30th June, 2014
Dutch star Arjen Robben remained at the centre of a diving storm Monday after the Netherlands’ controversial 2-1 World Cup win over Mexico.
Bayern Munich winger Robben admitted that he dived during his country’s round 16 clash against Mexico. “I must apologise,’ said Robben. ‘The one [at the end] was a penalty, but the other one was a dive in the first half. I shouldn’t be doing that. That’s awful.”
Mexico coach Miguel Herrera said the penalty was “invented” and debate intensified after the Bayern Munich striker admitted he had dived in the first half in a bid to get a spot kick.
Wesley Sneijder and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar led a late Dutch fightback to beat Mexico 2-1 while Costa Rica advanced with a dramatic 5-3 penalty shoot-out win over Greece. France play Nigeria and Germany take on Algeria in Monday’s last 16 games.
Robben, who is often accused of going to ground too easily, fell in injury time after a tackle by Mexico’s Rafael Marquez. Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca pointed to the spot and Huntelaar stepped up to bury the winning penalty.
It came just moments after Sneijder had scored an 88th-minute equaliser to cancel out Giovani dos Santos’s superb goal for Mexico.
Robben admitted to diving in an unsuccessful attempt to win a penalty earlier in the first half.
“I really have to say and at the same time apologise in the first half I took a dive and I really shouldn’t do that,” Robben said.
“That was a stupid, stupid thing to do but sometimes you’re expecting to be struck and then they pull their leg away at the last minute.”
But he insisted he had been fouled in injury time. Mexico were furious however and coach Herrera lashed out at referee Proenca for awarding the penalty.
“The penalty was invented,” said Herrera who added that Robben should have been punished.
“The determining factor was the man with the whistle. He put us of the World Cup,” said Herrera, whose country has now lost in six consecutive last 16 games.
The Dutch now face a new Latin American test when they play Costa Rica in the quarter finals in Salvador on Saturday.
Robben could face disciplinary action following his admission to diving.
FIFA’s disciplinary code states that ‘anyone who violates the principles of fair play’ could face sanction, while article 96 says that audio and video recordings are permissible as forms of evidence, meaning Robben’s words and footage of his dive could well be reviewed.
Speaking in February of this year, FIFA president Sepp Blatter called for retrospective action to be taken against divers.
“Video evidence can be used for serious breaches of the principle of fair play such as brawling, spitting at opponents, verbal insults and racist slurs, or for incorrectly awarded red or yellow cards,” he said.