Re: “When cynicism succeeds: Deliberate handball lifts Uruguay over Ghana”

Indeed, this is a deliberate incident that will define FIFA football for a long time. The referee applied the rules to the letter and exacted the maximum penalty on Suarez. Let's ignore the outcome of such blatant cheating momentarily and focus on the player and his cohorts.

It is troubling to see a warped sense of right or wrong instilled in Suarez, as displayed by his subsequent foolish and enraging claim that the "Hand of God" now belongs to him. He is already feeling immensely gratified to top a fellow South American cheat Diego Maradonna.

No apology, no remorse from Suarez, his team mates, or Uruguayan team management, or the country's political establishment. His team mates and coach defended his actions, shamefully displaying their collective castrated sense of fair play. They embody the ugliness of football players and coaches, who do whatever wrong they can get away with to achieve a win.

Uruguay will probably be summarily defeated by The Netherlands. The game will probably be uneventful. And the world will be happy to see Uruguay go home. Good riddance it shall be.

So, what will this cheating have achieved for Uruguay? Living another day to play one more game and lose. And Uruguay will forever be in the minds of football fans the world over, and especially Africa, as a footballing nation of cheats.