On air: Should 'penalty goals' be adopted by football?

Yes. Ref's should have the power to award a penalty goal for a handball on the line. Don't send the player off as this doesn't always have a negative effect. The handball can be instinctive (although Suarez's didn't seem to be - the way he through his head forward - more like quick thinking).

Yes. The referee should have the right to award a penalty goal. The Uruguay "victory" is clearly not just. It brings football into disrepute. Football needs to learn a lot from Rugby: to embrace technology and to invest referees with "ethical authority" -- and introduce sin bins so that players can be time penaltied for foul play there and then.

Would live to hear/read Graham Poll's views on this. Would it be workable for the ref or would it just cause more controversy i.e. was it deliberate?

I am honestly in two minds as to the fairness of it all. Certainly within the letter of the law in football the sanctions taken were the appropriate response. But this incident was not a mere (and I use the term lightly) league game but the quarter finals of the World Cup, and it clearly cost Ghana their deserved place in the semis. But then we can't have one rule for one match and different one for another... and so I really don't know what should be done. Still, at the very least what Suarez did was grossly unsporting and for that reason alone I hope that Uruguay are knocked out next round.

I CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT I'VE JUST READ, MR. SUTHERLAND. You're trying to justify one of THE most blatant and horrific examples of cheating in world football by comparing it to another moment of blatant and horrific cheating (and then have the naivity to add that his OWN fans cheered him off the pitch). What sort of APALLING writer/commentator are you?! What we all saw tonight was an absolute disgrace. Simple as that. And you, Mr Sutherland, are an absolute disgrace along with Suarez.

Suarez, an example of the "good player", i like of player like this, determined, fearless and it is for that i haven't seen for my country since 2003, Brazil. The holland was not a "fantastic team" but ran enough, it would be lost if the Brazil was fired a shot into a net, it was first time, after half time the Holland could be forward. The Brazilian side is better but neither has been getting the chances, the better has been won!

Obs: I'm brazil encouraging "Uruguay" and "Argentine", sorry for my country mate!

I am a former rugby player but I have however watched a lot of soccer during the current world cup and have found myself thinking how very much more effectively Rugby deals with misdemeanours than Soccer, particularly at this high level. Much has been made of the fact that in Rugby the referee can call on a "fourth official" to view TV footage of possible scores such as Lampard's "goal" on Sunday and indeed if an incident such as Suarez's deliberate cheating handball to stop the Ghana goal had occurred in Rugby then the score would have been given.

However there is more than that. Suppose that a player makes an illegal tackle or obstructs another player in circumstances which might well have led to a score. In Rugby the offender would be sent off the field for ten minutes and the other side would be awarded a penalty kick from which they can at least get the immediate compensation of "half a goal" (3 points rather than five or seven). In Soccer the offender is given a yellow card which may mean something or nothing and the other side are awarded a free kich which, certainly in this World Cup, rarely leads to any significant advantage.

More than that, however, a player being off the field for a limited time(a "power play" in Ice Hockey) can make a very significant difference to the balance of a game. The difference between England and Wales in the last six nations tournament was the two tries England scored in ten minutes whilst Wales were reduced to 14 men.

Whilst there are of course sub plots and "action off the ball" in Rugby match, I have been surprised by the huge amount of petty obstruction and shirt pulling which appears to be tolerated in a in a soccer match.

I would have thought that it must be very troubling to FIFA that Uruguay are in the semi-final because they cheated. Of course Rugby teams have cheated and still won but I cannot recall a situation such as the Uraguay - Ghana game where if Uruguay had not cheated they would have been out of the competition but because they did so they were given a lifeline which allowed them to progress.

Granting a goal when the ball has not actually crossed the line would probably be too radical and sensible a move for FIFA. But something should be done. Perhaps the referee should be empowered to award a double penalty in such blatant cases - in other words the aggrieved party should get two attempts to score. Ghana suffered a painful injustice today.

Yes. There should be a penalty goal in football. Ghana was robbed of a victory. And it is ridiculous to say that cheaters are not cheaters if they are caught. If someone cheated on an exam, and was caught, would that mean they had not cheated?

