Diving

[Assasin]

I think after the Suarez diving and others the Ref assocation has aked the refs to clamp down on diving. This has resulted in a rash of bad decision of players getting bumped slightly and going down and it is not a penalty and it is not a dive. Normally refs would wave it on but they are all giving cards for it.

I can remember a world cup that they did the same thing. The fact is it is hard to judge diving and they make it even more a mess when they try to correct it.

[Karl]

Waging this war for years - This caution for 'diving' is a nonsense policy!!!

Look refs are there to call fouls as and when they see them.

If a player is seen by the ref (matters not what others think they saw) as going down when not fouled:
a) No foul - No interuption of play;
b) The the team on which the player who went down plays is momentarily at a disadvantage as that player who has gone down deprives his team of active player. He/she cannot make a challenge or receive a pass or provide cover on the defensive side or diversion (needing to be 'covered' by opponent).

...and very important it changes nothing where refs decisions are concerned in terms of - whether or not a foul was observed. Let us face facts...if the player 'dived' and the ref saw 'dive' that is it - He/she makes call accordingly as per the rules...and he/she, in the same circumstance, saw no 'dive', even though it was as fact a 'dive...he/she shall call foul!!! Nothing changes as it is always as the ref 'sees it'!!!

Damn fool-fool policy of awarding cautions!!! Leave the damn fool who threw self to ground...right where he/she threw self and allow the game to go on!!!

--- I guess officers of FIFA and FIFA's IFAB shall find it difficult to cut the nonsense as it will say, "we were wrong" and there are some who can take praise for correct actions but find it difficult to admit being human...and as do all of us...admit to making of mistakes.

[Peter R]

I agree with you Karl; the problem is when the dive fools the ref and a penalty is awarded. This is why I am advocate for replays to be used on critical calls... (red cards, penalties, goals) a video replay could, maybe not always, show if contact was made in some cases where no contact is made and a player goes down (deliberately) and is rewarded with a penalty.

If after review it can be determined that the player "simulated" then give him a RED, even if him name Suarez!

[Mosiah]

Agreed!

[Paul Marin]

I agree with you Karl; the problem is when the dive fools the ref and a penalty is awarded. This is why I am advocate for replays to be used on critical calls... (red cards, penalties, goals) a video replay could, maybe not always, show if contact was made in some cases where no contact is made and a player goes down (deliberately) and is rewarded with a penalty.

If after review it can be determined that the player "simulated" then give him a RED, even if him name Suarez!

Peter, do you think replays should be used for dives outside the box as well? The problem is that goals can be scored in those situations as well. This is not an easy problem to solve, but what is infuriating is their policy against doing ANYTHING. Afterall, how else can they match-fix?

[Assasin]

The referees association must stop changing the rules based on one or two reactions and pretty much forcing their members to make calls from one extreme to another.

I think some dives should be a card but if it very blatant but not all. Ref have to let game play on for some, instead of the association telling them to call "every dive".

[Peter R]

To be consistent any kind of diving should be punished. It just (obviously) is more critical if an unjustified penalty is awarded.

A fourth or fifth official could always review plays while the game goes on and if he/she determines a player dived, then they could relay that to the ref who could either stop the game then and there if the players team had the ball, or when the player's team gains possession if they don't have the ball and administer the yellow (preferably red).

This kind of thinking is not new as Bruce pointed out; the NHL reviews goals after the game has re-started and they have the power to rescind the goal if the replay showed that it didn't score.

Maybe it is too radical for the powers that be, but it really is ludicrous when everyone else but the refs know what is going on.

[Assasin]

so what if the player dived, get a penalty, scored and the 4th offical decide after that it shouldn't have be awarded.

Do you now take away the goal?

[Peter R]

Yes! They do it in Ice Hockey... the players would know beforehand the consequences of diving and having a goal denied would be one.

[Assasin]

that would certainly change football as we know it.

[Peter R]

The same should apply for an offside goal... thankfully offsides that we see on replays are usually (the vast majority of cases) clear from the first instance so the message of "no goal" could be relayed long before the ball is even being retrieved from the net. Don't you think that would be fair/ and appropriate use of technology THAT IS ALREADY AVAILABLE? I don't see why FIFA and the FFs/FAs don't use what we have.

I don't understand this clinging to antiquated thinking IMO that we removing the human aspect to the game reh reh... If we have it (technology) use it.

[Assasin]

While I am into technology not sure I would like so much changing of the game. Some technology yes but some things have to be left to judgement calls still

[Peter R]

Why? Sass my contention is simply this... when a few million people see Thierry Henry handle a ball and he gets away with it and at the same time breaks the heart of the millions of Irishmen watching... it makes absolutely no sense. We can fix some of these missed calls that were left to "judgement"... the ref will still run the game but don't you think they will do a better job when the pressure of getting those borderline offsides etc eased, when they know they have tech assistance?

[Assasin]

I just think we have to choose carefully and don't slow down the game and still try to decide the game on the field. Have you seen NFL game with all the technology and they still get calls wrong?

[Paul Marin]

I just think we have to choose carefully and don't slow down the game and still try to decide the game on the field. Have you seen NFL game with all the technology and they still get calls wrong?

It is not about getting it perfect, but doing a better job of getting more calls right, especially game changing calls.