Time to stamp out unsporting behaviour

ON THIS the fourth day of July, 2006, a happy Independence Day to any American friends out there; also, commiserations to our friends from across the pond on their elimination from the World Cup.

Mr Rooney’s dismissal didn’t help their cause, that despicable stamping incident now well recorded, but his cause wasn’t helped by the equally despicable reaction of his Manchester United teammate, Ronaldo.

All of this is what turns me off soccer, what turns many more — in the States especially — off what is undoubtedly the world game.

On Sunday last in Croke Park, over 40,000 fans witnessed an incident at least as ugly as Rooney’s. Intentionally or not, Wexford’s star corner-forward Mattie Forde stepped on the head of prone Offaly full-back Shane Sullivan. Was it deliberate? Well, on viewing and re-viewing the incident on the large in-stadium screens, the fans in Croke Park not of the Wexford persuasion certainly rendered their verdict in unequivocal fashion. Every time Forde touched the ball thereafter, he was roundly booed. Not the kind of thing you like to see in any stadium, not the kind of thing you like to see in Croke Park, especially, but there it is.

That night, on Sunday Sport on RTÉ, the incident was highlighted, and again, verdict delivered. Panellists Paul Curran and Bernard Flynn, former intercounty footballers with Dublin and Meath respectively, concurred — deliberate.

Within a few days — unless I miss my guess — we’re going to start hearing about ‘trial by television’, about ‘a media witch-hunt’; words like amateur will be bandied about, statements about getting no reward, about upset family and friends, about how unfair it all is.

I have a simple belief, that if you do something wrong, are caught in the act, you put your hand up and acknowledge guilt; I’m sorry, I apologise unreservedly, I was wrong, it was stupid/cowardly/ugly/foul/knee-jerk/ spontaneous — whatever you’re having yourself — but above all, it was uncharacteristic. Give me my medicine, let me get on with it.

I’ve met Mattie Forde on a couple of occasions, and I would reckon that yes, this was uncharacteristic, but there were signs earlier that the pressure of this occasion was getting to him. He had grabbed Offaly captain Karl Slattery in a headlock off the ball directly in front of a linesman, then thought better of it, patted Slattery — who wasn’t reacting — on the head instead, though still maintaining his hold for several seconds.

Whatever rush of blood he had to the head for the stamping incident, if it was deliberate then it was the result of twisted judgement. What he did wasn’t very dangerous, but it was very ugly; had it been spotted by the referee (and why the hell didn’t he look up at the big screen to see what it was that was getting the crowd so exercised?), Forde would almost certainly have got a straight red card. He got off with it, went on to score several spectacular points for Wexford in their narrow loss.

It would be great to see the right thing being done here, hand held up, a fantastic example for all such future incidents. Will it happen? We’ve seen very little of such willingness to accept culpability this year in several other serious GAA incidents. Players, managers, County Board officials, all conspire now to brazen it out. Question, though — where is our outrage? Where is our outrage generally? The slippage in moral standards in the new Ireland is depressing. There was a time no-one would pass a person in need, on the road or on the street. Now, if you have a car breakdown you had better be pulled well in off the road or risk being sued by one of those who are looking to flash past; as for being mugged/attacked/collapsed, well, if I look away I don’t see it, right?

My conscience is clear, clear-ish anyway.

Don’t look away anymore; don’t look away from this, or from any other incidents that may follow for the rest of this summer. The next footballer or hurler that dives, that fakes injury, boo him; boo him especially if he’s one of your own, because he’s the one representing you, because everything he does reflects on you.

I spoke to several proud Wexford people after their two games in Croke Park on Sunday; they were disappointed at their double defeat, yes, but they were most disappointed of all by the action of Mattie Forde.

I would say to him, however, real character is measured over time, not on a single incident. Do the right thing.