People often ask when should a penalty goal be awarded instead of a penalty? IMO, when the referee can be absolutely sure that the ball would have continued into the net barring the illegal action (which will almost always be a handball on or near the goal line). That was clearly the case here today.

If this is not dealt with, players in huge matches like the world cup final will begin to commit these deliberate handballs on the line in the final few minutes, when they see what Uruguay and the wretched Suarez got away with today. It could ruin a world cup final, and that would be even more disgusting than it was for Ghana and the 'beautiful game' today.

Suarez deliberately broke the rules to advantage his side. That is the definition cheating. You can't say he wasn't cheating because he got caught. That's like telling a thief its not theft if he gets pinched. There was nothing more the referee could do, but FIFA can finish the job and make it a two match ban. Suarez's World Cup must surely be pver.

Uruguay have played dirty all throughout the WC - fake diving and playacting, and pushing shoving and kicking ..... they got the South African goalkeeper sent off and if you rewatch that its clear to see how Uruguay orchestrated it.
A goal should be given if its very very clear that the ball is going into the net, like in this case.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

There is no argument as far as I am concerned, and it should be as big an issue as the England "ghost goal" - in these situations the ref should be able to just give the goal. I know a penalty is seen as being as good as a goal but last minute of extra time in world cup quarter final and suddenly you have the pressure of a penalty to deal with - unfair when you have basically scored a legitimate goal.

Suarez is such a good striker, pace, power and an eye for goal - why does he have to ruin it all throughout the world cup with cheating, play acting and sly dirty tactics? Look at early in the game yesterday when he was nudged in the back and he went down holding his head - then when play moved on and the ghana player asked him what he was doing Suarez kicked him!!!

Football needs to be re-balanced: at present it exhibits organised cheating under the guise of professionalism. Suarez's handling of the ball was the most blatant example I have witnessed of this behaviour.
Ghana was not the only victim yesterday. Honesty lies six feet under the ground, courtesy of cynical disregard of its most basic implications.

Suarez has cheated his way through the tournament with his diving. Right from the beginning of the match I was hoping that he would be given a red card and sent off. But with Uruguay going through he may think it was worth it. Therefore I think the rules should be changed, because the result will simply encourage people like Suarez to continue.

I don't see this handball as cheating. Often attacks are stopped by just aimed to disturb the game of the opponent. The defender knows it is against the rules and he will probably be punished with a yellow card. Normally in football it is no cheating to break the rules when you face the consequences.

There is no fairness in football. Fifa should try and modify their rules. the rules are not in a good efficent state. There is too much cheating. There is one thing I would love Fifa to do. If a player delibrately stop a goal he should be sent out and the goal should be awarded.

An earlier comment lauded Suarez because he's from the same region as the author of the comment.

I would like to tell the author that he is in a human being first and an inhabitant of one region in second instance. Therefore, your responsibility is to your humanity first and only secondly to your co-regionalists.

Your humanity is elevated by honesty.

The referee should have been allowed to give the goal. Many of these decisions are not quite so clear cut however, and video evidence should be used to support the referee.

Tabarez's action, and his refusal to apologise, is another embarrassment to the sport of football. His manager tries to defend him by claiming it was 'instinctive'?

An instinctive cheat is still a cheat.

Surely, given the quality of the officials in this World Cup, the referee could have signalled a goal and stated that the ball was over the goal line. Uruguay would have protested with as much success as England and Ghana, moral winners of the match, would have gone through to the semi-final.

Shame the ref wasn't as quick as Suarez about what to do.

As for FIFA, I haven't seen their Fair Play slogan this World Cup. Obviously they have abandoned it as the Thierry Henry handball against Ireland and the Lampard 'goal' against Germany clearly show. Hopefully this is the third and last abysmal incident in the World Cup this year.

I am absolutely incensed by what I've seen during this game. What we've seen is a total DISGRACE to world football - the World Cup is as much about setting standards of fairness to all, showing a generation of children what it's like to compete and win for your country. It's up there with the Olympic Games for me. Uruguay should be DISQUALIFIED.

