Football is a very physical game when while playing you are bound to lose your temper due to rough or tough physical contacts and tackles of your opponents. Because of rough tackle by his Italian opponent Mauro Tassoti in 1994 World Cup, a Spanish footballer broke his Nose and FIFA slapped 8 match suspension on the Italian. Earlier in this current World Cup, Cameroon midfielder Song for a similar foul on Croatian player was suspended for three games. And now comes the Biting of the shoulder of Italian defender Chiellini by the habitual biter, the Uruguyan forward Luis Soares. Earlier in 2010 when Soares was playing in Dutch League he was castigated with suspension of 7 games and then again last year when he was playing for Liverpool for similar foul play he was suspended for 10 games which was later on reduced to 3 games on his personal plea.
Traditionally South American soccer is very tough and sometimes rough too where Argentina, Uruguay and Paruguay are leading offenders. For this reason in 1966 World Cup, Sir Alf Ramsey the Manager of English team dubbed Argentinians as beasts.
Now in this World Cup, Soares after committing the un-footballing foul against Italian defender, FIFA punished him with a suspension of 9 matches plus 4 months of no soccer activity. It was just the right sentence imposed by FIFA on Luis Soares though he merits harsher punishment because he is endangering the life of his opponents. Such players are not meant to play soccer which is governed by decent rules which every player must abide.
After his second suspension under Liverpool he vowed in front of both his kids that he will desist from repeating biting incidents but again he was tempted because it is in his blood to act thus. According to psychologists who studied his behavior they said his actions reflect his very poor upbringing like a vagabond just as Maradona was brought up in the ghettoes in Argentina without proper parental care and basic home discipline. Because of this Maradona got afflicted with vices and destroyed his lucrative life.
Coming back to Luis Soares, he was born in a big family of 7 children in a poverty stricken atmosphere where his poor parents could not controlhim and thus he was brought up and developed like a ruffian without basic discipline.
In his absence, yesterday Uruguay lost to Columbia though they said they will request FIFA to allow him to play for this match. In 1962 World Cup, at the crucial stage for the final, Brazil had to play this important match without their star forward Garincha who was slapped with one match suspension. Since Pele was on injured list, not only Brazilian Football Federation appealed to FIFA to lift this suspension but even the head of the country the President of Brazil did so and surprisingly FIFA relented and allowed Garincha to play in the final and Brazil came out victorious.
Candolim,
Goa.