Morning:
14°c
Eduardo given two-match ban for penalty dive
01.09.09
Arsenal striker Eduardo has been banned for two matches by UEFA for diving to win a penalty against Celtic in a Champions League qualifier last week.
UEFA announced today that their control and disciplinary body had suspended the Croatian international "for deceiving the referee".
Eduardo will miss Arsenal's Champions League group matches away at Standard Liege on September 16 and the home match with Olympiacos on September 29.
The Gunners have three days to lodge an appeal.
UEFA said in a statement: "The UEFA control and disciplinary body today examined the case of the Arsenal player Eduardo 'for deceiving the referee' during the UEFA Champions League play-off second leg match on August 26 against Celtic, and has suspended the player for two UEFA club competition matches."
Eduardo went down midway through the first half of the Champions League qualifier despite there appearing to be no contact with Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc.
Referee Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez awarded a penalty, converted by Eduardo who was subsequently condemned by Celtic.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger last week branded UEFA's decision to charge Eduardo with diving a "complete disgrace" and accused them of staging a "witch-hunt" against the striker.
Wenger said: "I find it a complete disgrace and unacceptable. We won't accept the way we have been treated in this case for two reasons.
"I believe that you can debate whether it was a penalty or not. For me it's a witch-hunt that we see and not an objective judgement of a case.
"This charge implies there was intent and a desire to cheat the referee. Having watched the pictures again there was nothing conclusive.
"It singles out a player in Europe to be a cheat and that is not acceptable. UEFA has taken action that is not defendable."
Reader views (8)
For all you guys complaining about eduardo' treatment, what about Oboue's blatant dive a few days later? Wenger was so embarrassed he took him of instantly. Instead of blaming the ref and everyone else in sight he should admit seeing a foul when it happens and stop using his usual phrase, 'I didn't see it'. A one eyed jack manager and fans.
- James, Manchester England
Absurd decision for the following reasons:
1) Boruc appears to slightly catch Eduardo with his knee, although probably not a penalty,certainly not a dive. 2) Even if Boruc hasdt clipped him, Eduardo was entitled to take evasive action to avoid a collision with the keeper, as long as he doesnt claim a penalty, which he didnt. 3) The referee is on the pitch & is the closest official to the incident, which means he is in the best live position to make a judgement 4) The referee, as far as I am aware never retracted his decision to award a penalty, even after most probably viewing the incident again on television. 5) If it was a dive seen by the referee then a yellow card would have been awarded, why should Eduardo receive a more severe punishment merely because the referee didnt see the incident correctly or worse still was incompetant. 6) Although I dont condone diving, surely physically fouling a player is far worse as its endangers the safety of a player, hence UEFA must now look at physical fouls in a match, as well as diving & all forms of cheating, in order to continue this new precedent and punish them according to their judgement over & above that of the referee. Once again UEFA makes a fool of itself. I would like to see a panel made of say the superb retired referee Collina, Bergkamp & Klinnsman. to make jugdements in such cases. Im certain the outcome in this instance would have been different.
- Rob Gooner, North London
If the referee had ruled that Eduardo dived, he would have given him a yellow card. Why then is UEFA treating it as a red card offence?
- Peter Cross, Manchester, England
If the referee had ruled that Eduardo dived, he would have given him a yellow card. Why then is UEFA treating it as a red card offence?
- Peter Cross, Manchester, England
About time too, Wenger should give it a rest, only a couple of days after Eduardo's shameful pathetic dive we had Oboue repeating this awful habit, which seemd to be endemic within the Arsenal football club. Well done UEFA.
- James, Manchester England
So Mr. Wenger studied the pictures finds they were inconclusive.
Has he asked his player what his intention was?
Perhaps the wink gave it away and polititian Wenger finds it hard to seek the truth.
Oh for a Brian Clough.
- Alan, UK
This is an abridged copy of an email I sent to EUFA a few minutes ago;- "Now that EUFA has seen fit to interfere after a referee has made a decision during a match, i.e. the Eduardo incident, can EUFA please confirm that it will be citing everyone who is involved in similar incidents?
I presume EUFA will now have to equip itself with the means to view tens, if not hundreds, of these incidents as they will no doubt occur regularly every week in every league under it's control, as they have done for many years I might add. For many years EUFA sat on it's hands and did nothing to discourage this type of behaviour from players throughout the world.
However, I am happy to see that EUFA has now turned over a new leaf and I, along with many others, will be watching to see the new development is applied equally and without favour to all players of all teams.
The Champions League games, and others besides, will now be far more interesting knowing that many players will soon be watching the games from the stands, rather than participating on the field."
I would add that the club statement on this matter is very succinct and I await EUFA's answer with impatience.
- Martin Saiz, Colchester, UK
I presume that UEFA will now use video evidence to analyse every single match and punish any player who deceives the referee either by falling to the ground without contact, or feigning injury to waste time. Eduardo did appear guilty of diving but using video evidence after the fact and after the referee has made his decision has opened up a large can of worms. Punishment is only fair if applied to everyone equally. This doesnīt seem to be the case given Babelīs dive during Liverpools victory at Anfield last year and no doubt many other arguable cases. So, lets wait and see whether UEFA continue their new policy of video evidence in the interest of fair play or if Wenger is indeed correct and Eduardo (and hence Arsenal) has indeed been singled out.
- John Scott, Barcelona, Spain
