...as the greatest event in the sporting calendar, and worse still, it is rifled with flaws, inefficiencies and cheating. The whole ethos of sport is a level playing field, and although the economic backgrounds of the competing countries highlight wide variations in wealth, it is naïve to expect all that to disappear when two teams take the field and eleven players pitch their skills against eleven opponents?
Sadly it must be these days, as television highlights major gaffs, referees are inconsistent, and players stoop to any level to win an advantage over their opponents. Unfortunately cheating pays in sport, especially at grass-roots level, where the batsman who doesn’t walk gains another life, the golfer who steals a better lie gains a unfair advantage, the rugby player does all sorts of things in a mangle of bodies called rucks, and the footballers who trip and tug are rarely punished to the degree that their offence deserves. No major sport is oblivious to cheating at the highest level, as infamous incidents in athletics, Formula One racing, cycling, tennis, baseball, football, cricket, rugby, and basketball have shown in the last decade. The real test of integrity is how the governing body in each sport has met the challenge, and dealt with the offenders in a way that helps eliminate the problem and punishes the guilty.
Millions of dollars have been spent trying to eliminate the drugs cheaters, but some players still beat the system, and they obviously feel the risk is worth taking. That can only be the result of lenient punishment, and perhaps there is an argument for more life bans or bans that effectively cover a sporting career. After all, no top player can claim they aren’t aware of the risk these days, and if a player doesn’t attend a mandatory drugs test because they got their times wrong, are they really serious about the issue? Or have they something to hide?
Football enjoys the highest profile of any international sport, and it has the wealth and commercial buying power to do virtually anything it wants. But has it the will power, the motivation and the leadership to meet the challenge? The controversial Sepp Blatter heads FIFA, but his personal views often override the sport’s interest, and he should look over his shoulder at other sports and see how efficiently they tackle their problems and strive for fair play. Blatter and his FIFA clones talk the talk but they are totally inept when it comes to dealing with the big issues. The much-maligned ICC has its faults, but it has certainly not lacked initiative in embracing technology, developing the game worldwide, and dealing with controversial issues upfront and with both expediency and transparency. Football could learn a lot from its cricket peers.
Does it take a rocket scientist to accept goalmouth technology as the sensible way forward for the top matches that are already televised to the highest degree? France won their place at the finals through Thierry Henry blatantly cheating against Ireland, yet he was still able to lead his country into action in South Africa. Thankfully their ‘punishment’ came on the field, but no thanks to FIFA and Blatter who showed no willingness to address the real issue.
England was deprived of a goal at a crucial stage in their match with Germany. Everyone in the ground but the officials seemed to see the ball was several feet over the line. A quick referral to a television referee would have addressed the issue correctly and avoided FIFA, Blatter and the officials looking like fools. And what about poor little Ghana being robbed by a handball on the goal line in the last minute of their match with Uruguay? Will the ‘visionary’ FIFA committee now consider the penalty goal award similar to the penalty try in rugby? No chance!
And what of trips, shirt-pulling and diving? Anything goes with some of the world’s best cheaters, but surely referees have got to step up to the plate and deal with these matters consistently and efficiently?
We may not enjoy the waiting when the TV umpire is engaged in cricket, tennis and rugby, but at the end of the day they get it right 99% of the time.
Clarence Hiles
Editor
