AFL authorities are trying to elevate umpires to an unrealistic level of untouchability that is completely out of whack (so to speak) with the nature of a football code which is the only one without an offside rule.

The lack of this stifling rule gives the game a sense of free-flowing, exciting and seemingly lawless mayhem which makes it the Ned Kelly of football codes.

As an umpire, I envied the players and thanked my lucky stars that I was a part of every game, rather than being a dictatorial "white maggot in the middle with a whistle".

With the AFL's encouragement, today's umpires have become riot police mounted on their high horse, shouting commands - who whinge loudly on the odd occasion when they take a tumble. It's no wonder that they rank up there with the AFL tribunal, the suits at Jolimont House and the opposition on game day in the estimation of the average footy fan.

John Bell Lyneham No prejudice

Many writers who criticise the recent decision of Swimming Australia miss one important point ("Glittering future in rugby league awaits D'Arcy", Herald , April 9). D'Arcy was before the courts on criminal charges, and a judgment and sentence have only recently been handed down. In the light of that criminal case being completed, the ban on competition was imposed. To have banned him before that would have led to claims and, possibly, litigation that Swimming Australia had prejudged that case and perhaps prejudiced D'Arcy before the court. The D'Arcy supporters were muttering about doing just that when he was (rightly) prevented from going to the Beijing Games.

David Davies Baulkham Hills Letters letters@smh.com.au Fax: 9282 3492 GPO Box 3771, Sydney 2001

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