Change World Cup football rules

The successful staging of the 2010 World Cup football in South Africa, a first on the African continent, was marred by rules that need changing.

Pride of place should go to Luis Suarez's deliberate handball which prevented the ball from going into the goal, thereby depriving the Ghanaians from being the first African team to reach the World Cup semi-finals. Suarez was rightly sent off and a penalty awarded. Unfortunately, Asamoah Gyan, who had scored two penalties before, kicked the football which hit the crossbar and in the subsequent penalty shoot-out Ghana lost. A travesty of justice if ever there was one. The rule needs changing for such a blatant infringement. The resulting penalty should be executed without a goalkeeper in the goal.

This should be considered a technical penalty which is worse than a normal penalty. It is similar to the penalty in netball, wherein the shooter is unimpeded in making the shot. It would also be similar to the technical foul in basketball in which the shooter does not have players around, as is the case when it is a normal foul.

The other big mistake was not allowing England's Frank Lampard goal in the England vs Germany match. That could have been a game changer. Perhaps England would have won, and Argentina would have beaten England and go on to win the World Cup; and then my prediction would have been intact. FIFA needs to allow each team two successful challenges for goal line goals and for offside. It would be similar to what happens in cricket and tennis. It would mean a TV review of the challenge, and only two unsuccessful challenges would be allowed.

Then there is the ridiculous extra time, meaning goals can be scored in the 91st, 92nd and 93rd minute of a 90-minute match. What needs to be done is that there is a fourth official who monitors the time and who stops the clock when the play is disrupted so that the match ends in 90 minutes. This is what is done in basketball. It is ridiculous for persons to score goals in the 95th minute and then it is said the player scored in the 90th minute. Technically, there could be five goals - all being credited in the 90th minute!

Tribute punished

Finally, the World Cup football final between Netherlands and Spain was marred by the yellow card given to Andres Iniesta after he scored the winning goal, a rare experience. He took off his shirt and his undershirt displayed a tribute to a fellow footballer who had died recently. It shows his humanity that, in a World Cup final, the life of a footballer is worth far more that a yellow card and a World Cup. And, what is so wrong with a footballer taking off a shirt in celebration? These administrators are something else. Usain Bolt was criticised by the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after he won the 100m in world-record time at the Beijing Olympics, because he beat his chest in celebration.These rules need to change course.

POSTSCRIPT

Congratulations to Spain for winning the World Cup and to CVM TV for allowing us to benefit from the comments of the international feed. It was also refreshing to listen to Jesús Silva, the Spanish ambassador to Jamaica, making insightful comments on the games.

Also, congratulations to Professor Evan Duggan of Mona School of Business (MSB) on the publication of the inaugural MSB Business Review and to Rev Dr Edmund Davis of St Georges Anglican Church, on the publication of his seventh book, Beyond Vulnerability.

Devon Dick is pastor of Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'The Cross and the Machete: Native Baptists of Jamaica - Identity, Ministry and Legacy'. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.