'Fair play' goal in Italy under investigation.

[Flex]

'Fair play' goal in Italy under investigation.
Sports Yahoo (By Brooks Peck).

Legal and ethical questions surround Ascoli's decision to allow Reggina to score an unopposed goal in an effort to balance out a previous incident during an Italian second division (Serie B) match on Saturday.

Early in the first half, Reggina's Carlos Valdez pulled a muscle and attempted to kick the ball out of play so he could receive treatment. Oblivious to those intentions, Ascoli's Vincenzo Sommese intercepted the ball and set up teammate Mirko Antenucci for a goal as Reggina players protested.

A brawl ensued and Reggina defender Andrea Costa was sent off for hitting Sommese. Once the fury subsided and play resumed, Ascoli, sitting in the relegation zone at the bottom of the Serie B table, stood still to allow Reggina striker Biagio Pagano to score an uncontested goal in an attempt at fairness.

Ascoli's gesture did not bring them good karma for the rest of the match, though, as they lost 3-1 even though Reggina was a man down.

Following the match, Ascoli manager Bepi Pillon (who, curiously enough, managed Reggina last season) said:

“We made the decision [to let Reggina score] all together, there is no single person responsible for it.

“We were locked in the changing rooms for two hours after the game to avoid the protests. There is too much exasperation in Italy, too many interests that force you to look only at the results. It’s not fun like this.”

The justifiable anger of its fans is not all Ascoli has to worry about in this decision, however. An investigation has now been launched to decide whether Reggina's free goal constitutes fair play or a breach of the rules and whether the fact that the referee did not stop Ascoli from scoring in the first place makes their goal legal.

So what seems to have been a gesture of kindness becomes a source of controversy that could have lasting effects. Who knew that allowing an opposing team to score (without trying to stop them) in a professional league match would cause such a problem?

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/0HiT0E6KwL4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/0HiT0E6KwL4</a>

Source: Football Italia

[superoli]

dont see how they can do anything about it.

[weary1969]

dont see how they can do anything about it.

'

COSIGNNNNNN

[Peong]

They should investigate Wigan too for lettin in 9 

[elan]

So Henry handle a ball and is problems for cheating, a team let a goal score thinking it playing fair and is still problems. 

[Daft Trini]

Dey should investigate why Shaka let Gerrard score 3 bullets on him in 2006, yuh go think by the second bullet he would know what Gerrard would do....

[palos]

Dey should investigate why Shaka let Gerrard score 3 bullets on him in 2006, yuh go think by the second bullet he would know what Gerrard would do....

Careful..Saints people round here very sensitive. 

[Bakes]

LB needed to take a foul there.

[fordy]

Dey should investigate why Shaka let Gerrard score 3 bullets on him in 2006, yuh go think by the second bullet he would know what Gerrard would do....

Careful..Saints people round here very sensitive. 

LOL...let them know Palos!!!

[Tenorsaw]

dont see how they can do anything about it.

'

COSIGNNNNNN

Same here.  Ah man palm ah ball like Michael Jordan and pass it to his player, who then scored, and Fifa can't do nothing bout that.  So what they going to do bout this one?  Nullify it? So much for fair play.