'Refs should crack down on diving'

FIFA president Sepp Blatter is fed up with “preposterous” simulation and “extravagant” diving by players and has said it is up to referees to solve the problem.

“This kind of thing is treated with scorn in other sporting disciplines but it has become a normal and accepted part of football nowadays,” Blatter wrote in the latest edition of FIFA Weekly.

“Even though simulation is incredibly unfair and looks preposterous when viewed in a replay, some people regard it as smart or in the worst case as a harmless misdemeanour. “This includes the winning of controversial penalties by extravagant diving in the box,” added Blatter.

“I find this deeply irritating, especially when the (supposedly) half-dead player comes back to life as soon as they have left the pitch. The touchline appears to have acquired powers of revival which even leading medical specialists cannot explain.” “The ball is in the referees’ court,” he added. “The instructions are now clear on this matter: if a player is lying on the floor, the opposing team are not required to put the ball into touch.”