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[The Kraig]

FIFA reveal players cheated at World Cup

FIFA have revealed that more than half of the players treated on the pitch during this summer's World Cup were not actually injured.

The world body's chief medical officer, Professor Jiri Dvorak, presented his findings to the FIFA referees committee today and they showed a cheating culture at the highest level of the game.

According to Professor Dvorak, there were too many players feigning injury in Germany, with tactical reasons presented as the most likely cause of their action.

Where injuries were confirmed, the number per match was down to 2.3 per match, from 2.7 at the 2002 World Cup.

That amounted to a total of 145 injuries in 64 matches at the 2006 tournament, among them the cruciate knee injury which may mean Newcastle and England striker Michael Owen does not play again until next season.

'Fifty-eight per cent of the players who were treated on the pitch during the 2006 World Cup eventually turned out not to be injured,' confirmed FIFA in a statement.

Referees were praised for keeping the number of injuries down, by protecting players and ensuring elbowing offences were properly punished.

The meeting was chaired by Spanish FA chief Angel Marma Villar Llona, a vice-president of the FIFA executive committee.

He said: 'The referees and assistant referees fulfilled the high expectations placed on them and complied with the instructions to protect players and thus the game better. The preparation period of almost four years for the World Cup in Germany paid off.'

FIFA president Sepp Blatter added: 'I am very satisfied with the referees' performances at the 2006 World Cup. They achieved more than their counterparts in Korea/Japan in 2002.'

[The Quasi Juice]

I agree I hated the teams like Portugal who were lying down 60% of the game for tactical reasons. I know it's not anything new but it reached new heights at the WC.

[Liam]

What I hate even more now is that FIFA have even stated that it is now the refs jurisdiction as to when play is stopped, and players don't have to kick the ball off...yet the opposition still expect it and it nearly always kicks off unless someone does it.

[NobBe Nobbs]

Fascinating stuff there, Jim. And now for the weather.

Once again, it would appear that the sun did indeed rise this morning. And now, back to the studio.

[IAceI]

They're injured when they go down, do you know the power of a fucking sponge?

[Hajjhowe]

Soccer player's faking injuries? Clearly FIFA has been misinformed.

[John Stones' Paint Trophy]

Pity Owen's wasn't fake.

[Guest Tequilla Rockin' Bird]

A players limb should be hanging off for the ball to be kicked out. It's easy to spot someone whos faking it. I didn't see Cech rolling around recently after being injured or Alan Smith gamboling around the field after breaking his leg. Rolling around like a pansy = Faking.

Edited October 24, 2006 by Tequilla Rockin' Bird

[Chris the Human]

In a recent Asian Cup qualifier against Bahrain, Australia were forced to wait on five or six occasions for a stretcher to be brought on for an 'injured' player, only for them to be back on their feet in time for the resumption of play. To make things worse, the referee played only three minutes of injury time despite their being close to eighteen minutes of unplayed game. It's an atrocious facet of the game and, in my eyes, worse than the simple diving that goes on. I'd rather a dive and get on with play than a five minute wait.

[gunnar hendershow]

Now FIFA needs to give lifetime bans to everyone who fakes injuries.

That'll stop them.

[probablyoliver]

Now FIFA needs to give lifetime bans to everyone who fakes injuries.

That'll stop them.

No; that'll just stop football altogether!

[Scruffy The Janitor]

Now FIFA needs to give lifetime bans to everyone who fakes injuries.

That'll stop them.

No; that'll just stop football altogether!

[Guest The Bleeding Heart Show of Ringy]

I remember when I went to see Canada/Jamaica and Radzinski was fouled and stayed on the ground. They brought a stretcher to carry him off and one of the people that held the stretcher was this 10-13 year old kid and he dropped it and Radzinski just got up and started screaming at him.

Clearly the best happening of the whole match.

[therockbox]

Wrong thread >_>

Edited October 25, 2006 by Roland of Gilead

[Guest Tequilla Rockin' Bird]

Bans should be imposed for play acting most definently, Faking injuries is and always will be a bit of a grey area. They'll always swear to jesus and all his aposals that they weren't faking it.

[Summers]

Double post. Read the next one.

Edited October 25, 2006 by Summcore Superstar

[Summers]

To be fair, everyone always complains when a player goes down & then gets up soon after fine. That's because, you know, it does hurt to get clattered. & sometimes staying down is just giving you a minute to say "bollocks, that fucking hurt". Sucking it up & getting it up. The player doesn't (atleast most of the time doesn't) call on the physio or the stretcher. =/

Obviously not talking about divers, or players who go down easily, but just occasions when a player does go down, but is fine even though a physio/stretcher comes on.

[Liam]

The problem is also that sometimes, just sometimes, someone can kick you/foul you, it can hurt, but you can get up within 10 seconds or so. It isn't always play-acting, sometimes it is literally as simple as that.

It is usually easy to tell though, I guess.

EDIT: Yeah, Summers got there first >_>

Edited October 25, 2006 by Liam Byrne

[Summers]

Great minds.

[Guest Tequilla Rockin' Bird]

Didn't Savage get the physio on for when Reyes flicked a lock of his girly hair?