Watching the World Cup, you can't help but notice that some nations - almost exclusively in Latin America and Southern Europe - love to flop/dive at every chance they get (in direct violation of FIFA rules). In a game where 1 goal is often the difference, is it any wonder that teams from these two areas seem to dominate the sport since they often gain an infair advantage by being cheating p*****s?

Is there something in their culture that makes them feel that cheating is OK and even something to be proud of?

As an American who isn't a big "footie" fan but still loves watching the World Cup and the UEFA European Football Championship, it really turns me against the sport when I see these "men" pull these stunts. That's why I usually pull for the Nothern European teams since they flop less often if at all.

What about Asian teams? They don't flop, do they?

I saw many "take-out slides" by England in their game against the US. I'm not real familiar with the rules, but, it seems, the refs do play favorites. Look at the second game played by the US. That's ok, we like playing the underdog. It's an advantage, actually.

What a conglomeration of losers. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

This is what I'm talking about...

[/url]

Everyone attempts it just the greasy southerners are much better at fooling the ref than the rest of us. Its probably down to the siesta flop or summit like that or maybe simple bribery.

Anyway hats off to them for consistency!

Is it cheating or just "against the spirit of the game"?

Bad umpiring or refereeing would encourage it, a player who stages for a free kick isn't going do it if he's ignored, his coach doesn't want him laying on the ground pretending he's hurt while the ball is still in play.

Personally I think it's just part of the professionalism of sport, win by any means, to the winners go the spoils, the spoils being bags full of cash.

On the other side of the coin how many times is a genuine free not paid? A bad referee would miss these as well. Perhaps it evens up over a match.

And another thing....

I seem to recall that the institution of "diving" seems to have been started, or at least popularised, by one George Best, an Irishman playing in the UK and arguably the best player in the world at the time.

There IS some big game fixing by referees and some players. I saw a program on it the other night. There was a terrible scandal about Ghana a few years ago. It wouldn't surprise me if the ref who called back the American goal was in on a fix. As far as the diving is concerned, it goes with the territory... it DOES pay to embellish a foul if you can convince the referee..

Match fixing is in a different realm to cheating, in many countries it's a criminal offence also if used to defraud.

It can also be a health hazard.

Hansie Cronje

dont know what the answer is, but they (FIFA) need to address it

Makes a mockery of the beautiful? game

all this fake injury makes me sick bunch of woosies

hope it never happens in rugby

dont know what the answer is, but they (FIFA) need to address it

Makes a mockery of the beautiful? game

all this fake injury makes me sick bunch of woosies

hope it never happens in rugby

will never happen, as long as the likes of blatter and platini are in charge.

just take a look at last nights game between brazil and the ivory coast. brazils second goal, two blatant hand balls. nothing done!

kakas sending off.

the itais against the kiwi.

believe me theres more to come from the likes of the two nations already mentioned, plus the argies, spanish and germans. and somewhere a long the line its going to have a large effect on how a game is won and who eventually lifts the trophy.

Is it cheating or just "against the spirit of the game"?

It's against the written rules so that would make it cheating.

Laws of the Game 2010/2011 FIFA

http://www.fifa.com/...e_2010_11_e.pdf

LAW 12 FOULS AND MISCONDUCT Page 115 (pdf page 117)

Cautions for unsporting behaviour

* attempts to deceive the referee by feigning injury or pretending to have

been fouled (simulation)

dont know what the answer is, but they (FIFA) need to address it

Makes a mockery of the beautiful? game

all this fake injury makes me sick bunch of woosies

hope it never happens in rugby

New Zealand should have beaten Italy if not for the Italian faking it in order to get a penalty kick. It's a disgrace.

Diving,crying out in agony,shirt tugging,ref's giving red cards for nothing,poor referring..............it spoils the WC.Is this a game for nancy's or real men?Yellow cards handed out too easily makes the red one come too soon too.Add to all this those stupid trumpets and its making a no fun WC.Singing supporters cant be heard,and the old mexican wave cant get up(i mean where to put my trumpet).Add to that rebellion in the french and english camps...........where's it all going to end i ask myself.Sorry koheesti,i've not answered your question,but i really needed to get this off my chest.

