FA aims to stop footballers diving with retrospective bans
New offence of deceiving a match official carries a two match suspension

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
It looks like divers have had their day after the Football Association unveiled plans to punish simulation with retrospective action starting from next season.
It's been a blight on the game for years but the FA, who disclosed the news at their annual general meeting at Wembley, hope the new offence of "Successful Deception of a Match Official" will see diving follow baggy shorts and midfielders' mullets into history.
In announcing the new offence, which carries a two-match ban, the FA said retrospective action could be taken when a dive:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
- Leads to a penalty
- Results in a straight red card for an opponent
- Leads to the sending off of an opponent for two yellow cards (where the alleged act causes either of the bookings)
If the FA believes there is a case to answer, the incident will be referred to a review panel comprising one former match official, one ex-manager and a former player, explains Sky Sports.
They will sit in judgement, using all available video footage of the incident to reach a decision that will be passed to the FA. Only when the three panellists are in unanimous agreement will charges be brought against the implicated player.
The law was first mooted last year and the FA said that after "a period of consultation with stakeholders over the past few months", it's been agreed to introduce the law starting in August 2017. Among the "stakeholders" consulted are the Premier League, the EFL and the Professional Footballers' Association.
A similar law was introduced to Scottish football in 2011 and has met with general approval. But not everyone in the Premier League reacted well to the news of the FA's announcement.
"Utter rubbish" declared Crystal Palace manager Sam Allardyce, although he appeared not to grasp the full remit of the law. "What about the lad that gets booked that didn't dive?" He muttered. "What are they going to do with that? They're going to say that's unlucky, next time we'll try and get that right. You'll then have to reverse that somehow."
That is exactly the FA's intention with the review panel having the power to rescind yellow cards for players who were incorrectly penalised for having dived.
But Big Sam is in a minority in opposing the law. An online poll on BBC Sport revealed that 92 per cent of respondents were in favour of the ban, while Leicester City defender Robert Huth tweeted: "Great News, add pretending to be injured and crying when you lose and we are really getting somewhere!"
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Petition to resign
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
A weekend in Lausanne: travel guide, things to do, food and drink
The Week Recommends Everything you need to know for a city break on Lake Geneva
By The Week Staff Published
-
A Ukraine election in 2024: how it would work
The Explainer Zelenskyy hints that country is ready for March polls but logistical, security and democratic obstacles remain
By Harriet Marsden Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City’s financial charges: what next for the Premier League champions?
feature The club is alleged to have breached financial rules around 100 times over a nine-year period
By Mike Starling Published
-
Can Arsenal really win the Premier League title?
feature How the pundits reacted after the Gunners’ late 3-2 victory over Man Utd
By Mike Starling Published
-
Premier League festive fixtures to cause travel ‘chaos’ for football fans
feature English top-flight has confirmed the schedule for Boxing Day and New Year games
By Mike Starling Published