How is it that football has the most pathetic set of rules? How is it that you can clearly and obviously CHEAT and your country still prospers? This World Cup has provided so many examples of injustice that I think FIFA need to go back to the drawing board and ensure events like this NEVER transpire ever again. What would be the reaction of the world if Uruguay go on to win the final now? They have denied Ghana a place in history - the whole African continent needs victories like the one they've just been denied. It lifts spirit and it changes peoples lives.

I am DISGUSTED that this farce has been allowed to stand.

Why is it that a comment made at 08:12 by lightseeker is still awaiting moderation at 10:11. If this is the BBC's definition of "a short delay" let's be thankful we don't have a long delay for "moderation".

This is football for goodness sake. Who needs moderation? Ever been in a bar after a match? Come on BBC, enter the 21st century.

(At this rate it will be the 22nd century before this comment is ever "moderated".)

Something else - winning in life is not about winning at any cost. I hate people in life who trample on everyone as they climb the 'success ladder'. This is merely another example of how winning at any cost is seemingly acceptable.

I would also like to register my disgust at Ben Sutherland's comment too "Suarez, arguably, could not be said to have cheated as he was punished". You are misguided at best Mr Sutherland - I think you need to reconsider that ridiculous statement.

And for the record I don't remember Maradonna for his apparent 'genius', I only remember him for the single moment when he disgraced himself in front of the whole world. I hope the world remembers Suarez in the same way too - he has disgraced himself AND his country. Would we have wanted England to be in the Semi Finals of the World Cup on the back of John Terry deliberately handling the ball on the line and going through in the same way? No thanks, not for me....

Penalty goal is also awarded for ice hockey, when a player is fouled on a clear break-away on an empty net (a common thing for hockey near the end of the game.) Suarez said he had no choice but to foul. The rules should not encourage any player to make that choice.

Do as basketball does with regards to goal tending. Award.

Absolutely referees should be able to award penalty goals where it can be proved that a player stopped a certain goal through use of the hand(s) - and yes, that would mean the use of video replay.

In fact I would go further and suggest the following:

1. The player is dismissed from the match and banned from taking any further part in the World Cup.
2. A penalty goal is awarded.
3. The team is fined 1000x the player's shirt number (or some other suitable amount).

That should prevent most if not all future attempts at cheating in this manner. If a player knows he will only receive a red card and a one match ban where is the punishment? Really... where is it?

Very poor show Uruguay, and to try to justify it in any way further demeans your actions and the World Cup.

Hard lines Ghana, you deserved to go through to the semi-finals - the whole World is on your side (apart from Uruguay of course).

In such clear cut cases as this the referee definitely should be able to award a 'penalty goal'. Referees in Rugby Union and League have similar powers. The bar of probability could be set high in soccer. In this particular game it was certain that a goal would have been scored. Suarez is quite cynical about it. He is a cheat and has ensured his side progressed at the expense of another, the legitimate winners. I admired him early in the tournament but no longer. I hope they get stuffed in the semis and, if not, he is suspended for the final by FIFA. The rule change is necessary to avoid the game becoming a cheats paradise.

I do think there should be a special rule that if a hand is used intentionally to stop a goal by a player other than a goalie within the last 2 minutes of regular time or any stoppage time, then the goal should be awarded. It would also have to be in the discretion of the official that the ball would have gone completely across the line if the person hadn't used their hand. This would prevent intentional cheating as we saw by Suarez and make the game more fair. Leaving Ghana to win the game by a PK or in overtime PKs is unfair because there is so much pressure on them and you only add pressure to a single player by the PK. The game of football needs some modernization, such as video replay for goalline calls, and this is a good example of another way the game can be improved.

The way Ghana 'lost' their game against Uruguay was an insult. The FIFA management should be ashamed of the injustices committed in the World Cup by blatant cheating. In situations like this the referee should be able to award an instant goal against the cheating team, for Ghana did win this game. Is there is any sense of fair play in this competition, how can anyone respect the winners of this world cup when they have got there either directly or indirectly on the back of obvious cheating. I am disgusted with top league football.

