23rd March 2006: A few weeks ago, I witnessed one of the most blatant examples of cheating by a professional football player since the infamous Rivaldo incident in the 2002 World Cup. This time the culprit was Chelsea centre forward, Didier Drogba, who pirouetted to the Hawthorns pitch having made a slight contact with Jonathan Greening on his own follow-through.

In the World Cup, the referee obviously didn't clearly see the incident, but FIFA stepped in after the event, largely due to the uproar in the media, and fined Rivaldo a paltry sum. In the case of Drogba, the referee saw the incident for what it was, but took no action against the player, and the FA have done nothing since. Not wishing to appear biased, I also believe that Albion's own Diomansay Kamara should also have been punished for his dive in the second half of that match.

Chants of "cheat, cheat" at football matches used to be reserved for referees, and while the men in black (or whatever colour) are still often thought to be less than impartial by fans, individual players are increasingly becoming the target for such accusations.

The lack of action by the authorities, despite the referees having the ability to book players for "simulation", means that cheating is becoming ever more prevalent and, as was seen in the recent FA Cup Quarter Final between Chelsea and Newcastle, cheats frequently prosper.

Shaun Wright-Phillips dive under challenge from Robbie Elliott was arguably more blatant that Drogba's effort at the Hawthorns, but referee Steve Bennett was fooled and Elliott received his second yellow card. I'd be amazed if that card is not rescinded once Bennett sees the TV pictures, but what should also happen is that Wright-Phillips should be punished for cheating.

What makes it all the more annoying in these specific cases is that Chelsea are good enough to win the Premiership without cheating, so why do they feel the need?

Chelsea, of course, are not the only culprits; they just happen to be the team everybody loves to hate at the moment, although some of that is surely their own fault. Mourinho, who was like a breath of fresh air when he came into the English game last season, is now fast losing friends. His antics at the Hawthorns were widely condemned, and he seems to becoming more and more of a hypocrite. He criticises Barcleona players for diving while his own do exactly that on a regular basis, and after Sunday's game at Fulham, he criticises the opposition for pressurising the referee when Drogba's goal was ruled out while Chelsea themselves have been charged by the FA for the same offence following an incident at the Hawthorns, and again this week after a match at Fulham.

The Premiership leaders may be in the front line at the moment, but they are not the only ones. Arsenal and Manchester United were under the spotlight a few years ago after ugly scenes at their matches, and Robert Pires and Jose Antonio Reyes remain two of the biggest Premiership cheats, in my opinion.

It seems to have been a feature of continental football for decades, but has only been considered a real problem in England since the Premier League was established. It may be the fact that every incident is scrutinised on TV that has highlighted the issue, but surely those same pictures could be used to ensure that the perpetrators are punished. Referees have a hugely difficult job and need all the help they can get. The use of TV replays during a game may be a bridge too far at the moment, but imposing stiff punishment for cheating using video evidence after a match will surely reduce its frequency.

In my Blueprint for Football written in 2005, I outlined what I believe should be done to improve discipline and combat the cheats, and the World Cup this summer is surely the ideal opportunity for FIFA to show the way forward. A strong statement that cheats will be banned from the next game, whether they are spotted by the referee or a post-match video panel, will surely have the desired effect, and ensure that the tournament is not spoiled by cheats.

Many football fans are calling for something to be done, and for some, the cheating is becoming so prevalent that they are forced to consider not watching. This is more an issue for the armchair fan rather than the paying spectator as they see the evidence straight away, but the authorities must remember that they are crucial to the continued success of the game which has become more and more reliant on TV revenues.

Cheats must be punished and punished severely. Fines are no deterrent in today's multi-million pound game - bans for players and docked points for clubs are the only way to really stamp it out. But any form of punishment would be a start.



Jon Want, 23rd March 2006