FOOTBALL ISN’T THE only sport with a diving dilemma.
Following problems with the issue, the NHL in America have brought in new anti-diving legislation in an attempt to address the increasing numbers of players either feigning or exaggerating injuries.
Predators star James Neal is one player in the league who has established a reputation as a serial diver, and having been warned previously, Neal has now been fined $2,000 as a result of his behaviour as part of the new scheme to tackle the problem.
And while the fine may be insignificant to a player who earns millions every year, the shame of being the first player to be named publicly may cause Neal to think twice about such behaviour in future.
So what do you think? Should football follow similar steps to address its diving problem?
A ridiculous idea! Just set up a panel of refs to review game footage after each weekend and hand out a 2 match ban for blatant diving. The problem would be sorted almost instantly!
It’s hard to judge the amount of contact by looking at replays. That Neal guy definitely got a slap of the stick there but I donno was it a dive or not
He is half way there to being a premier league footballer. Now all he needs is a leech of an agent a pair of boots and to learn how to kick a ball. Anything that will help sort out diving can’t be a bad thing. Though fining them won’t work with the monopoly money they earn. Few game ban will see them all trying to stay on their feet an awful lot more.
I think the idea of a ref panel is good but equally I doubt the capacity of some refs to call things correctly. For example, I don’t Willian dived last week. Not in the deceitful sly way anyway. I hate Chelsea so I have no reason to say this. He was expecting to be clattered which is why he went down. He was anticipating a whack but the Hull player pulled out at the last half second. Willian wasn’t trying to deceive, he was trying to protect himself.
I’m fed up with pundits talking about contact. A foul can be committed without contact as David Provan rightly points out in his commentary sometimes. And contact doesn’t necessarily mean a foul.
I was livid a couple of years ago when David Meyler was accused by Tony Pulis of diving, and Alan Hansen agreed with Pulis on BBC MOTD. Remember it? Robert Huth came in with a vicious tackle over the top of the ball, all studs showing. Meyler saw it coming and dived up and out of its way. If he hadn’t he’d have had his ankle or metatarsal broken. But there was no contact and some saw that as equating to a dive. There was a lot of negative reaction towards Meyler on Twitter about it. Huth apologised. He knew.
Pundits and refs alike need to be better informed, otherwise the casual viewer is misled.
Btw, I’m not saying diving isn’t a problem. It clearly is. I just think some perceived dives aren’t dives.