The first thing that occurred to me last night is there should be a "penalty goal" option as in rugby and it's pleasing that so many have had a similar epiphany. I'm irish and am still smarting from the "henry incident" and like most people think that technology should come in. However, penalty goals are nowhere near as controversial for blatter as it would involve a simple change in the laws without compromising the game's fluidity in any way.
The referee clearly saw the handball and acted properly within the rules of the game. However, if the law allowed the ref to award a goal if he was sure that a goal would have been scored without illegal interference (or a penalty if he was not sufficently sure of the ball's final destination), it can only improve the fairness of the game. A win win situation for fifa with no controversy or awkwardness in implementing it.
Would this lead to perfect decisions that are incontrovertible in the future? Obviously not, mistakes will still me made but no more than are currently made and the game is much fairer as a result. It would also send a message to players to try their utmost legally as there would be little point in handling the ball et.c unless the officials missed it (which would be extra unlikely with technology but one step at a time).
As for Suarez, no further punishment should be given as he merely reacted within the rules of the game by falling on his sword for his team. They were going out, everyone would have done the same thing in the same situation.
Finally, whilst i wanted Ghana to win along with the non-uruguayan world and feel for the way they went out, has everyone forgotten that uruguay should have had a penalty long before. Sort it out mr. blatter asap.

Apart from the awarding of a penalty goal against Uruguay, Suarez should be heavily punished in other ways. In my opinion he should be banned from playing any football for 1 year. He is a disgusting cheat and no other description is applicable.

If this is sport than I'm a banana.

Totally sickening. I feel so angry on behalf of Ghana and I'm not an African.

Yes for the penalty goal after witnessing what happened to Ghana.

Rugby is my sport, we have our cheats, we have games that are won and lost on injustices. Some of rugby's most respected players are respected because they are such good cheats. (Richie McCaw and Neil Back to name but two).

We have players who will quite happily 'take 10 minutes' instead of conceding a try, knowing full well that the ref can only award a penalty try if there is absolutely no doubt that a try would have been scored. This would be exceedingly rare in football where there is a goalkeeper to contend with. (Rugby wouldn't allow a penalty try if a player was tripped up with still one man to beat)

Rugby has had to take the action of TV Match officials, sin bins, penalty tries, citing commissions because we are a game so full of cheating. It is not something to be proud of or particularly shameful, it is just how the game is and always has been.

Football needs to decide if it is deserving of such an overhaul, after last night's game, Lampard's 'goal' and Henry's handball against Ireland, I think there is evidence to suggest that it is.

For heaven’s sake – football is football (emphatically not soccer) and not any other sport, so would people please stop making comparisons with rugby and, God forbid, ice hockey.
Of course the handball of the Uruguayan was cheating, as was the Hand of God (Maradonna), and the Hand of Frog (Henri), as are so many dives and other histrionics that make the beautiful game just what it is. A goal is only a goal if the ball crosses the line.
Football mirrors life - it’s a bitch – it’s fallible – the best man(or woman) doesn’t always win, although Mr. Blatter is trying to load the dice in FIFA, just as that ghastly little prig Platini is trying do in UEFA, but despite these nasty bureaucrats, that is precisely why football is the world’s favourite game – it is capricious, unpredictable and, when it goes our way glorious, but when it doesn’t, we can pour out all that sorrow and sense of grievance (we was robbed) – a result far better and instantaneous than a hundred analysts could achieve in a hundred years.
Interesting that the US and the Chinese just don’t get it.

I have long thought that the punishment for a hand ball on the goal line was too lenient. The punishment needs to be fit the nature of the offense.

In this case, a player who is not allowed to use his hands prevents a certain goal by using his hands. The consequence? A second chance at a goal against a player who is allowed to use his hands (the keeper).

I'm sure this will strike many as "just wrong" but why not just give a PK, but in this case mandate that the offending player (i.e. Suarez) must be the one to try to stop the shot - without the use of his hands?

Yes, it means a virtually certain goal, but that's precisely the point.

The bottom line is that Suarez, Neuer, Henri and, above all, FIFA are teaching our kids that cheats prosper.
If rule breaking is a standard part of the game, then the rules should be strengthened until nobody breaks them as it not worth it. Penalty goals would be a key part of a set of rules that will uphold the spirit of the game. Without that, anyone with children would be best advised to encourage them to watch other sports that have got their houses in order. FIFA rules football should be X-rated!

