I guess this topic is not necessarily World Cup-specific, but I decided to put it here having been reminded that the USA lost to Ghana in WC '06 on a penalty kick awarded as a result of an dive. It one thing for a team's Cup fate to be decided by something like a wrongly disallowed goal (at least there is no intent to screw anyone) but to have it decided by cheating (diving) is beyond awful. The one thing that many soccer haters point to is the diving, and it's also the one thing that I can't refute. It's a disgrace to the game. Why doesn't FIFA crack down? It wouldn't be hard to do. Simply announce that yellow and red cards will be issued post-game if video replay demonstrate clear evidence of a dive. I know this can be eye-of-the-beholder stuff, but most dives are so obvious on replay. If players knows that a dive might cost them the next game even if they get away with it in the current one they will change their behavior, don't you think? Thoughts?
Two issues: 1) Define "dive". is it going down when NOTHING happened, or is it exaggerating the effect of something that did happen or is it not trying to stay on your feet when slight contact happens? All are different, some are legal, some aren't. If the Ghana play you refer to is the PK I jsut saw on an ESPN replay, that wasn't a dive, there was contact. doesn't make it a foul, but not a dive. 2) After the fact cards are currently in violation of the LOTG, you'd have to have FIFA first change the rules. But in general yes I agree, diving is disgusting and some of hte "big names" are the worst offenders.
Great job by the ref in today's Brazil-Portugal game for giving a yellow to the Portugese diver. Frankly, the Portugese and Brazillians are there with the Italians as the worst divers.
FIFA can, and does, give suspensions for things that were not carded (or even called fouls). Giving cards outside of a game doesn't really make sense, so I would propose suspensions for all instances of diving (whether carded or not) Also, I think referees should be allowed to give a card for exaggerating contact or feigning injury from contact (like in the Kaka situation) as well as for no-contact dives. Dives/exaggerations in the penalty area should be a red instead of a yellow. I also think that referees should be able to give cards to players who wildly exaggerate contact on actual fouls (like in hockey), but I understand that a lot of people disagree with that.
This is the only area where I could see some sort of replay system being effective. There could be a fifth official, whose job it would be to watch replays, and determine if there was indeed contact, or if a player is simply making a meal of nothing. Play is (usually) stopped anyway, so it could be an instance of the review official talking to the match official via his earpiece and giving his opinion based on the video evidence. If the replay official says that there was sufficient contact, then a free kick/penalty/card is given. If, on the other hand, the official can plainly see that no contact was made, he could convey this to the match official and he could mete out the punishment he feels is necessary.
Frankly, I have not noticed that much diving in this World Cup. What I continue to see, and has been a growing problem for many years, is guys exaggerating injuries in order to waste time late in matches.
the worst dive of the tournament so far was DeRossi's penalty against New Zealand, that was absolutely disgusting, in the end justice was served.
I believe that diving is cultural. North koreans? No diving. Americans? Very little- more exaggeration than complete fabrication. South Americans in general? More overacting than a Mexican soap opera. It's kind of like bargaining in a market- not only is accepted, but expected, depending on the culture.
Argentina has been the worst diving team behind Italy, historically. Brazil has been pretty bad the last couple WCs. I think it's just the "dive to win" mentality, but there is some truth to having that metality. I think the reality is most refs just don't want to do it. Look at Germany's first match, and they go carded twice for diving. Germany has probably diced 2-3 times the entire tournament thus far. And yet we see these teams that dive a dozen times in just one half and not a sinlge ref has the balls to card them. In some ways I even agree to diving. When you are going for the ball and have a good opportunity for your team and someone fouls you hard enough to push you out of the play but not hard enough to knock you do or cause serious injury, you deserve justce. Diving may be your only option.
That's a problem with officiating. Officials need to learn to call fouls when someone is fouled, not only when someone gets knocked (or dives) to the ground.
Agree, Fifa should ban the diving cheaters for at least 2 matches. Just giving a yellow card for it don't work. My guess is that the old men in Fifa won't do anything before a world cup final is decided by a pathetic dive.
what is the point of posting this? This shows either an intnetional or accidental foul. Hard to say. But this doesn't show a dive.
What planet are you on? Torres acted like he was shot. You say that's not a dive? Just a little embellishment? I say bollocks. It's definitely not sportsmanship. That's for damn sure. Players who do that should be embarrassed (and suspended, if I had my way). And if there is contact it's slight and clearly not intentional. It's absolutely not "hard to say".
Slight? I guess you never played with your friends outside and had them trip you(or you them) by kicking one of your legs into the other leg from behind. We used to do that all the time when we played soccer during recess. You take a big spill, just like Torres. You only need to kick the foot enough to move into the pathway of the other leg-- you do it by accident all the time if you play soccer/football(ameircan) like I did. It's always hard to judge intent, especially with this gif as it only shows the last couple seconds.
From what I can tell, the Chilean defender's knee nicked the side of Torres' ankle, causing him to kick his own leg.
Yes it was not a dive by Torres, he was tripped unintentional so it should not have been a sending off. Clear dives like the portuguese player in the brazilian penalty-area should give a two match ban to combat the culture. How difficult could that be for the old heads of Fifa? Just leaving this up to the ref. giving a possible yellow card do not work when the possible rewards could be a penalty and maybe a sending off.
So where's all the outrage over the dutch performance today? They pick up a goal from a blatant dive and not a peep from the commentators or the BS hypocrites.
Any obvious embellishment should result in an automatic yellow card. No warnings. The diving is getting out of hand.
Agree. And I believe suspensions should be handed out post-match for diving and injury exaggeration by players not noticed by the referee.. If you go down, need trainers to spray you down and massage you, then bounce off the stretcher like Lazarus the moment the stretcher hits the sideline, you should face at least a one match suspension. This behavior is dishonest and detrimental to the game.