Full disclosure, I've had a thing against the Italians for a while now (ever since they knocked that Hoosier off his bike 30+ years ago). Back in 2006 Fox News' Neil Cavuto criticised Zidane for that head-butt in the final and I wrote him an email. A friend called from the other side of the planet (I was in Europe, he was in Guam) to tell me he saw it. I tuned in for the replay and took this pic. My 15 seconds of fame.

A lot of it is incompetent refereeing.

On the other side of the coin I watched a dozen or more fouls that were not given, where one guy going in for a tackle would be late, would go full force on to the other guy's instep.

This can cripple. Not a sporting thing, should be an immediate sending off - even if only for 10 minutes.

The referees are now paid, so should be as professional as the players, not the set of buffoons that we see at this wc

It seems to be more prevalent amongst players that play with clubs in Europe such as Italy, Spain and Portugal. Not trying to suggest that it doesn't happen in the English leagues, rather the game is more physical in England and so rather than diving when no contact was made, they tend to try make a tackle to look was than it was.

It becomes more noticeable when players like Ronaldo play for Man Utd and are absolutely lambasted for cheating and whinging tactics by the fans and media alike.

Shotime mentions "take-out slides". Well sliding tackles ARE allowed provided that the players plays for the ball and not in a way that can cause injury. Football is not a no-contact sport but a semi-contact sport and clashes are inevitable.

It is always easy to blame the ref but to be fair they can't always be in the right place. From some angles a tackle might look like a foul whereas in reality no contact was made. Even from TV sometimes a tackle can look very different from different angles. That is not to excuse some of the shocking decisions made in the tournament so far though.

And all English fans will remember well Rooney's sending off against Portugal.

All and sundry were aware before the match that they (Portugal) would dive, cheat and whinge throughout the match. They lived up to their expectations with Ronaldo the main culpirit.

Every time the officials backs were turned they would make an effort to wind up the English players with niggling little kicks here and there and even when the ref did notice he was too inept to do anything.

Eventually Rooney had enough and retaliated. Unfortunately for him, and England, the ref noticed and sent him off. Ronaldo's smug little smirk said it all. Not saying that Rooney should not have been sent off, after all he did retaliate. However that is an example of a game which was allowed to be ruined by unsporting behaviour which the ref either could not or would not stop.

And all English fans will remember well Rooney's sending off against Portugal.

All and sundry were aware before the match that they (Portugal) would dive, cheat and whinge throughout the match. They lived up to their expectations with Ronaldo the main culpirit.

Every time the officials backs were turned they would make an effort to wind up the English players with niggling little kicks here and there and even when the ref did notice he was too inept to do anything.

Eventually Rooney had enough and retaliated. Unfortunately for him, and England, the ref noticed and sent him off. Ronaldo's smug little smirk said it all. Not saying that Rooney should not have been sent off, after all he did retaliate. However that is an example of a game which was allowed to be ruined by unsporting behaviour which the ref either could not or would not stop.

In the 2006 WC I wanted England to lose (for reasons I won't get into here, another topic, another thread, another time). I think their first opponent was Paraguay or somewhere like that. Once they started diving I couldn't help but cheer for England. The same with the Portugal match. Whatever my motivations at the time for wanting England to lose, it wasn't nearly as strong as being disgusted with cry baby cheats. So I started out with full intention of cheering against England and ended up supporting them until the end. At least they play like men.

Is it cheating or just "against the spirit of the game"?

It's against the written rules so that would make it cheating.

Laws of the Game 2010/2011 FIFA

http://www.fifa.com/...e_2010_11_e.pdf

LAW 12 – FOULS AND MISCONDUCT Page 115 (pdf page 117)

Cautions for unsporting behaviour

* attempts to deceive the referee by feigning injury or pretending to have

been fouled (simulation)

I knew that but twisted a typing finger while replying.