Torquay United to Sack Players for Diving and Cheating

By: Bob | November 21st, 2006

If you are a fan of a Beautiful Game that doesn’t involve diving, theatrics and players writhing on the ground interspersed by the occasional bouts of football, you should climb aboard the Torquay United bandwagon immediately. The English League Two club announced today that henceforth it will punish its players for diving and feigning injuries.

Under Torquay’s new rules, any player found guilty of attempting to gain advantage by foul means will get a disciplinary letter and caution.

A second offence will result in a player receiving a final warning and the maximum fine stipulated by the FA.

Anyone found guilty of crossing the line a third time will be placed on the transfer list or sacked for gross breach of conduct.

The club will look at any video evidence received up to five days after the alleged incident.

The move comes on the heels of a World Cup in which 58% of players treated on the pitch were not actually injured, and at a time when diving and cheating often make the Beautiful Game anything but beautiful.

No word yet if the diving punishment will also apply to drunk fans or to Torquay United supporters who blight the Internet with not-safe-for-work pictures or themselves barely clothed.

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Category: World Football

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Bense

Yeah. Fans love the beautiful game. As soon as Torquay will be relegated, we'll hear about it again. I don't like blatant acting or diving myself. But if there is a chance to go down or avoid injury, an attacker does so.
Peter

Good for them. It will be interesting to see if this move has any impact on how they do in the standings.