Aaron Hunt displayed some true sportsmanship in the Bundesliga match between FC Nuremberg and Werder Bremen, refusing to take a penalty after informing the referee that he wasn’t fouled.
Hunt fell easily to the ground in Nuremberg’s penalty box after a timid challenge by the opposition’s defense, but the referee blew his whistle for the spotkick. However, the 27-year-old immediately rose to his feet, before changing the referee’s mind regarding the decision and allowing play to continue, with no penalty being given.
Speaking after the match, Hunt said: “He [the referee] pointed to the spot quite quickly and I told him that I’d actually contrived it slightly.
“I did look for the contact, but then I noticed that their defender pulled out of the challenge. I fought with my conscience for a moment, but I don’t want to win that way. I must admit I looked up at the clock a lot more often than usual in those final ten minutes.”
Although Hunt initially took the dive, it’s nice to see a player owning up to their mistakes. Perhaps Bremen being 2-0 up at the time in the teams’ relegation battle helped his decision, but even so, good show, chap.
Watch the video below.
