Uefa could ban Eduardo

Platini confirms that governing body will look at diving accusations

By Richard Bailey   Last updated: 27th August 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Uefa could ban Eduardo

Eduardo: Could be handed two-match ban

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Uefa president Michel Platini has confirmed that Arsenal striker Eduardo may face a two-match UEFA Champions League ban if found guilty of diving.

Platini stated that Uefa would be looking into the incident which saw the Croatian international awarded a penalty in the Champions League qualifier second-leg against Celtic on Wednesday.

To rub salt into the Hoops' wounds, Eduardo stepped up himself and opened the scoring to effectively put the game out of Celtic's reach.

Uefa has used a similar tactic before when they banned Lithuania's Saulius Mikoliunas for two matches after television replays showed he dived to win a penalty against Scotland in a European Championships qualifier in 2007.

Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith has called for Eduardo to face disciplinary action while Celtic midfielder Massimo Donati has also condemned the forward's behaviour.

"There are disciplinary procedures at Uefa and the procedure could be taken to suspend the player," Platini said.

"Scotland often start such procedures, last time it was a Lithuania player who was sanctioned."

Against technology

The incident has called for many to suggest that the time has come to use technology to help stamp simulation out of the game for good but Platini is firmly against such a notion.

Instead the Frenchman believes in adding two additional assistant referees to the game with one behind each goal.

"One day players will give up simulating because referees will see them," the Uefa president added.

"For years players have cheated because the referees were not of a good enough quality.

"I am convinced if you have referees close by that will prevent players from simulating and players will take the right decision.

"I have always said better to have more referees than a multiplication of disciplinary procedures."