needs to be consistent in all professional football. And as for refs, it changes their role. If they make a call now it is possible that the replay people will decide they are wrong. If that happened in a high profile game the media would go crazy.

[Rafalution]

i think you meant to say 'oh yeah, remember how you used to cheat, can't do that anymore', to which my response is and?

[Icelander83]

Falling over isn't diving ffs

[20LEGEND]

Because this is the ref's job, and because of what others said, you'd end up with several ruined teams, like would be the case of Brazil (and Côte d'Ivoire) after yesterday's game.

And the players would soon learn to not play act so much if there is retrospective punishment.

Clamping down on this would improve the game, unless you think it's a good thing (obviously the latins are the best at it so would be the most effected )?

[Cobbler]

Falling over isn't diving ffs

Falling over on purpose is?

[aggressive minor]

Well, it's part of the game, the refs should of course do something during the game like they have to do with any fouls, etc..., but you can't go and punish everyone after the game is over.

Yeah you can, if a panel looked at each game and dished out bans and fines, do you think players would be stupid enough to keep doing it? Of course there would be lots of issues to look at initially, but if the players saw that action was actually being taken they would stop. I'm a teacher and thats how I have to treat my kids, give sanctions for the poor behaviour and eventually they learn.

[PaulHartman71]

Luis Fabiano was another one doing this, shame since he's good, but becomes instantly hateable to me because he goes down like such a bitch.

[charlo116]

if a ban like this was introduced i think many players would try to change their behaviour straight away and many more players would follow after bans started to get handed out. Good idea, it can only benefit the future of the game.

[Divinity]

Well, it's part of the game

I must have missed when diving and faking injury was taught as a part of the game. That's a ******** line used to excuse cheating. It's only "part of the game" because it's become acceptable to cheat.

It's not football by any stretch of the imagination.

[DJ]

The last defender routinely kicking the forward bearing down on goal down from behind used to be part of the game as well. FK and yellow at most. (Find some footage of ARG-NL WC final 1978 for example.) You don't nearly see it as much anymore because that foul is very much a red card nowadays. I wonder if people argued 'it's part of the game' back when...

[PluckaDuck]

Players are becoming more dishonest and cheating more than ever. The refereeing at times hasn't exactly helped things!

[nattai]

The following article represents one reason why i think FIFA wont clamp down in playacting:

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/news/newsid=1251262/

Apparently Australia has descended into a 'red mist' in being involved in 6 red cards in the last 4 matches involving them. How many of those were due to play acting? none. How many of these were recieved by Australia? 3. Only one of which was for blatant foul play, which was Cahills send off against Germany

But apparently it is worthy of comment. FIFA needs to get its priorities right imo.