It was a splendidly bad weekend for divers. Premiership stars who tried to hoodwink referees and cheat the paying and TV-viewing public generally came a cropper. Theatrics went unrewarded. A week into the Times campaign to return fair play to the beautiful game, one match stood out. At Highbury, where Arsenal drew with Bolton Wanderers, many of the vices that have crept into the English game were on ugly display. Jens Lehmann, the Arsenal goalkeeper, looked a fool after feigning injury, only to leap up and sprint off when he failed to con the officials. His team mate, José Antonio Reyes, performed a near perfect tumble, worthy of 5.8 points from an Olympic judging panel. He was ignored by the referee, but sadly was not booked. Only when the authorities can use post-game video footage to ban divers (double bans for those who protest when their diving fails to win a decision) will cheats be deterred.
It was not just the play-acting. Bolton time-wasted. Players on both sides launched horrific two-footed, studs-up tackles, one of which put Reyes on a stretcher. The English game used to be direct, hard and fair. Fairness, though, is in danger of becoming a memory.
Contrast the goings-on at Highbury to those at the Millennium Stadium yesterday. Wales won a game of rugby. But the sport was enhanced by the manner of its conduct. Scott Murray, the Scottish lock, was sent off for kicking out at a late tackle. The referee delivered his decision with authority. It was heard by the players with respect. Though controversial, it was accepted. Murray apologised before walking off. Both sides got on with the game. Football: watch and learn.