Soccer Madness

The superlatives are in full flood about the greatest ever World Cup games. I am no football lover and scarcely can bring myself to watch a game through, at the most I peep at the highlights. So no football analysis here then. However two images do stand out starkly. These two images will remain as my recollection of the World Cup Brazil 2014. One image is of a 'player' lunging forward to bite into the shoulder of an opponent, the other is of a 'player' holding an opponent by his shoulders as he bring his full weight into his knee that he then jabs into the small of the back of the held opponent.

This later incident, to my knowledge received no reprimand nor was any penalty card issued. Yes the first instance did have some sanctions applied but far too lenient. What is the message that the controlling authorities; the media that reaps rewards by beaming out the content; the advertisers hoping for sales by association and all our young players watching eagerly shaping their hopes on the role models on display? It is perfectly okay to deliberately 'take out' an opponent, cripple him so he is not game fit, even at the very possible risk is that he will be wheelchair crippled as a result!

Soccer is a physical sport, with body contact an essential part of it, but lets not pussy foot around, neither of these two incidents were anything like an accidental, over eager, clumsy, miscalculated tackle. They were cold blooded and deliberate. Their clear unambiguous intention was to do harm. How can any sport condone this. These two players should be immediately disqualified from ever playing soccer for the rest of their lives. It is simply unacceptable behaviour. It should not be condoned. Except of course they represent millions of pounds of investment, receive enormous cash and life style incentives to achieve the required outcomes and success set them apart. Such disproportionate rewards that being left crippled by 'the game' is insignificant against the tangible rewards readily available. So that makes it alright?

Not in my book. What book are you reading from? So my lasting image of the 2014 World Cup games will be of a 'sport' where it is permissible reward savage brutal behaviour.