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Diving becoming a cancer in football - Fifa's Jim Boyce

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments804

Liverpool's Luis Suarez is challenged by Stoke City's Dean Whitehead (left)

Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce says he believes diving in football is becoming a "cancer within the game".

He made his comments after watching footage of Liverpool's Luis Suarez going to ground during Sunday's 0-0 draw with Stoke at Anfield.

"I have seen several incidents and the Suarez incident, and to me it is nothing less than cheating," he said.

"It's becoming a cancer within the game. If it is clear it's simulation, they should be severely punished."

In September, Stoke boss Tony Pulis called for the Football Association to punish those found guilty of diving with three-match bans.

Then on Sunday, he said striker Suarez deserved to be suspended for what he deemed to be diving during the draw at Anfield.

Boyce also thought action was necessary, even if the initial incident had been missed by the match officials.

"It can be dealt with retrospectively by disciplinary committees - it is done so in some associations - and I believe that is the correct thing to do," added the 68-year-old from Northern Ireland.

"It can at times be very, very difficult for referees to judge whether something is a foul or a fair tackle and if players are diving then it makes their job even harder."

An FA spokesman said: "Simulation is not something that the FA currently take retrospective action over but it is an issue that is often reviewed and discussed by the game's stakeholders."

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers defended Suarez following the accusations from Pulis.

"At this moment, there seems to be one set of rules for Luis and another set for everyone else," he said.

"Diving and simulation is obviously a wider issue in football and one that we all agree has to be eradicated from our game, but there were other incidents this weekend that didn't seem to generate the same coverage."

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804 comments

  • Comment posted by Ruaraidh Gillies, at 20:23 9 Oct 2012

    So if a player dives, an official sees the incident, decides it's not a foul and yet doesn't book him at the time, then a Fifa vice-president says he could be punished retrospectively.

    But if a player stamps on another, and an official sees it but decides it's not a foul, then no amount of retrospective action can be taken as the official is said to have dealt with it at the time.

    Go figure.

  • Comment posted by David Mason-Hawes, at 20:30 9 Oct 2012

    Fifa publically acknowledge what everyone else was saying 5yrs ago.

    On the ball as always...

  • Comment posted by User0863157753, at 20:45 9 Oct 2012

    A FIFA member taking the moral high ground. This gets more funnier by the minute. Corruption is the biggest cancer in football.

  • Comment posted by robh82, at 20:22 9 Oct 2012

    Diving is a cancer, as is stamping on players, as is tackling too hard, as is pulling shirts, as is shouting at refs, and on, and on. Of course diving is cheating. So are lots of other things. Only one thing right now makes diving more "popular". Suarez. Refs have been failed for months with his decisions and now he dives, they jump over it so they don't look so bad. Bad referees are also a cancer

  • Comment posted by rantover, at 20:54 9 Oct 2012

    The witch hunt continues, thank God he's not British!!
    like good old Gareth Bale , JT and Ashley

  • Comment posted by User0369074350, at 20:42 9 Oct 2012

    Do something about it then. What use is it speaking to the media. Actions speak louder than words. Spineless fa, fifa and uefa. The respect campaign where you were booked for swearing at refs lasted less than a season.

  • Comment posted by Thorpiniho, at 20:55 9 Oct 2012

    As a Liverpool fan i'll be the first to say that Suarez' antics are an embarrassment at times, however all we are seeing at the moment is pictures of him and nobody else. Every team in the Prem has at least 3 players who go down easy, however its only Suarez' name and pictures plastered all over the newspapers. I wonder why? A fair reflection? I think not.

  • Comment posted by Rubberduckred, at 21:00 9 Oct 2012

    Quelle surprise. The 48th story on diving today mentioning only Suarez and none of the other guilty parties. Then let free to the rabid public when you won't let us comment on the other major issues (Terry, Cole etc) Worst example of biased journalism. You should be ashamed BBC!

  • Comment posted by donc1, at 20:23 9 Oct 2012

    Diving is indeed cheating and has spread like a rash to thoroughly infect the game. I have supported Liverpool since the 1960’s but have grown weary at Suarez’ rictus of agony and pathetic, ridiculous diving. The Olympics only brings this third rate behaviour into starker contrast. Refs need video backup for post-match punishment of serial offenders.

  • Comment posted by UnderDefeat, at 10:30 10 Oct 2012

    Becoming a cancer? It's been one for many, many years. Certainly not helped by a tackle no longer requiring contact to warrant a card.

    Retrospective (and severe) punishment for diving, harassing the referee, violent conduct etc. is the only way to stamp it out. By severe, I mean whack on weeks worth of bans WITHOUT PAY. That'll stop it right there if they don't get their precious money.

  • Comment posted by User0896448403, at 23:33 9 Oct 2012

    Young dives..nothing..valencia dives...nothing...welbeck dives... nothing... RVP elbows someone... nothing... bale dives ...nothing... huth stamps on suarez.... nothing... suarez dives.....outrage... good old british media

  • Comment posted by Xyz123, at 23:14 9 Oct 2012

    Suarez doesn't help himself with some of his actions but he is a sublimely talented footballer who makes thuggish centre halves look stupid on a regular basis. Pulis should shut up about diving and be grateful that the current anti-Suarez refereeing laws mean that his goons can kick lumps out of him without fear of castigation.

  • Comment posted by TOBYJOSH, at 20:40 9 Oct 2012

    Diving has been going on for years so why the big fuss now? It should have been run out of the game years ago.

    Sounds to me like someone wants his name in the media so jumps on the bandwagon.

  • Comment posted by Rossi4221, at 08:16 10 Oct 2012

    Whilst I don't condone diving, I believe this is a witch hunt to get at Suarez started by Sir Alex Ferguson. He's the one that started the whole thing on Suarez diving and now his mates including Mr Pullis have jumped on the band wagon.

  • Comment posted by D1679455988275, at 08:11 10 Oct 2012

    Well, if players should get suspension for diving and simulation, then if fouls in the box were not given the referee should also be suspended!

  • Comment posted by Owain ap Gruffudd, at 11:28 10 Oct 2012

    @533 spot on. He identifies Suarez, but fails to name the others he has seen. He has been set up, shown a video, and asked to pass comment. Boyce does not have a particularly strong base in the game, just google him, and look up his background. He has played more cricket than football!

  • Comment posted by Stephen Marsh, at 08:21 10 Oct 2012

    A three day witch hunt by hypocritical xenophobes. Well done..

  • Comment posted by D1679673833003, at 10:37 10 Oct 2012

    @475, and I'm sure a few others lower down this thread, have it spot on. What kind of numbnut, clueless careerists have climbed the ladder at FIFA if the VP is just now announcing that diving is "becoming" a cancer?
    As usual in football, the masses see it a decade before the administrators do.
    Ban divers. Now.

  • Comment posted by Felix, at 11:31 10 Oct 2012

    I'm an LFC fan and completely condemn Suarez's antics, I find it so painful to watch him throw himself around like a prat. However, the vilification of solely him (and don't pretend that doesn't happen) is infuriating when there are so many players that do play-act in the same embarrassing way. Get it out of the game, but don't drag Suarez through the mud on his own.

  • Comment posted by U14972306, at 20:53 9 Oct 2012

    10. donc1
    The Olympics only brings this third rate behaviour into starker contrast
    +++
    Plenty of cheating at the Olympics over the years, don't give us that old nonsense.