UEFA Bans Arsenal Cheat Eduardo

Much of what we all detest about modern soccer exists because the authorities who control the game do nothing. Clubs whose fans sing racist songs are slapped on the wrist, cheaters who dupe the referee escape without penalty (and are celebrated in some cultures), the same wealthy teams repeatedly run roughshod over the opposition and Major League Soccer continues to allow every club to play in all-white uniforms.

Now, Michel Platini is riding to the rescue. When it's all said and done, the French legend and UEFA president may be known as much for what he's accomplished as an administrator as for what he did in central midfield. He has spoken out against the oligarchy in European club football and opened the Champions League to a wider variety of teams. Then on Tuesday, his organization handed down a brave and perhaps historic decision -- banning Arsenal's Eduardo for last week's embarrassing diving spectacle against Celtic.

The Brazilian-Croatian, who had the world's sympathy 18 months ago following his nasty leg-break against Birmingham City, will miss Arsenal's Champions League games against Standard Liege (Sept. 16) and Olympiakos (Sept. 29) unless the London club is successful on appeal.

UEFA has had the jurisdiction to punish diving and "simulation" for some time. Article 10, paragraph 1c of its disciplinary regulations states that "players may be suspended...for acting with the obvious intent to cause any match official to make an incorrect decision or supporting his error of judgment and thereby causing him to make an incorrect decision."

Of course, this isn't enforced. The pressure brought to bear by the affected clubs, the Pandora's Box of using post-game video analysis to usurp a referee's on-field authority, the obvious impossibility of reviewing and punishing every cheat out there, the risk of setting precedent, as well as simple musty tradition, have been enough to stay UEFA's hand until now.

But none of that is a valid excuse to avoid doing the right thing, and the European body finally has realized it. This sort of cheating will continue indefinitely unless men in suits with the power to make a difference do something about it, and the issue was becoming critical. The increasing popularity and visibility of the sport around the world enhances the importance of all its major competitions and raises the likelihood that a player resorting to such cowardly behavior will have an impact on a critical result. The stakes are too high, and soccer's governors' were faced with a credibility issue. Not to mention that in the U.S., diving and theatrics such as Eduardo's are routinely (and validly) cited as a reason the sport remains outside the mainstream.

Now, cheaters and those who have no regard for fair and honest competition will have to think twice before flopping to the ground hoping to win a call. The notion that these gifted athletes might prefer to win by demonstrating superior skill is naive. Eduardo's action represents much of what is wrong with modern soccer, and UEFA was 100% correct to punish him.

Unfortunately, Eduardo's club has demonstrated as much cowardice in the incident's aftermath as the player did when challenged by Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc. Initially, manager Arsene Wenger called UEFA's investigation of his player "a witch hunt" and lacking in "objective judgment." With a straight face, he claimed Eduardo was "getting out of the way of the goalkeeper" and not doing a backflip into the deep end. Baghdad Bob was more believable.

In response to UEFA's decision on Thursday, Arsenal said it was "deeply frustrated by the perfunctory and apparently arbitrary process that UEFA has followed in this instance" and that the ban lacked "clear and comprehensive standards that will be consistently enforced."

For the good of the sport, without which Arsenal wouldn't be making its millions, here's what the London club should have said: "We accept UEFA's decision in the spirit of honesty and fair play, and will make it clear to Eduardo and the rest of our players that they should attempt to win matches through skill and teamwork rather than dishonesty and simulation."

Either way, the tide had started to turn. The cheaters' days are numbered, and it would be a significant step for the game in this country if Major League Soccer joined UEFA and made a commitment to sanction diving and other such nonsense through the use of post-game video.