2006-08-25 03:26:05 · 21 answers · asked by JR 1 in Sports ➔ Football ➔ English Football
What some people seem to be suggesting is that people competing in a sporting fixture should, in the context of the game, be subject to the same laws as they are at any time. If this principle was applied, it would mean that any act of violence could result in a prosecution for assault. If that happened, there would probably be arrests after ever single football match. Football would be impossible and certainly rugby and boxing would be impossible. Any contact sport would effectively be made illegal.
That does not, however, mean that a sportsman can get away with any level of violence, simply because he is competing in a sporting fixture. However, history has shown that the courts are extremely reluctant to interfere, and rightly so.
Think about Zidane's headbutt in the world cup final. It was a dreadful and intentional act and it was right that he was sent off and banned by the footballing authorities but would any football supporter really want to see him arrested and jailed for assault?
As a City supporter, I would also ask people to consider the precedent of Roy Keane's challenge against Alfie Inge Haaland in a Manchester derby some years ago, that ended Haaland's career. By Keane's own admission, it was intentional assault with no attempt to win the ball but he went unprosecuted.
Thatcher will receive a ban and I would expect him to accept the punishment but it would be a dangerous precedent for the courts to get involved.
2006-08-26 10:23:35 · answer #1 · answered by thepawnbrokerroared 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. It's unfortunate that Mendez was seriously injured, but the game needs to be a little more hard hitting. There is too much diving and players are already given too much protection. By allowing the police to charge Thatcher you take out any aggression that is still in the game.
The FA should ban him but that is as far as it should go!
2006-08-25 10:33:58 · answer #2 · answered by appleblossom 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
no, it could open up a can of worms. he was frustrated and the takle was late but the intent to hurt was not ther. yet it is a red card offence, but leave it to the fa to deal with it.
what about zidane then his was definatly without doubt intent. was he prosecuted (ok different country) but the speed thatcher was running im sure he intended at first to reach the ball, but decided not to pull out of the challenge through frustration. this happens in football all the time, just let it stay in football.
2006-08-25 12:38:26 · answer #3 · answered by zinc 1977 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ben Thatcher put his tackle on Mendez!. He should be arrested for indecency
2006-08-25 10:36:57 · answer #4 · answered by mike m 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, definitely. It gets on my nerves when people (Like Stuart Pearce) claim that everything that happens on a football pitch should be regulated by the FA and the club management and the police should not be involved. If I assaulted somebody like that outside my local pub on a Saturday night the scuffers would have me bang-to-rights in no time at all. (somebody translate that for the yanks...)
2006-08-25 10:34:27 · answer #5 · answered by Paul D 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Of course he should. At the end of the day, that football pitch was at the time his work place, so it is assault in the work place. If you went in work and elbowed someone in the head knocking them unconscious then you would be sacked and face police charges so the same should apply to him, although we all know City don't have the guts to fire him...unfortunately!
2006-08-25 17:37:30 · answer #6 · answered by keith 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well it looked very bad on the television when I saw it, so I think someting should be done, or else he will think he can do it again, oh yes thats right it`s not the first time he has hurt someone is it. So yes the man has got to be stopped before he does it again.
2006-08-25 13:04:13 · answer #7 · answered by madge 51 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is not the first time he has done this. Also did it to Nicky Summerbee of Sunderland back in 2000.
He needs to understand that this is not acceptable behaviour. The only real way would be for his own club to discipline him with the full support of his fellow players.
2006-08-25 10:33:48 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes to set an example on how not to act while playing football
2006-08-25 13:50:43 · answer #9 · answered by Ben H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definately...That was a deliberate and viscious attack...If he did that on the street he would be arrested for GBH....( not the drug!).
I do feel he should be banned from playing for life seeing as this isnt the first time he's done this.
2006-08-25 11:09:50 · answer #10 · answered by smurf3qf 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