World Cup.

Having just watched the World Cup’s 50 worst moments it’s hard to come to terms with what will steer the emotional roller coaster we are about to embark on. When the whole world will see handballs, blatant dives, off and on sides from multiple camera angles that the ref fails to spot; when games are won and lost on flagrantly unjust penalties; when players are sent off due to the quality of the opposition’s play acting, it will surely be the referees who bring the game into disrepute. When heroes like Cantanar and Zidan can be brought down by nobly responding, as any man worth his salt would, to the jibes of sleazy cheats it’s perhaps worth being as sanguine as our players. But even they who love playing the game on the world stage can be reduced to tears of rage and disappointment by unfairness. They must surely hate it as we do but when the ref can be so easily duped cheating becomes a vital part of the game. The ref has become the major sponsor for the unspoken rule, to cheat if you can get away with it. Same with the FSA. When personal honour becomes the currency of losers, rules become so labyrinthine their relevance can always be avoided, cheats will prosper. I would like to offer one new rule to FIFA. “If, after the match, video evidence is judged by an expert panel to show an infringement, un-sportsman like behaviour or a referee error not brought to his attention by ‘both’ teams disciplinary measures will be taken against the player or team in question.” That might bring back some honour to the game that unites the world.