Arsene Wenger: Arsenal boss wants independent diving panel

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants an independent panel created with the power to issue retrospective suspensions for diving.

The issue has been prominent after a number of high-profile incidents involving Chelsea players.

Wenger, 65, says the panel should be made up of people with “experience in the game” to punish “obvious cases”.

“I am against diving, but the only way players will stop doing it is if they can get punished,” Wenger said.

Wenger believes naming the guilty players alone “doesn’t work” and there is a need to hand out bans following the examination of video evidence.

“We should punish after the game,” added the Frenchman.

“The problem will be to decide when it was obvious diving or not. That is a big issue and sometimes it is not obvious.”

Hull City boss Steve Bruce condemned the decision not to show a card to Chelsea defender Gary Cahill for “something out of Swan Lake” in his side’s 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge on 13 December.

In the same match, striker Diego Costa and winger Willian were both booked for simulation by referee Chris Foy.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce also accused Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic of going down “looking for a penalty” in the Blues’ 2-0 victory on Boxing Day.

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Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho responded by claiming there is a campaign to influence referees’ decisions against his side.

Midfielder Cesc Fabregas was booked for diving after going down in the area under Matt Targett’s challenge in Chelsea’s 1-1 draw at Southampton on Sunday.

“There is a campaign against Chelsea,” Mourinho said after the game at St Mary’s. “I don’t know why there is this campaign and I do not care.”

 

Source: BBC Sports