Source: Daily_Mail
Over and out? Scottish FA take up call for Eduardo to be banned for dive
Eduardo is facing the serious threat of a two-match ban for his dive against Celtic after UEFA confirmed they will investigate the incident.
The Arsenal striker was accused of cheating after his controversial tumble won a penalty which he converted to break the deadlock in the second leg of a Champions League play-off tie on Wednesday.
The Gunners went on to win 3-1 on the night, 5-1 on aggregate, and clinch a place in the group stage, where they were drawn to play AZ Alkmaar, Standard Liege and Olympiakos.
UEFA's director of communications William Gaillard has ruled out the idea of punishing the club but admitted Eduardo was open to disciplinary action.
Eduardo has been threaned with a two-match Champions League ban after clearly diving to win a penalty during Arsenal's 3-1 second leg qualifying win over Celtic. Do you think he should be punished for his gamesmanship?
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK There is mounting pressure from Scotland for UEFA to act after precedents set in the last two years and Gordon Smith, chief executive of the Scottish FA, backed Celtic midfielder Massimo Donati's calls for Eduardo to be banned.
'We have been informed by the disciplinary unit that they are looking into it and they will inform us if there will be any further action,' said a UEFA spokesman.
'We want to back the referee but there is an article in our constitution which says players acting with intent to make the match officials make the wrong decision can open it up to retrospective action and lead to a two-match ban.'
The onus is on Spanish referee Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez to admit in his report that he may have been tricked but, even if he fails to mention it, UEFA can proceed with disciplinary action.
Scotland have been the nation at the forefront of the crusade to banish diving by punishing the culprits directly. It started when the SFA convinced UEFA to examine video evidence of a dive by Lithuania's Saulius Mikoliunas which won a penalty against Scotland at Hampden Park during a qualifier for Euro 2008.
Mikoliunas was duly banned for two games.
Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty missed the start of this domestic season as he served a two-match ban imposed for pretending he had been the victim of a butt during a game with Aberdeen in May.
'Since I came into this post, I have raised the issue of simulation, time and again,' said SFA chief Smith.
'I don't think I've received enough support in my efforts to eradicate what I believe to be one of the most serious threats to the integrity of football.
'We have shown courage to use retrospective punishment and I would urge UEFA to do so in this instance. Everything that can be done to stamp it out must be done, starting right now.
'Eduardo is a terrific player who battled back from a serious injury to resume playing at the highest level but he showed disrespect to the game by his actions in winning a penalty against Celtic.'
TV footage clearly shows Eduardo tricked referee Gonzalez. He was barely touched by Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc as he crumbled to the ground.
Arsene Wenger tried to defend him after the match, saying it was neither a penalty nor a dive, but the Arsenal manager has, in the past, spoken in support of punishing football's divers.
In 2006, Wenger said: 'We have to fight and there's only one way to punish people diving obviously - suspension. Once a guy knows he might be punished, he will not dive.'
Ahead of Thursday's Champions League draw in Monaco, UEFA president Michel Platini addressed the issue. He confessed to diving during his playing career but claimed the proposal to introduce two new officials, known as additional assistant referees, deployed one beside each goal, will end the bad habit.
'Once we have five referees, players will give up simulating because referees will see them,' he said.
'There's onlyone way forus to punishthe divers suspension ' ARSENE WENGER, 2006
'For years players have cheated because the referees were not of a good enough quality.'
Platini understands why the likes of Eduardo try to seek an advantage.
'I know why players do it,' said the ex-France captain.
'I've dived myself. We did it because we knew the referee wouldn't see it and also because there were no cameras.
'It was always my dream to dive and get a penalty in the 1982 World Cup semi-final to make up for what happened when the German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher fouled our player Patrick Battiston outside the penalty area.
'If I could have done it I would have because I hate injustice and wanted to put things right.'
Platini's 'five officials' idea will go on trial during this season's Europa League group stages. Celtic will have a close-up of how it works but it comes too late to reverse the decision against Arsenal.
