As we digest and recover after some amazing World Cup quarter finals, the issue of whether Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez is a hero or a villain for his self-proclaimed ‘Hand of God’ moment in the dying moments of his team’s win over Ghana bubbles on.
It was a crucial moment to end an amazing game.
There have been comparisons to Frenchman Thierry Henry’s handball against Ireland during World Cup qualifiers.
Henry’s wasn’t spotted and France made it to South Africa.
Suarez’s was – a penalty and red card awarded.
The Ajax striker was devastated as Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan stepped up to take the spot kick.
He was soon rejoicing in the tunnel as Gyan smashed his shot against the crossbar.
The punishment is a one-match ban, meaning he will return to play in the final if his side somehow overcomes the Netherlands.
Ask a Uruguayan if he cares about what Suarez did and he probably won’t – his team are in a World Cup semi final.
The footballer’s instinct prevailed.
“This was the end of the World Cup. I had no choice. I have the ‘Hand of God’ now,” Suarez said.
He added: “I did it so that my teammates could win the penalty shoot-out. When I saw Gyan miss the penalty it was a great joy.”
If you look at the scene again there’s another couple of unbelievable aspects.
Suarez is the man who clears the first ball off the line from Stephen Appiah.
The man next to the striker, Jorge Fucile, on the line by Suarez’s side, misses his own attempted palm away before Suarez’s save.
Suarez allows his head to follow his hands, raising the question of whether he could have headed a clearance.
The bottom line is that sportspeople, regardless of what sport, will attempt to gain any possible advantage.
As they do every four years, some media commentators have failed to recognize this, attempting to judge the world game as the one this is attributed to.
Regardless of sport, the players will always attempt to gain an edge. That’s their job.
The high-pressure environment of sport means sportspeople feel inclined to get ahead in any way they can – even if it means breaking the rules.
Suarez put himself on the line.
If Gyan had scored, Suarez would be an absolute villain.
He made his decision and Uruguay won – he helped his team achieve what it needed to.
Would you have done the same thing?
gregscavator
Guest
I think it is about time that fifa introduced penalty goals,to be awarded in situations where it is clear that a handball,deliberate or otherwise,has given an advantage to the defending team.At the present a definite goal can be a possible goal by handballing and then a penalty kick with all the variations of a set play coming into the game. Ghana were robbed by the cheating of Suarez and Uraguy were rewarded with an undeserved win.
melikeallfootball
Guest
I agree it's not necessarily about one particular football code or sport. I think this actually goes beyond sport. Given soccer is truely the world game (and professional for so long), a certain 'culture' is exposed for all to see (and debate). I don't doubt for one minute that most professional sports people will exploit the laws to the nth degree - I find it more of a concern that fans/supporters aren't far more critical of the behaviour. Many(most?) of the posts here justify the means for the result. Suarez is held up as a hero in Uruguay (I'd love to know if someone there is actually questioning it). If Football is more than 'just a game', and indeed a microcosm of society in general, we should all be very concerned.
Dejan Kalinic
Roar Guru
Quite a good debate on Fox Sports between Simon Hill and Martin Smith on this issue. Can read here: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27363849-5019291,00.html
Nelson
Guest
i think it's less to do with any particular code or sport, but what being "professional" has come to embody, that it is acceptable to break the most fundamental/central tenet of a game for the sake of a result. he "took one for the team", but where does that leave sport, the sport of football, and sportsmanship?
Dejan Kalinic
Roar Guru
I'm not one bit surprised Dave. Thanks for tracking that down. It's funny he says the footage of him celebrating will live in the memory - probably one bit most people would really despise.
MVDave
Guest
...and to read the viewpoint of the Uruguans from the BBC; http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jonathanstevenson/2010/07/world_cup_heroics_hypnotise_ur.html which says in part; "Luis Suarez may have been cast as the villain in the host continent after he denied Ghana victory with his now infamous handball on the line. But the Ajax striker will forever be a hero in his homeland after Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting spot-kick and Uruguay won on penalties. "Winning that match and the way it was achieved was epic," admits Larrea. "The feeling we have is more than happiness. There's euphoria, optimism, never-before-seen nationalism, with thousands of flags displayed all over the city and on buildings and cars. People are so proud. "Regarding Luis Suarez, he is seen a real hero - maybe THE hero. I don't know about your country but here what he did is not seen as cheating. It was his last resource and he defended the game in the way he could. The footage of him celebrating Gyan's missed penalty will long stay in people's memories here. "After the match, fans were already singing songs with his name and his hand is already being called the 'Hand of God' and the 'Hand of an Angel'."
Seiran
Guest
In all sports? No. The first to come to mind is tennis. Too hard to cheat in tennis. And yes, I think I get frustrated by the cheating in football because it is so blatant and the officials seem to openly ignore it. It's as if it has become part of the game and teams are rewarded for how well they cheat (dive). In many other sports, such as rugby, they have post match analysis where players caught cheating post game are dealt with through fines, repremands and suspensions. In football this doesn't happen. Many other sports now also use TMO, hawk-eye, heat sensors, third and fourth officials etc. Football, even though it is the worlds largest sport are dead set against using this technology. This opens the game up to free for all cheating.
dasilva
Roar Guru
I think keeping Suarez suspension to one match was fair enough. So if Uruguay makes the final, Suarez deserves to be there. You can't just increase the penalty of a handball just because Ghana missed it. It's either a one match suspension or not. not one match suspension for one case and then two match suspension if a handball was in the 120th minute with the opposition missing the penalty and then losing the match.
dasilva
Roar Guru
Would I do it? I liked to say that I'll try to head the ball and accept the consequences of that decision but it's easy to say that as a spectator. Although if I did instinctively caught the ball and cheated. One thing I definitely wouldn't do is brag about it to the press afterward. Even Henry didn't do that.
