Sport Letter: Ginola cleared

Sir, There is no doubt David Ginola is a fantastically gifted footballer, but he is also a cheat. He does not cheat the paying public - we can still enjoy his brilliance - he cheats his fellow professionals. There seems to be an acceptable level of this in professional football which we call "gamesmanship" - I was always of the opinion that Mr Ginola went beyond this. However, the decision by the members of the Professional Footballers' Association to elect him as their Footballer of the Year has condoned his behaviour. No longer will I feel a sense of injustice when he dives, and no longer will I listen to a player who complains about his diving. With this award they have legitimised his actions.

TIM LAKEN,

Rayleigh, Essex.