In soccer, when is it "diving" and when is it "playing the rules & drawing the opponent to commit a foul"?

Question

I think diving is terrible and should be a red card offense.

But I'd like to know what you think of this article. When is it diving and when is it playing the rules and is tactical?

http://soccerlens.com/ronaldo-interview-after-manchester-united-middlesbrough-game/13321265.html

The writer says this about CR7:

However, when situations like the Man Utd v Boro game come along you have to hold your hand up and say - listen, I think he’s playing the rules and that he knows he’s drawing Woodgate into a foul.
What should Manchester United do about it? Nothing - they should try to stop Ronaldo from cheating, but when it comes to playing the rules its a different ball game, it’s tactical and while it may be unfair it is still within the rules. The FA should look at themselves, the media and the fans and opposing managers should look at the rules and not the players.

stuart w == that's a funny answer. LOL.

Answer 1

When your teams player dives its 'playing the rules' and when its an oponent its 'diving'!!

Answer 2

Only people with great experience like Carles Puyol can pull a clean dive. A successful dive is when the sliding player slide the ball away from the foot, without injuring the person being dived and the diver should also maintain possession of the ball. Most people gets player's foot before getting to the ball, thats where diving becomes a foul. They only do this because they're desperate, it's like a double edge sword, either you save the other team from scoring or you're giving them a penalty.

But it always seems that the diver is the one with foul intention, because when the person being dived acts all his guts out, the referee usually card the diver, if they don't see the situation so clearly (or for any different reason).

Answer 3

This is one off the Problems you have when Decisions are left to the Referee. It is all down to interruption of the Rules of the game in that split second the Incident took place.
As we all know the Offside Rule is one of the Most controversial rules in the Game again Human decisions have to be made in seconds.
Yes the Experts? say we have got to have Technology which is okay for the big boys but will this Effect how the game is played at grass root level?

Answer 4

See, we'll never know for sure with these things, that is why the refs can never do anything drastic about it, because they don't know for sure. Sometimes they will spot things and maybe give possession over, but there is always a what if, and that is what would keep the refs from booking the players.

Answer 5

lilforgotten...thats not what a dive is that is called a tackle.

a dive is when during a tackle the attacking player throws himself on the floor without really being fouled/touched.

Answer 6

the players should not be allowed to dive because if a player slides in wins the ball the player wit the ball will atomatically dive if kicked

Answer 7

Its not soccer its football,and its offence not offence. But yeah diving sucks,but yellow card is probably enough.