In yet another attempt to cement their place as the most caring, kind and some would say boring nation on Earth, Canadian officials have banned their football stars of tomorrow from beating their opponents too heavily.
The national post has the story
The Gloucester Dragons Recreational Soccer league’s newly implemented edict is intended to dissuade a runaway game in favour of sportsmanship. The rule replaces its five-point mercy regulation, whereby any points scored beyond a five-point differential would not be registered. Kevin Cappon said he first heard about the rule on May 20 — right after he had scored his team’s last allowable goal. His team then tossed the ball around for fear of losing the game.
He said if anything, the league’s new rule will coddle sore losers.
“They should be saying anything is possible. If we can get five goals really fast, well, so can the other team,” said Kevin, 17, who has played in the league for five years. “People grow in adversity, they don’t really get worse…. I think you’ll see more leadership skills being used if a losing team tries to recuperate than if they never got into that situation at all.”
Kevin’s father, Bruce Cappon, called the rule ludicrous.
“I couldn’t find anywhere in the world, even in a communist country, where that rule is enforced,” he said.
Good old Bruce, any mention of the commie's will guarantee you some column inches.
Maybe its these sort of decisions that has led to Canada, home of Craig Forrest and Paul Peschisolido, continually failing to beat the footballing giants of Jamaica and Cuba to reach the World Cup.
Also it may explain why their greatest goalkeeping hope since the aforementioned Forrest, to declare for Bosnia of all places..
