Robben will clarify comments on diving to avoid retroactive punishment from FIFA

Following Sunday's victory over Mexico, Dutch forward Arjen Robben told reporters he was sorry for diving, but he was legitimately fouled in the box at the end of the match to earn a penalty.

"I must apologize," Robben told Dutch public broadcaster Nederlandse Omroep Stichting via The Telegraph. "The one [at the end] was a penalty, but the other one was a dive in the first half. I shouldn't be doing that."

The Dutch FA announced on Monday that Robben will be clarifying his post-match statement to the press later today.

Why? Well, according to the Dutch federation, the media got it all wrong.

But didn't he say he dove?

Yup. 

In February FIFA president Sepp Blatter wrote in the governing body's monthly magazine that retrospective action should be taken on players who dive, fake injuries and waste time.

Video evidence can be used for serious breaches of the principle of fair play such as brawling, spitting at opponents, verbal insults and racist slurs, or for incorrectly awarded red or yellow cards. In cases such as these we must make use of the avenues already open to us and intervene after the event if necessary.

In this context, we should include the faking of injury, intentional diving or time-wasting in our considerations.

It's safe to assume that KNVB would rather not have their best player suspended or fined ahead of a quarterfinal match against Costa Rica. Having Robben "clarify" his comments will presumably make it easier to avoid this.

As such, the Dutch will maintain that Robben's comments were misinterpreted, and that he actually meant he "fell too easily."

Complain all you want about diving or simulation or whatever you want to call it, the controversies and tip-toeing that follow such incidents are often worse than the embellishments themselves.