I AM responding to The Border Mail article “Sport injury real setback” of August 6.
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In relation to the injury sustained by Cam Beckingsale, a severe lower leg break, I am frustrated by the thread of the article that these things just happen and are pretty well an accepted risk of contact sports.
To break a player’s tibia and fibula halfway up the leg requires excessive force — and whether it deserved more than a free kick has been, and will continue to be, an interesting debate.
While people are not made accountable for their actions, things will not change.
Cam will never fully recover from this injury.
Who should be made accountable?
I think a flawed education system is part of a bigger problem.
From multiple studies, about one third of all injuries in soccer are from foul play.
It is not just the broken legs, but too many other injuries from foul play that put people out of work and send people to physios etc every week.
Compared to other football codes, this is an extremely high rate.
This perhaps means the rules need to be changed and coaching improved.
The governance and refereeing of the games also needs to be improved.
You can become a senior level soccer coach without knowing the rules of the game — no exam for initial accreditation or re-accreditation.
How can the Australian Sports Commission allow this?
If coaches and players do not know what a fair tackle is according to the rule book what chance is there?
While the coaching courses continue to not include the rules/laws of the game with an emphasis on safety in all course levels, things will not change.
Coaches set the standards within their team and their club.
Players are influenced by their coaches.
Too many coaches continue to abuse referees and allow their players (and themselves) to play outside the rules of the game, and therefore set a poor example to all within their club that foul play and disrespect is acceptable.
As with coach education, referee instruction must change.
The referees’ code of ethics is headed by “keeping the safety of the players above all else”.
Referees, please give certain tackles what they deserve, not what you interpret.
The rule book is specific on every incident.
The interpretations in the rule book just explain the rules further.
Why allow constant argument and player dissent?
Dissent is a caution as per the lawbook.
Why is foul play and player dissent in other football codes dealt with more harshly by referees and their associations?
I love the game, but the way it was meant to be played.
There are so many good referees, coaches and players who deserve better from the system.
I currently hold no official position within any soccer club or association.
— PAUL MUSARRA,
Albury