- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Appalling acts during the World Cup, such as diving, handballs, offside calls, and incorrect red cards, have forced FIFA to open up an enquiry into improving refereeing standards.
These acts have highlighted that even though the beautiful game is the world’s most popular sport, it is far from perfect and at times ugly to watch.
In my previous article, Does this World Cup really promote Fair Play?, I discussed the implications that this ‘cheating’ may have on the game.
The article examined the legacy that this World Cup would have on the game, and the effects that these events have on FIFA’s image.
Will this World Cup be remembered for its Vuvuzelas, lack of star players, or its fertile ground that allowed cheaters to prosper?
Continuing on from that article, here I suggest solutions to the problems, and how that these solutions could improve the Fair Play of the sport.
Technology
Specifically video technology. Football could improve the enforcement of its rules through several means. Use of video to review all yellow and red card offences would help eliminate the incorrect send off of players.
Videos could also be used to call offside decisions.
By having a camera running parallel to the field, and perpendicular to the ball, the linesmen could be removed entirely, and a light behind the goals could alert the ground referee to all offside decisions.
The technology could also be used to review who touched the ball last.
All these improvements could be used without affecting the flow of the game. Managers do not need a challenge system like American Football.
Rewriting the rules
Currently the rule books state that the goal Suarez stopped could not be called a goal in any circumstance. The worst punishment was a red card. The rules should be rewritten to allow the referee to give a penalty goal to Ghana.
Allow referees to change their decision if it is a clear that a mistake has been made. This would give England a goal against Germany.
More referees
Introduction of two linesmen for each half of the field would eliminate errors caused by distance, and also an obstructed view. The introduction of a goal umpire as seen in Australian Football could eliminate the rare occasion of Englands goal not being scored.
Increased penalties for unfair play
Currently the FIFA system allows for a one game suspension for a red card. FIFA needs to hand out longer suspensions in order to discourage blights on the game.
Suarez should be banned from playing his next 10 International and Club matches. Players who very clearly foul a player about to get a goal should be suspended for their next 3.
These punishments will initially come very frequently, but in the end make the game fairer for all, and the kids watching will not be tempted to ‘try it at home’.
Not all of these improvements would need to be implemented. But the proper mix could mean that FIFA prevents people from becoming disillusioned with the game due to the lack of Fair Play.
Hopefully the World Cup Final is not decided by unfair play, which would be an absolute disaster for the FIFA Executives who in the past have insisted that no rule changes are necessary.
South Africa 2010 is close to being remembered as the World Cup of ‘Fair Play’ for all the wrong reasons.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.