The Kevin Muscat Clause

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Writtern By Jesse Fink on SBS the world game website-
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So Kevin Muscat has got away with it – again. It must be wonderful knowing you can harass, niggle, sledge, kick, elbow, punch, stomp and generally act like an out of control thug on any football pitch in this country and do it with utter impunity.
Now the man can add simulation to his repertoire of unsanctionable misdeeds.
North Queensland Fury yesterday backed off from trying to have Muscat investigated for his conduct during the weekend’s 2-2 gripping draw with Melbourne Victory at AAMI Stadium. The high point for drama came in the 82nd minute when Ghanaian-Togolese midfielder Eric Akoto was sent off for pushing Muscat over for standing on his mouthguard, but only after being taunted all game by the Victory’s king goon.
All power to Akoto. He got a cheer from me.
As usual, in the post-match presser Muscat blathered that it had nothing to do with me, guv: “He reacted. He’ll go around making stories up and accusations just because he’s got himself sent off. As far as I’m concerned he deserved to get sent off and that’s it, finished.”
Oh, how my heart bleeds.
But then, Kevin, you also did something blatant. You simulated, took a dive, to suck in the ref, Eric Boyle. You even admitted as much.
“I’ve been using this gym [at AAMI Park] for quite a few weeks and pretty sure I could have stayed up, but blatantly [he] pushed me and I knew what the outcome was going to be.”
Now, in my book, and the FFA’s, that means Akoto should have his red card rescinded. And it’s Muscat who should be sitting out the next two weeks on the sidelines.
A year ago the FFA announced its match-review panel would have the power to retrospectively sanction players for diving and simulation by reviewing match footage.
As my colleague Philip Micallef said in his story for SBS at the time: “Players deemed by the panel to have dived to earn penalties or get opponents sent off, and their simulations were missed by the referee, will be suspended for two matches. Players who are unjustly sent off as a result of an opponent’s simulation will have their red cards rescinded but results won’t change.”
Now Boyle dealt with the situation on the field but I would ask this: Did he miss Muscat’s simulation? If yes, then why isn’t Muscat being suspended? If no, why wasn’t Muscat given a yellow card at the time?
Muscat has essentially admitted he simulated a fall to make Akoto’s shove look worse. The African was sent off when Muscat could easily have stayed on his feet. So why isn’t Akoto’s red card being rescinded and his two-week suspension lifted?
Former A-League boss Archie Fraser made a big hue and cry about simulation having “no place in our game” yet here is a cut-and-dry example of a player diving to get another player sent off.
What use is a MRP with all its powers to punish players with video evidence if it’s not prepared to use them?
Oh, that’s right. There’s an untouchable individual involved, a bloke above the laws of the game.
The Kevin Muscat clause is in effect.