Surely it is time for FIFA to cut out deliberate hand ball on the goal line by simply awarding a 'Penalty Goal' without the need for a spot kick.

If it is clear, as in the case of the Uruguay hand ball that a goal was prevented, the player should be sent off and a goal awarded.

It would soon end this form of cheating that so cruelly prevented Ghana's victory.

Penaty tries work fine in Rugby Union.

"Ever been in a bar after a match?"

I want to do this again and again, i want to see the "TV" in a bar and be delighted with the "video technology". Technology advance is the future but it may happen - "The future is now"!

Suarez prevented Ghana from moving to the next round. Yes suarez was ban one game, question is how does that benefit Ghana who was cheated?
The ban benefited Holland, no fault of theirs but I just want to point out how unfair this fifa rules is. If a goal was awarded which should have been done then Ghana would benefit from suarez action and not the other way round.
Unless changes are made at the top of this great organization we will continue to see this type of injustices be it against the English or Ghanaians.

Breaking the rules does not amount to cheating, at least not in football. You may even go as far as saying that breaking the rules is.. within the rules, or at the very least the accepted norm. "Breaking the rules" occurs dozens of times every game, with fouls committed, handballs, etc. Dramatic circumstances cannot warrant "special rules".

And giving more power to referees at this point is simply laughable seeing how out of their depth they have proven to be.

Yes, if a referee has decided an offence has been committed and is awarding a penalty he should be able to upgrade the award to a penalty goal if after reviewing a replay he can confirm a definate goal was denied.

No, I don't this a goal should be awarded. The player for Ghana got a chance to pick up a win for Ghana on a penalty kick, and he failed. I did wonder however if the ball did not go over the line, and that is why also they need to have the use of Instant replay, especially in World Cup Soccer where goals are so hard to come by, and where cheating seems to be sometimes awarded.

Simple solution to this: Get rid of Blatter.

Let FIFA continue with their investigation into corruption on Sepp Blatter's behalf (As he is the only President of FIFA ever to be investigated and then as President, had the power to stop the investigation). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepp_Blatter

Hopefully that will result in him resigning.

Then we can get someone in who actually loves the beautiful game, and has enough clout to change the way the game is run and isn't scared of introducing....wait for it....technology! And....new rules such as penalty goals.

Cricket and tennis spring to mind as examples where technology helps the umpires, but Blatter is set against it for some reason.

He just needs to go. For all his talk about the beautiful game, we have a FIFA boss who is incredibly smart when it comes to making money, but incredibly stupid when it comes to improving the game.

Suarez handled the ball stopping the other team from scoring. He was punished accordingly, with a red card and a penalty for Ghana.

Penalty goal?... why?...to compensate for Gyan not being able to score from the penalty spot?. A penalty well taken is a goal, no matter what the keeper does. Professional footballers should be able to put the easiest of chances away. If they can't handle the pressure or don't have enough skill to do it, then, that's a different issue.

I am sure people have been handballing on the line for about 140 years and there was no need to introduce a "penalty goal" until the new media darlings of Ghana had one against them.

Ghana had a chance to win and blew it, Suarez committed an act of foul play and was punished accordingly. End of story.

@8 "Perhaps the referee should be empowered to award a double penalty in such blatant cases - in other words the aggrieved party should get two attempts to score."

LOL, why not 11 attempts?, or while we're at it, why not give penalty goals for a foul 50 metres from goal, just in case the player fouled was about to embark on a mesmerising 50 metre run dribbling past half the other team on his way to score one of the most beautiful goals in history.

Get over it people!, Suarez broke the rules, he was punished, Ghana were awarded a penalty kick. Gyan should've put it away. If he failed to do so, the questions should be directed at him, not at the rules.

