We need to talk about diving at the World Cup

@ Straw Why, despite my several requests to you to answer my questions, you have not? Or even attempt to address the issues I raised on soccer's "moral challenges"? Me thinks you are trying to deflect the widespread derision at soccer's culture of diving/feigning pain/laying "incapacitated" on the ground for a prolonged period etc. I haven't even started on players regularly intimidating/ getting in the face of the referee etc. Why not start your own Roar thread on Domestic violence and sporting events? And include the links between big soccer matches, male soccer fans drinking heavily -who often brawl, use disgusting chants etc- and domestic violence. AGAIN, the abc.net report did not mention Australian Football -only the NRL SOO, and big British soccer matches.

Once again your false equivalencoes belie your true intentions. Yes fighting and crowd violence is terrible and indefensible so please show me where I defended it. Or where I defended diving for that matter. I asked a simple question given the fact that in Australia we had a report last week linking AFL and NRL to domestic violence why hasn’t he reported on it if he wants to take a moral high ground/social justice stance in his articles regarding diving which is a problem in Australia causing actual harm unlike diving at the World Cup. Once again, we are discussing issues that pertain to Australian sport and society, so I will ask you the simple question again; why are you trying to argue the facts and defend the sports. There is increased instances of domestic violence in Australia linked directly to our two most popular football codes; isn’t that something a sports writer and fans should be discussing more urgently than diving in a sport the author or you don’t even really enjoy?

@ NRL/AFL Funding Why are you changing your moniker? It makes linked discussions difficult. The AFL is the only code that contributes to stadia funding eg re the MCG and Etihad, $250,000,000+. Unlike soccer in Australia, the AFL regularly attracts very large crowds. In 2017, the AFL had crowds of 7,300,000+ Soccer and the NRL have not contributed -why not? Do you think they should/how much? I note you have not attempted to defend the waste of $45,000,000 taxpayer funds on the WC bid, and the ensuing scandal. Sep Blatter said our bid was futile. The AFL does not have "terrible participation numbers". It is booming. 2017 AFL Official Registered Participants 1,596,660 2017 FFA Official Registered Participants 1,631,041 With the strong growth rates the AFL is experiencing around Australia, it is likely to overtake soccer. I note you have not attempted to dispute my assertion that most Australian parents would be disgusted with their children if they dived/feigned pain, as per the soccer culture. Your attempts to deflect from this opprobrium are poor.

@ FIFA et al 26.6 The abc.net article mentioned the NRL SOO and British soccer matches re increases in domestic violence by male fans.The article did not mention AFL matches -you claimed this. Are you denying foreign soccer also has problems with fans and domestic violence after big matches? Premeditated, organised (and sometimes "celebrated") MASS violence at some soccer matches is a well known, long term phenomenon. In quantum, how do these numbers compare to the alleged NRL and soccer fan links with domestic violence? Articles and books re cheating, corruption, match fixing etc. are commonplace in soccer, at many different levels of soccer. Diving/feigning pain is not the only area of systemic, unethical behaviour. Immoral behaviour is a disgrace that exists far beyond FIFA and Switzerland, and the WC You have not rebutted this -because you cant. Many commentators have said that FIFA acted immorally in choosing Russia and Qatar to host the WC. Apart from bribing FIFA officials, this was because of human rights abuses, "slave labour" conditions, Russia annexing Crimea, using military force in the Ukraine, shooting down a passenger jet liner, arming rebels in the Ukraine etc. You criticised the NRL and AFL over problems related to gambling and alcohol. International soccer has far greater support/involvement with gambling and alcohol -your hypocrisy is breathtaking. Soccer would be the last sport to claim any "moral superiority" over other sports.

The report was pertaining to domestic violence in Australia, now unless domestic violence has been increased during the Socceroos games (which it didn’t in 06, 10 and 14; sourced from ABS) you’re argument is just an attempt at logical fallacy. Why wouldn’t you want this issue to be called out for? As for FIFA they were a corrupt Swiss organisation, I don’t see how what they did had any bearing on the myriad of issues among the administration, players and fans of NRL/AFL. Once again, I will ask a very simple question of someone defending this; why not accept AFL/NRL have there own issues and converse on how to fix the issues? I’m a fan of NRL but I am sick of seeinng people attack football while ignoring the issues we need to fix; as it is CTE is going to be a MASSIVE problem for NRL expanding out of Australia/England/Fiji/Tonga over the next 20 years as research continues so we need to get our house in order and that starts with fans and journalists calling out the problems in the NRL rather than going “Oh but FIFA, oh but diving, oh but VFL”

Ummm shall we look at the actual tens of millions more in government funding NRL and AFL have received in the last decade despite having terrible participation numbers compared to football, cricket and netball if you want to complain about government funding? Or the money spent on rebuilding/building of infrastructure for AFL/NRL clubs specifically? In 20 years alone it far outstrips the funding football has received in Australia since federation. But why let facts get in the way of your story eh?

Clearly you need to do a bit more research on this subject if you are bringing up Bonita Mersaides and the Garcia Report to support your argument when the Garcia singles out Bonita as the most untrustworthy person he interviewed in the process so much so that he couldn’t admit a single piece of evidence she gave due to her conflicting statements made to put herself in a good light.

