ULSAN, South Korea (Reuters) - Brazil's Rivaldo has said he used his 'experience' to get Turkey's Hakan Unsal sent off during the World Cup group C match in which he was caught playacting on the stadium's big screen.
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<font size="1">Rivaldo clutches his face and chest in 'agony' after being struck by the ball on the legs (Allsport) </font>
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Hakan Unsal was dismissed in the last minute of the match after kicking the ball at Rivaldo, who was waiting to take a corner.

The ball clearly hit Rivaldo, who sealed Brazil's 2-1 victory with a late penalty, in the midriff but the Barcelona player fell backwards in apparent agony clutching his face.

The whole incident was shown in close-up on the stadium's big screen and boos echoed around the ground.

'My experience counts,' Rivaldo said. 'I think he deserved to be sent off, of course he didn't get me in a place where I could be hurt. But you don't do the sort of thing he did so he deserved the sending-off.'

This type of act is more common in soccer, but is found in all sports. It can tactfully be called "bending the rules".

Do you think this kind of act is an ingenious piece of gamesmanship, or is it out and out cheating? If the World Cup was on the line, the game was tied, and someone had the opportunity to win a penalty for their side by making something look worse than it did, should they do it? Or, in the age of "winning isn't everything, it's the only thing", is there still such a thing as "winning with honor"?

You guys decide. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I believe in winning with honor. If you can't win fairly, have you really won? I think not.

Well, when you are playing, you should try everything the rules allow. This doesn't mean that doing something like this should be allowed. Afaik, acting isn't soccer. And in my opinion, it's bad sportsmanship to say the least. I hope they fine him and send him packing. And so that the Brazilian team doesn't get penilized, because the team didn't have anything to do with it, they should be allowed to call for a replacement player.

Isn't his name Wayne?

He deserves at least a yellow card for that act. If a player takes a dive after being tackled in the penalty box in the hopes of being awarded a penalty, does he get sent off for ungentlemanly conduct? The same rules should apply here.

the penalty wasnt a penalty. the turk shouldnt have been sent off. the last minute free kick for turkey the brazilians clearly didnt respect the 9mt distance for it, and rivaldo should have been sent off. but well, its only normal that the receive these "favors" from the referees in the world cup. i cant wait to play them and make them eat the grass.

Through the book at Senor Rivaldo - poetic justice if it gets him in the face this time [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Ironically really - before the start of the World Cup, FIFA came out and said that the referees should be especially alert to 'diving' and shirtpulling, AND punish offenders with yellow cards. Then Rivaldo gets away with something like this. :mad:

Noro - please explain 'The Hand of God' to us? :D

[ 06-04-2002, 07:34 AM: Message edited by: Donut ]

He hasn't got away with it yet. FIFA are looking into it and I'm sure he will get a ban.

It's cheating, unfortunately the vast majority of countries in the World Cup do it. If you don't do it you put yourself at a real disadvantage.