Following Celtic’s recent match against St Mirren, former referees Des Roache and Steve Conroy are urging for a two-game suspension for Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate due to what they believed was a dive during the game.
The disputed incident took place in the 18-yard box, but the referee did not see it as a penalty and allowed play to continue.
Roache and Conroy expressed their concerns through a tweet from the Behind the Whistles podcast account, managed by them, stating: “To eliminate this from our sport, the Governing Body must implement retrospective sanctions like a 2 game ban.”
This request comes in the midst of an ongoing debate surrounding Fabio Silva’s diving during the previous Glasgow Derby.
Hatate’s fall was a result of minimal contact with his opponent in the penalty area, although he did not appeal for a penalty. The referee’s decision during the match reflected this, as there was contact but not enough to warrant a penalty.
The former referees’ call for a ban appears extreme considering there were no equivalent urges after the previous week’s incidents.