@ Missed The Point 25.6 and your 2 Other Comments on 22.6, 4.43 and 5.06 pm The abc.net.au article also stated that levels of domestic violence also rise at other big sporting events, apart from the NRL SOO (I didn't see a reference to the AFL Grand Final). It also mentioned this problem after big British soccer games. I assume this phenomenon might happen whenever there are any large sporting events watched by men in very large numbers - and where much alcohol is consumed. The abc article should have provided the specific statistical variations, for an informed view to be formed ie just how great is the increase in domestic violence after a major sporting event. Your desperate attempt to divert attention from the disgraceful soccer diving/feigning pain, which is widely recognised as very common in soccer/part of its culture, is apparent and unsuccessful. The vast majority of Australian parents would be disgusted with their children who dived/feigned pain as per the soccer culture. Other sports in Australia don't have this culture, nor do their authorities/fans accept it -unlike this longstanding soccer behaviour. As for your desire to attack the NRL and AFL over alleged "moral shortcomings", I await your verdict on what many neutral experts consider the most corrupt sport/controlling body in the world: FIFA. Many articles, books etcs have been written re cheating, match fixing, corruption etc. at all levels in soccer. What are your views on the failed Australian World Cup by the FFA? And FFA's waste of about $45,000,000 of taxpayer funds, much of it given to shady characters (some with criminal histories), "inducements" to obtain votes from those who decided on the WC bids, unaccounted monies etc? Bonita Mersiades, from the FFA, believed we never had a chance -because the FFA wasn't as "effective" in handing out monetary "inducements" as our more "experienced" competitors. Do you think there should be a Royal Commission on this huge waste of taxpayer funds?

The point being the author is turned off Australian soccer by diving in soccer, so much so he needed to write an article regarding this because it is cheating but the direct link between AFL/NRL to domestic violence isn’t an issue worthy of his time. If the author wants to take the moral high ground of “Australian NRL/AFL players don’t dive” then that is fine but he should acknowledge that these sports in Australia have huge issues not just with domestic violence but also homophobia (see NRL sharing picture of SOO female players kissing, see reaction to AFL endorsing Yes to SSM), sexism (both organisations are far behind even the FFA and Netball on this mark), alcohol and gambling addictions. I mean even if you want to ignore the larger social issues within the games I dont see any articles from the author lambasting AFL and NRL players for diving over the previous two years despite well publicised incidents of diving in both sports in that time period. It is all well and good to not like diving but to try and frame sports like AFL and NRL as not having their own issues on and off field as the reason for soccers lack of popularity is just basic, Neanderthalic, “Sheila’s, wogs and pooftas game” level of arguing.

love it...

I think points deduction for the team they play for is more fitting. If a player dives and the team wins a game of football because of it he will be lauded. If the team gets punished he wont he very popular in the stands or at training i can tell you.

I am no fan of the other 2 codes mentioned in your post, but i really don't think you rasie a valid point. I am sure similar results would occur after the FA Cup final, the Rose Bowl, the UCL final etc.

Chris, i think you would understand what the word dominant means. So why would you ask this question.

Or maybe an article on the violence rife at AFL grounds around the country because i don't recall seeing anything written on the Roar about it. Another thing we are lectured about.

Define dominant.

Hi Benjamin, I’m sure you are a balanced and fair journalist, so when can I expect your article on the link between an increase in domestic violence in Australia and events like the AFL Grand Final/State of Origin? Will you be denouncing the sports for the heavy promotion of alcohol and gambling and the culture of toxic masculinity that seeps throughout their sports at all levels (and don’t pretend there isn’t when pundits/fans of AFL/NRL refer to players as “running/kicking like girls or not being real men” on a weekly basis and much worse is said at parks/ovals around the nation each weekend) Finally how do you think this will affect viewership and worldwide embracement of these sports as they look to expand out of Australia and do you think that any part of the reason they haven’t been expanded outside Australia is the culture other countries find embarrassing/disgraceful?

Where is your article discussing the social harms attached to the AFL and NRL Benjamin? Can I expect it in the next week? I would say that is a much more pressing issue than diving in football that causes actual harm isn’t it? How do you respond to the report in the press today correlating increases in domestic violence directly to events like the State of Origin and AFL Grand Final?

Simulation is a big issue hear because soccer is not a dominant sport and therefore this issue is a simple one word reason for denouncing the sport. Soccer is a dominant sport in some countries that play other forms of football, therefore simulation is not a word spun by others as easily accepted by the relevant sport minded fans. Nothing to do with 'Aussies are tough' syndrome. It's how the powerful spin to maintain power, very simple.

Thanks for the relevant comment - Cristiano Ronaldo falling down with barely any contact not attracting any sort of warning is the sort of thing I'm referring to here. What do you see is being done to eliminate that sort of behaviour?

Are you seriously saying that removing diving would not make the game better? That it's such a fundamental part of soccer that eliminating it would change its essence and reduce its popularity with the people who already love the game? Save your vitriol for suggestions that deserve it, like getting rid of the off side rule, because otherwise you're just hanging yourself out on your prejudices and victim mindset.