Hero or villain?

There's nothing like a World Cup to ensure that one controversial incident becomes a centrepiece for discussion about changing the rules of the beautiful game.

Last week it was the use of goal-line technology following the England vs Germany debacle in which Lampard's clear-cut equaliser was ruled not to have crossed the line by the linesman and referee.

Sepp Blatter, FIFA's president, has now agreed to review the use of aids which until this furore had been dismissed out of hand.

This week the controversy surrounds the illegal use of a hand by Uruguay's Luis Suarez. For those who have been oblivious to events in South Africa, with the match deep into injury time of extra time, Ghana's AC Milan striker Dominic Adiyiah headed the ball past the despairing Uruguayan keeper Fernando Muslera, only to see his effort saved on the line by diminutive forward Suarez - with his hand.

His action presented Ghana the opportunity to win the game and yet Ghana forward, Asamoah Gyan, scorer of two earlier penalties in the tournament, managed to hit the ball into the crowd after clipping the crossbar.

The game is littered with professional fouls - whether you choose to commit one or not is either down to your personal belief about sportsmanship or a matter of playing the percentages.

In this instance, if Suarez had not used his hand to make the save, with the ball heading across the goal-line with the last kick of the match, his team would have been eliminated from the World Cup.

However, would Suarez have made the same choice if this had occurred in the first minute of the match, knowing he would be expelled from the game and leaving his colleagues to play the remainder of the match a man short?

What's the difference between this and a defender cynically hacking down a forward from behind when he is bearing down on goal?

If it happens in the penalty box, the punishment (penalty and red card with resulting ban) remains the same. It is the timing of the incident and the ultimate outcome (Gyan missing the resulting penalty and seeing his own team, Ghana, omitted from the semi-finals) that has led to this heated debate.

Angel de Maria of Argentina performed almost an identical handball early in the match against Germany, although this was just outside the German box.

Paul Scholes punched home a corner late as Manchester United desperately attempted to overhaul Zenit St Petersburg in the European Super Cup in 2008.

The difference between Scholes and Maradona? Scholes was caught and punished and his team lost.

The difference between de Maria and Suarez? Where the incident happened on the pitch and the timing.

I don't believe that, like aggrieved Ghana defender John Pantsil claimed, 'there is no chance that any of us Ghana players would have used our hand to stop the ball'. This is a matter of personal choice in the heat of the moment - there were two Uruguayan players on the line and Suarez's colleague Jorge Fucile made an unsuccessful attempt to save the ball with his head.

So, was this simply a matter of 'professionalism' or was it blatant cheating that needs to be eradicated from the game?

Your answer to this may depend from which continent you hail from.

In South America, a continent well used to celebrating the ultimately beneficial use of a hand, his actions have been lauded as the intervention of a genius.

In the immediate aftermath of the game, amidst wild celebrations, Suarez proclaimed from his lofty perch, hoisted on the shoulders of his teammates proclaiming him a hero, 'the Hand of God now belongs to me'.

Suarez had a mighty grin and yet no regrets.

In Europe and Africa reactions have been more mixed.

Many ex-professionals claim it is just part of the game and Suarez has received his punishment. However, these are the same people who pilloried Thierry Henry for his use of the hand in helping France secure their berth in the finals at the expense of Ireland in the deciding play-off.

Ghana's Pantsil has gone one step further claiming that 'the referee should have awarded a penalty goal'.

The vast majority of the 84,017 fans inside Soccer City and the entire African continent had some sympathy with him.

Krazy Kevin, Bahrain's favourite DJ who attended the match, described it as the most exciting in World Cup history.

So should FIFA now choose to emulate rugby and allow referees to award a penalty goal?

To do this they would need to state clearly the circumstances in which this can be done. There is already a difference in the penalties meted out depending on where a professional foul is committed.

If it prevents a goal scoring opportunity it is a straight red card and ban, which is what Suarez received. If not, the player receives a yellow card.

In my opinion, to make Pantsil and Africa happy, FIFA would have to introduce a new regulation specifically relating to professional fouls on the goal-line with the keeper beaten. And, this would undoubtedly require goal-line technology!

Under the current rules and regulations the referee got his decision 'spot on'. Suarez received a red card and Ghana was awarded a penalty and an excellent opportunity to win the game.

It was neither the fault of the referee or Suarez that Gyan missed the resulting penalty. However, the game is changing and FIFA is always conducting experiments as to how they can change the rules to improve the spectacle.

Just don't expect this rule to change soon.

FIFA reviewed the incident after the match and had the opportunity to increase the length of Suarez's ban beyond the statutory one match.

They did not ... which appears to indicate that they believe the punishment fitted the crime.