Sun, 22 Dec, 2024

Football: Needs Law Abiding Players

By Mahan Adhikari

Picture Courtesy: suffolkfa.com

It is a well-known fact that many footballers have been linked with certain accusations and crimes. This has been happening on a regular basis for a long time now. The crime ratio and the law breaking rate of footballers are much higher than that of any other professional player. Football is known as "The beautiful game" and when footballers get involved in crimes, people might accuse the game itself. Professional football player's duty is not limited to playing well but also to setting an example. After all, they are the people whom fans look up to and follow. The latest footballer who cheated the game, people and the society itself is the England International player Adam Johnson.

Adam Johnson has been playing as a winger for Sunderland Football Club in the BPL for 4 years. He is one of that player whom people look up to and the game respects. But recently he was tried for child sex charge and the Bradford Crown Court declared him guilty. He was accused of forcing his young 15-year-old fan into having sex with him. Truly a shame for the sport, Adam has been sentenced to a 6-year prison arrest. This is not the first time some big footballer has committed something wrong/illegal. Another famous example is of the great Diego Maradona. Considered as one of the greatest footballers of all time, the Napoli and the Argentine winger was linked with several drug cases, fight with police and also accused of shooting a reporter with his gun. These aren’t the only examples of footballers who have been linked with illegal works. Arsenal’s Legend Tony Adams was arrested on a drunk and drive case. Also, Jan Molby, one of the greatest Liverpool midfielder and West Ham Legend Bobby Moore were arrested in different cases. Ched Evans, Brandao, Barton, Ian Wright, Ronnie Wallwork, Lee Hughes, etc. are some other footballers who have been arrested in different cases.

Football is the most watched sport in the world and footballers are the most respected players. And if some footballer who might be the lifelong idol of some kid or the best player on the club and country involves himself in some illegal/criminal act then it affects the life of his fans, condition of the club, respect of the country and increases hatred towards the sport. Professional football players should be very responsible and should always remember that many people look up to them. Football should be played with the best of attitudes and that attitude should be maintained outside the game also.