FIFA needs to change how it conducts business or it will face a competing federation with fare rules and the right technology supporting it, running FIFA out of the sport, and as responsive as it has been to change it could not happen soon enough. This is the world’s biggest sporting event and it has been tarnish by ineptitude at the highest levels. The FIFA governing body has lacked vision, fairness and objectivity; starting with the French qualification and the hand ball by Henry knocking out the Irish, all the miss calls and miss Goals to now the Hand Ball that coast Ghana a place in the History books. How many more black-eyes can the beautiful game get and still be beautiful?
Yes we live in a world of technology where every call will be scrutinize on live television especially if you are making bad calls that are affecting the course of a game. Good luck gaining more fans for the sport as a matter of fact at the pace it’s going with not changes and business as usual serious damage is being done to the sport. Why would anyone want to watch a sporting event that will be terribly flaw because its governing body refuses to keep pace with the times?
My hat is off the people of South Africa in putting a top notch event.

Changing the rules to allow a referee to award a penalty goal is the only fair way to resolve this type of situation. A red card should still automatically be shown to the offending player but the problem is that if this is this ONLY punishment for the offence it has a variable weight depending on when it occurs and for Ghana, since it occurred at the very end of the game it had no impact in redressing the injustice. It simply makes it easier for the next team NL. A penalty is never a 100% certain goal, maybe only 70% max so exchanging a 100% goal for a 70% goal is actually a REWARD for the offending team and not a punishment.

Penalty kicks to reach a verdict on a game were never a fair way to do so. A team that is outplayed throughout the game and has managed to hang on to the end without a conclusion can undeservedly win by converting more penalties than their opponent. If it's a draw at the end of the game that should be the result. No ifs ands or buts.

Luck plays a big part in any sporting contest - look at the lucky goal that David Villa scored for Spain when his shot hit one post, then the other, and went over the line.

I think it's harsh to call Suarez a cheater. Technically every foul in a game is cheating, every offside etc. The referee is there to make sure that this "cheating" is punished with a free-kick and/or a card, so unless we want to call every player a cheater, we can't really call Suarez a cheater. He did what he did and got punished to the maximum extent of the rulebook - a red card and a penalty against his team.
I think it would be better for football if the goal-line handballs are given as goals instead of red-cards and a penalty. It's a tough one to balance though:
If there is little punishment for the player, he will attempt to stop the ball with his hand and hope the referee doesn't see it.
If there is punishment for the player, then it would be too severe to have a red card and a goal.
With video replay, the player can't get away with it. So maybe the near-solution is technology to allow the goal and the normal yellow card for a handball.

I think we're all getting carried away here! ... Had Gyan scored his penalty, then no-one would be discussing this issue ...
Also - #21 russbarnes - what has 'the whole African continent needs victories to lift spirits and change people's lives' got to do with anything??! - Did you see the delighted Uruguayan fans in Montevideo?? Sporting success lifts spirits in ANY country worldwide, and just because they're from a poverty-stricken continent doesn't give them any more right to progress in a sporting contest ...
I have no affiliation with either country - I watched this as two football teams on a level playing field where the rules of the game were applied to both ... I think Ghana played very well and were just plain unlucky - as many have been before them and many will be again ... I do think that too many people believe that the African team deserved more for simply being African - and I don't believe there would have been the same outcry had the handball happened at the other end and Uruguay been denied a place in the semi finals.

This is football folks

yes the devil introduced his hands into this beautiful game in the name of God ever since 1986. fifa you have come a long way.& its high time you introduced goal line technology.

the day before yesterday it was the england team, yesterday the Irish team during the qualifing stages & today ghana. how long should the world stand aside& watch on with pleasure when when justice is being assasinated with the evidence being spilled into our living rooms by technology.why dont fifa use same technology to right these wrongs?

until the school of thought which holds that a red card & a penalty award is giving the victms the chance to score a goal is discarded,there will always be broken dreams in place of the celebrations.penalty kicks are never & will never be sure goals.there will always be a player out there missing one even if the keeper is not in the posts.so for the sake of justice & fairplay in the game fifa change the rule that has out lived its usefulness & introduce a penalty goal backed by goal line technology so that at the end of the day the whole world will not again be divided on the outcome of a game.

god's mill for justice grinds slowly but very effecticely only this time around it had been so fast that suarez who was nominated for the tournament's best goalkeeper award got kicked outa the race & for that matter the awards being cancelled all together..........its a pity so lets turn the page now but mr. blatter the w c needs a goal line technology.