Stop Diving In Football - Martinez

Everton manager Roberto Martinez believes everyone in football has a responsibility to help eradicate diving from the sport.

Following Fifa president Sepp Blatter's proposal for the use of a time penalty as a deterrent, Martinez says simulation has become a problem.

"It is our fault," said the Spaniard.
"It has been creeping in and has been happening for a couple of seasons.

It is down to all of us to try to eradicate that.
" Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho criticised one of his own players, Oscar, for diving in his side's victory at Southampton on Wednesday.

The Portuguese boss urged referees to "kill the situation" after his Brazilian attacker was cautioned after going around Southampton goalkeeper Kelvin Davis.

Ahead of Everton's FA Cup third round visit of Championship QPR on Saturday, Martinez said referees needed "sympathy" when it came to making important decisions.

"It is so difficult to make big calls at the moment because you have certain players that more often than not try to simulate and try to go to ground easily," said Martinez, who has played or managed in Britain since 1995.

"That makes the referees decision much harder.
We all need to accept and understand that referees, if they are not 100%, are not going to give the decisions.

" He added that the British game now had players "trying to buy decisions".

"Unfortunately, it has been happening and, with a mixture of cultures in the last few seasons, we are going to be getting that side of the game," he said.

"I don't think it is something we should allow to creep in.

" Fifa's vice-president Jim Boyce has proposed the use of video evidence to help take retrospective action against divers, a move that former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher would also welcome.

BBC SPORT