The Scottish Football Association's head of referee development Hugh Dallas has called on players to cut out diving rather than leaving officials to deal with the problem.
High-profile incidents involving Arsenal's Eduardo and Celtic midfielder Aiden McGeady - among others - have marred the start to the season north and south of the border.
The issue rumbles on after Rangers striker Kris Boyd was shown a yellow card by Willie Collum after trying to deceive him in last night's Co-Operative Insurance Cup third-round win over Queen of the South at Palmerston Park.
Dallas insists the SFA will continue to help referees stay one step ahead of the players but would rather his officials were left to concentrate on other areas of the game.
"I don't think it has become more of a problem," he said. "I think the important thing is that we continue to train our referees to identify it and punish it.
"Maybe more attention should turn on the player, rather than the referee for getting it wrong.
"I think the players must know what they are doing so I think it is up to the players and the coaches although I don't believe that coaches in Scotland are encouraging it to happen.
"Sometimes a player feels that contact is coming so he goes down rather than staying on his feet.
"Some may argue that he is not willing to take that tackle, that he is trying to avoid it and there is an argument for that.
"But the main thing is that we have to make sure that our referees identify it anywhere on the field."
The issue rumbles on after Rangers striker Kris Boyd was shown a yellow card by Willie Collum after trying to deceive him in last night's Co-Operative Insurance Cup third-round win over Queen of the South at Palmerston Park.
Dallas insists the SFA will continue to help referees stay one step ahead of the players but would rather his officials were left to concentrate on other areas of the game.
"I don't think it has become more of a problem," he said. "I think the important thing is that we continue to train our referees to identify it and punish it.
"Maybe more attention should turn on the player, rather than the referee for getting it wrong.
"I think the players must know what they are doing so I think it is up to the players and the coaches although I don't believe that coaches in Scotland are encouraging it to happen.
"Sometimes a player feels that contact is coming so he goes down rather than staying on his feet.
"Some may argue that he is not willing to take that tackle, that he is trying to avoid it and there is an argument for that.
"But the main thing is that we have to make sure that our referees identify it anywhere on the field."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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