Carmelo Valenica Learns Honesty is Not Always the Best Policy

Watching the replay (above) it’s pretty obvious that Millonarios striker Carmelo Valenica took a deliberate tumble in the big Colombian derby vs Santa Fe last Sunday. Millonarios equalized from the spot and Santa Fe keeper Agustin Julio was sent off.

But Valencia couldn’t keep his mouth shut in the post match interview (also above, but in Spanish obviously) where he said “Football is for the cunning, not for suckers.”

The Dimayor (Colombian Football League) took note, and decided to suspend Valenica for one game and also rescind Julio’s red card.

It’s not 100% clear whether Valencia’s comment was good old fashioned honesty or bad old fashioned bragging. The nature of the comment suggests the latter.

And in a lot of ways Valenica is right: Football is for the cunning. Those people win a lot more penalties than the non-cunning. If anything Valencia’s suspension is just proof that by owning up afterward he wasn’t quite cunning enough.

Here’s a translated version of Dimayor’s statement (via FourFourTwo)

“The evidence which has been analysed clearly showed that the goalkeeper of Santa Fe made no contact with Carmelo Valencia and it is therefore a case of simulation which induced the referee into making a mistake.”

“The disciplinary commission believes it appropriate to restore his (Julio’s) sporting integrity and nullify the sending off.”

If leagues were brave enough do this when players don’t own up to diving, then maybe we could make some progress on this.

Speaking of players diving… please enjoy Cristiano Ronaldo’s reaction to being denied a free kick vs Arsenal last night:

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Category: South America

Tags: Carlos Valenica, Colombia, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diving, honesty, Millonarios, Santa Fe, South America

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