News and media releases

SIMULATION

Simulation the toughest offence for referees,

Simulation the toughest offence for referees, says PGMOL but ‘diving’ not a major issue in the domestic game

Players simulating a foul to gain unfair advantage is the toughest offence for referees to detect, according to the PGMOL.

“The speed of action in the Premiership has increased by around 40 per cent over the past four years alone, which means that it is extremely difficult for match officials to distinguish between a genuine foul and a cynical attempt to deceive the referee,” explains general manage Keith Hackett.   In tackling the controversial issue, PGMOL officials have enlisted the help of hundreds of hours of taped match action, which include examples of deliberate diving or ‘simulation’ as it has become known. This helps raise awareness and detection among referees as well as highlighting the identity of those players with a history of simulation.

Another important aspect in tackling it is the use of live communications links between match officials. “It’s vital that the assistants let the referee know their interpretation of a situation, rather than leave him to reach a decision based solely on what he has seen. In many cases it’s only when reviewing a match tape that the offence becomes clear, and by then it’s too late,” says Hackett.

 

Despite the high profile nature of simulation, which is often linked to match-influencing penalty decisions, PGMOL estimates there have been as few as two instances in more than 100 Premiership games this season.

“Yes, of course it’s a controversial issue but it’s under control and at present I don’t see it as a major problem in our game. The credit for that must go to the managers and the players themselves. Ultimately, trying to con the referee is deliberate cheating and that has no part to play in football,” said Keith Hackett.

 

© RefWorld. All rights reserved.