Saturday, February 27, 2010

Yossi Benayoun Incident Shows Players Must Dive Or Pay The Penalty


Yossi Benayoun won praise if not a spot-kick for his decision to stay on his feet after being fouled by Vincent Kompany in Manchester City's penalty area on Sunday.

However, the outcome only served to demonstrate why so many footballers choose to dive.

Under the laws of the game if an attacking player is illegally impeded in the box – as Benayoun was when knocked out of his stride by Kompany's clumsy challenge – a penalty should be awarded.

When I suggested in this column last November that David Ngog was right to dive to win a spot-kick against Birmingham at Anfield it prompted scores of angry e-mails and letters from Birmingham fans and moral guardians, with one reader even suggesting I should stick to reporting on netball.

The theme of their complaints was that Ngog's actions set a poor example for young players.

But referee Peter Walton's decision not to grant a penalty for the infringement on Benayoun only served to enforce the opinion that you are punished for not tumbling.

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