Sepp Blatter has leapt to defence of Eduardo and all those players who have been found guilty of diving, with the FIFA supremo insisting there are bigger crimes in football that need addressing.
Arsenal star Eduardo was hit with a two-game ban by a UEFA panel following the controversial incident against Celtic when the Croatia striker won a penalty under minimal contact from Artur Boruc.
The UEFA panel's ruling in effect labelled Eduardo a diver, only for the decision to be overturned on appeal.
The issue of diving is a hot topic of debate in football and Blatter has had his say, suggesting the focus should be on clamping down on violence.
"I was a striker 50 years ago," said Blatter. "We tried to dribble, but when we could not go through and someone put his foot there what do you do?
"You do a little bit more than you should have done. Is this so terrible? I don't think so.
"It is not so terrible that after matches we should intervene with a committee.
"They should not intervene on that. They should intervene with violent play."
Arsenal star Eduardo was hit with a two-game ban by a UEFA panel following the controversial incident against Celtic when the Croatia striker won a penalty under minimal contact from Artur Boruc.
The UEFA panel's ruling in effect labelled Eduardo a diver, only for the decision to be overturned on appeal.
The issue of diving is a hot topic of debate in football and Blatter has had his say, suggesting the focus should be on clamping down on violence.
"I was a striker 50 years ago," said Blatter. "We tried to dribble, but when we could not go through and someone put his foot there what do you do?
"You do a little bit more than you should have done. Is this so terrible? I don't think so.
"It is not so terrible that after matches we should intervene with a committee.
"They should not intervene on that. They should intervene with violent play."
Unbelievable that football's top man is basically saying that diving is ok.
Comment