IN an ironic twist, one of the most celebrated footballing icons of the modern era, Thierry Henry, has, overnight, become the most detested man in sport following his antics against the Republic of Ireland.
Despite his claim that the blatant handball was "an instinctive reaction", his guilt seems unquestionable and the only thing left in doubt is whether or not he will make an appearance at the next World Cup. His multi-million pound Gillette adverts an
d smooth-talking car endorsements can do nothing for him now.
His actions have caused a wave of controversy and speculation throughout the sporting world due to the importance of the match but, let's be honest here, football, as a sport, is riddled with cheating. Commentators and pundits seem to either condone or justify diving and referees seem powerless to stop it.
How many times does this sort of thing need to happen before football's governing bodies decide to introduce the use of video replay during matches in order to aid the referees? Considering it is the richest and most televised game in the world, it seems ridiculous that they are so far behind.
As it stands, however, the Irish team must simply come to terms with the sickening loss of such a crucial match and any lessons learnt will come too late for many of their players who might not get another chance to compete in a World Cup.
Unfortunately, cheating is a part of many sports and the rugby union 'bloodgate' scandal immediately springs to mind as a recent example of the damage it can cause a sport's reputation.
I dare say instances of some form of cheating could be found in just about every sport in every country. Due to the nature of the game squash certainly has it's fair share. It is played in a confined area at high speeds which gives players plenty of opportunities to block or pick up double bounces.
Of course, the doping cheats still present a massive problem these days especially in the sports requiring physical capabilities – weight lifting, for example, and endurance sports such as cycling and running. The cat and mouse game being played between these athletes and the doping authorities is not abating and one wonders if it ever will.
All in all, it is a sad reflection on sport that I can write so much on the subject yet barely scratch the surface of the problem, but there it is. The Maradonnas and the Henrys of this world will, unfortunately, always be around so let's at least use everything at our disposal to catch them in the act next time.
