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The Dark Art of Diving and VAR

The diving side of the box is a pathway to many penalties some consider to be unnaturaL

While Darth Neydious might not have actually said that, it’s hard to refute the fact that diving is a crucial part of the modern game. Matches can be won or lost by dives (as was proven by Paul Pogba’s recent self-trip against Aston Villa), and no matter how many times the purists try to speak of the ‘spirit of the beautiful game’, they won’t be able to change that fact.

Under Law 12 of the FA’s Laws of the Game, it is stated that a player should be cautioned for ‘unsporting behaviour’.