Dejan Kalinic
Roar Guru
Good points. That is my argument - the players will continue to break and bend the rules until they are punished severely enough. Take a look at Melbourne's street violence and you'll find people will continue to offend because all they cop in court is a slap on the wrist. Sure enough, it is the person's responsbility not to commit the crime, but he will because he goes - well, unpunished. Those two are extreme examples. There hasn't been many answers to the initial question - would you have done the same thing? Standing on the goal line in a World Cup quarter final for Australia.. AndyRoo said yes, I say yes and I think Nelson said no. The people I've spoken to would.
dasilva
Roar Guru
The players don't just represent their countries, they represent their sport. What you are arguing is that the role of maintaining fair play is with FIFA and the authorities and not the players. I don't really agree with that despite the culture of cheating in football that influence people to conform to that standard but there's always personal responsibility. It's up to FIFA to create incentives to discourage cheating but the players are still responsible to their own action. "We all love to see fair play but as long as the athletes can get away with breaking the rules, they will – and they have every right to." It's like saying we have the "right' to break the law to advance ourselves socially or economically as it's a high pressure life and we are judged by our socioeconomic status. I can imagine a lot of corporate crime that is committed due to this type of attitude and they may be right when they claim that "everyone is doing it" but I am quite sure society don't consider that type of "pressure" to succeed to be a mitigating factor for criminal activity. So if the athletes can get away with using performance enhancing drugs or bribing the referee would they have the "right" to do it. That may be a more extreme example of breaking the rules but they are still an example of breaking the laws of the game to help their team to win.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
As in rugby and rugby league - where the referee can award a 'penalty try' if the player was deliberately prevented from scoring - the referee should have the discretion to award a 'penalty goal' in football, if deliberate foul play was used to stop a player scoring a certain goal. Would soon stop some of the unfair play.
Jeb
Guest
only one problem with this idea - the refs! and IMO only the balance of the decisions go against teams like the roos.
Dejan Kalinic
Roar Guru
Maybe not 'right' Guy, but that's football. His job is done in reality. So true about FIFA - people watch the game, we talk about the game, and they make plenty of money from the game. If it ain't broke, don't fix it? Well, wouldn't you just love to see Suarez play in the final... ? Haha. I'd just like to see a good game of football.
Dejan Kalinic
Roar Guru
But if everyone is playing with the win at all cost mentality it means those who aren't - are losing. We all love to see fair play but as long as the athletes can get away with breaking the rules, they will - and they have every right to. It's a high pressure job and you're judged by results.
Guy Smiley
Roar Pro
Cheers Dejan. It's just hard to swallow that what Suarez did was 'right'. I can't side with that view and I don't think cheating in football is a fait accompli. The problem is that it is just so endemic that if commentators/journos/pundits were to arc up about every instance they wouldn't be able to talk about anything else. If FIFA were interested in changing the game for the better it could happen but why should they, their constituency is by and large happy so where is the incentive? In a very loose sort of way we get the government we deserve! Not sure who to cheer on now in the first semi - the Dutch Divers or the Uruguayan Usurpers. Help?!
melikeallfootball
Guest
Given you've already mentioned that he was able to follow the handball with his head, I would use my head/face/ears/nose/chin, whatever I could legally to bat it away, and if that wasn't good enough (or as effective as the handball) then so be it. This culture of cheating (and reward, and attached 'hero' status) displays everything that is wrong with the beautiful game. If Kewell had done the same (deliberate/blatant), I seriously doubt many in this country would be treating him as a hero.
katzilla
Roar Guru
Penalty kicks for illegally hindered goal scoring opportunities inside the box. Penalty Goals for Illegally hindered Goals that would have gone in otherwise. It would be good for instances like Kewells handball also because then they could have just given the goal and given Kewell a Yellow. Ghana have their Goal they're happy. Australia have their player still on the field, happier then they would have been if they lost him. Its the fairest option considering what actually happened. Deliberate handballs like Suarez Red Card and Goal counts. That would certainly stop the deliberate hands, there would be no advantage to be had.
Dejan Kalinic
Roar Guru
Good on you Guy - this is a fine assessment. Not sure about devil's advocate, but I like a range of opinions - and you get it by asking questions. Most people agree the penalty was not harsh enough and dasilva raised the prospect of a penalty goal in a blog of his. I think the referee ruled Kewell had moved toward the ball and therefore deliberately stopped the ball from going in. It was upsetting, but it was a red for me as well. The penalty may not be severe enough, but Suarez was punished for breaking the rules and knew what the punishment was. In my opinion, he has kept his team in the game by slapping the ball away. It's his job to help his team win games and he did that. The cheating is endless because it can be. But cheating happens in almost every sport - just not to the same extent.
dasilva
Roar Guru
It may have been a bit too difficult for Suarez to go and head the ball even if it was possible, I doubt the Uruguay press will target him rather then the general organisation during set pieces. "isn’t he right to win at all costs?" No As far as I see, it's a tainted victory and that the win at all cost mentality is wrecking the game for viewers who want to see a fair game. Fair play is a responsibility that all athletes are bound to in addition to responsibility to win the game.