Soccer is a very different sport from the traditional American games. Soccer matches are played under an honor code which render “dives” (soccer equivalent of a “flop” to draw a charge in a basketball game) unsportsmanlike and routinely punished by officials. Similar actions in other sports are often technically against the rules, though these rules are rarely enforced.
I once watched a 1998 World Cup match (I believe it involved Croatia, which was really good at flopping) in which a player pretended to get punched in the face (it was actually more of a tap to the chest). The offending player was red carded while the flopper admired his handy work. My friends and I, savage Americans I guess, were impressed by the flopper’s guile, but the color commentator said something like “why, I do hope they are pleased with themselves and these dastardly tactics.” (Soccer announcers have to talk goofy like that.)
Apparently, there’s a new complaint in soccer that you don’t much see elsewhere. I guess you’d call it the “lobbying rule.” Bloomberg reports:
Chelsea said it will complain to European soccer’s ruling body about a conversation between Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard and referee Anders Frisk during the Spanish side’s Champions League victory last night.
Chelsea will send UEFA a report objecting to the half-time discussion at Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium, the club said on its Web site. Coach Jose Mourinho and his players declined to speak to reporters following their 2-1 defeat, in contravention of tournament regulations, which don’t prohibit coaches or players speaking to referees during the 15-minute break.
“I said ‘hello’ to the referee and said something about the game in a polite and friendly way,'’ Rijkaard told a news conference. “The reaction of the Chelsea side was a little bit exaggerated.'’
Now, there is a reasonable chance that Rijkaard did a little bit more advocacy than he’s letting on in his statements, but there’s no rule against “working an official” that I know about, in any sport. If it goes over the line, there can always be sanctions (technical fouls, penalty flags, ejections, etc.), but if the conversation is civil, it’s usually okay. Chelsea is acting like this is some sort of ex parte court proceeding.
More information has come out about the situation which make things sound a little more bizarre:
Chelsea’s complaint to UEFA over the conduct of Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard and referee Anders Frisk during their Champions League tie in the Nou Camp stadium will now centre around the vexed question of whether the Dutchman entered the official’s dressing room at half-time.
…
The Barca coach is understood to have been spotted leaving the room used by the Swedish official and, while UEFA will take a dim view of Rijkaard’s actions, it is extremely doubtful that they will punish him.
If the coach went into the referee’s locker room, that is a bit odd. Coaches shouldn’t do that, but the real responsibility there is on the official to ensure these sorts of improper conversations don’t take place. The coach is just working. That’s what coaches do.
At least that’s what they do in America.
Nathan Novak at 1:48 pm
