Amendment of the Modern Game of Football (Soccer)

We, the undersigned, propose to FIFA that diving be wholly eradicated from the game and that the way that players are punished is brought up to scratch. We propose that FIFA should reserve the right to increase a players punishment for an action, regardless of whether or not the referee has spotted the incident and/or issued a sanction. Furthermore, we propose that the role of the match officials is changed. Whilst the roles of the referee and his assistants remain the same, the fourth official should be in charge of keeping control of events on the sidelines and a fifth official should be introduced, who spends the game watching a TV monitor. This official will have an important role, as he will contact and advise the referee via the headsets that have been seen in use by officials during the World Cup. For example, if a player clearly dives but the referee does not make a decision and plays on, the fifth official can inform the referee to book the player as soon as the ball goes out of play. The advantages of this system is limitless and we, the undersigned, believe in it. We would also propose that nations who openly advocate simulation be temporarily suspended from FIFA until the situation is rectified. Players who are proved to have attempted simulation at least twice in two consecutive matches should receive a four month ban. This would allow the game to continue as it was intended, without much of the scandal and uproar that is ultimately bad for the game.





Furthermore, referees should not be free from criticism. If a player or manager feels that a referee did a poor job in officiating a game, then he should be allowed to publicise his feelings to the greatest extent of his desires. This rule would not advocate the abuse of officials during a match, which should always result in a booking, but would also contribute to ceasing the farce that the modern matchday has become.