Myles Lewis’s red card from Michael OliverLast weekend’s contentious refereeing call at the Amex Stadium was
not limited to Skelly; Tim Robinson also booked Iliman Ndiaye for a celebration in which the Everton midfielder
imitated a bird. I’m just partly kidding, too.
Even though I don’t like seagulls, is it truly a provocative offense? Although Robinson would undoubtedly contend
that the Everton player was instigating the home crowd, as Ndiaye also cupped his ear, booking players for their
celebrations is by definition a killjoy act.
But even so, how can a player be sanctioned for flapping his arms in the style of a bird while others go
unsanctioned for pretending to unload rounds of machine gun fire? Those others clearly do not mean any offence
and most people would probably consider it over-sensitive but, considering what is happening in the world and
considering the problem of gun crime on the streets of so many countries, it would be perfectly understandable if
football authorities outlawed celebrations that make visual reference to firearms.
After all, that is what they have done in the NFL in the United States, for a long time. The Joshua Zirkzee machine
gun celebration would bring swift punishment in American football, as would the sniper celebration that Phil
Foden dusted down after scoring a couple against Ipswich Town recently.
Xavier Worthy will play in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday week but the wide receiver has been fined twice this season
for gun-related celebrations. And, on the field, his team were punished, being made to take the extra-point attempt
15 yards further from the posts than is standard.
After Drake London had been penalised for making a shooting gesture after scoring against the Philadelphia
Eagles, the Atlanta Falcons wide receiver said: “There is a lot of stuff going around in the world with gun violence
that I don’t think I should have done that.”
Footballers would point out to the fact that guns are often glamorised in movies, on television, and sometimes in
the media. And, against Bodo/Glimt earlier this season, Rasmus Hojlund marked a rare double with a throat-
slitting gesture which he explained was a reference to a character in the film Gladiator 2.
Joshua Zirkzee has used a pretend-gun technique to celebrate after he has scored goals since moving to Old
Trafford.
In the NFL, where the throat-slitting gesture was considered a crime in the 1990s, that would not have been
acceptable. Additionally, the NFL works to curb celebrations that make fun of rival teams.
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