I don't think that the situation is as black and white as some people would have us believe. What is a dive? If someone throws himself to the ground when there has been no contact then that is blatant cheating and a yellow card offence. But what if there is contact? All of the so called experts, most players past and present, and even Howard Webb has said you should go down when you feel contact and leave the ref to decide if the contact was caused by the attacker or the defender or was accidental. Whilst we may not like it surely it is within the rules and I cannot see any rule that says a player must take all steps possible to stay on his feet following contact. Take a case highlighted on TV last night. Arsenal attacker running towards penalty area with a Wigan defender. 35 yards out defender has a very slight tug at attackers arm - attacker keeps on running. 25 yards out (RVP territory for free kicks) defender puts his hand very lightly on attackers shoulder. Very minimal contact but attacker goes crashing down and Ref gives a free kick - a decision he probably would not have given if the attacker had stayed on his feet. TV expert suggested it may have been a dive because of minimal contact. I might be a bit simplistic but is there anything in the rules that says a defender can have a slight tug at the arm or put a hand lightly in another players shoulder? No! Is there any rule that says that the attacker cannot go to ground if he feels contact? No! Whilst we might not think that it is within what should be the spirit of the game on what grounds could the ref refuse to give a free kick and on what grounds, within the rules, could he book the attacker for diving?
