THERE are times when the governing powers of sport beggar belief. This week it’s the turn of golf and the impact has jabbed straight at the heart of York and North Yorkshire.

The city’s leading golfer Simon Dyson has been summoned to appear before a European Tour disciplinary hearing in the wake of his disqualification from the BMW Masters in China.

A television viewer of the tournament held at the Malaren Lakes course in Shanghai alerted Tour officials to Dyson tapping down a spike mark with his ball in advance of a short putt on the eighth hole of the second round at the end of which he was tied for second place.

Due to the fact he “failed to add a two-shot penalty to his score” he had signed an incorrect scorecard and was disqualified.

When shown the footage Dyson, who told the Tour chief referee John Paramor “he had no recollection of his action”, still fully accepted he had been in the wrong and fully accepted the Tour had no alternative but to disqualify him.

But five days later, the European Tour announced the 35-year-old York-born player would have to appear before a disciplinary panel for a “serious breach” of the Tour’s code of behaviour.

The panel could impose anything from a fine to a three-month ban.

Now I have known Dyson and reported on his playing career for more than a decade and I have never met a more trustworthy person, let alone player. He has been an absolute ambassador for the sport and is as straight as they come.

To be accused of a breach of behaviour – he insisted his action on the eighth green was “an accidental mistake” – is inconceivable. Indeed, Dyson has been a vehement stickler for the rules of the game he has graced as a pro after first taking up the sport as a youngster at Malton & Norton Golf Club.

When he played in his first Open Championship early in his pro career, he got off to a searing start of two birdies in the first three holes. But as the hole was finished Dyson called a shot against himself to his partner Gordon Brand junior because his putter had touched the ball before he putted out.

Such honesty and respect for the game was further evident in that he totally went along with the decision to be disqualified in China last week. Struck out of a tournament in which he was well placed to challenge for victory was obviously a hefty and telling penalty.

So the subsequent announcement of the disciplinary hearing brings to mind the word “scapegoat” with Dyson cast in that undeserved role and at a time when allegations of rule-breaking by more high-profile players have remained unchecked.

There’s the distinct odour of sanctimonious selection about all this as well as a whiff of trial by television.

Of the “evidence” provided by an eagle-eyed viewer, there is always the prospect of any armchair golfing fan recording a tournament to watch several days, maybe even a fortnight, later because he or she was on holiday.

When eventually watching the event if they spotted an infringement of the rules and made the European Tour aware of such, what then? If the “offender” proved to be the winner would the title be stripped from him? If he had won in, say a four-way or three-way play-off and the crown was removed who would then be declared the winner?

The European Tour may be desirous of being seen to be doing something, being seen to make an example of someone.

But the hauling in of Dyson over somethingh done accidentally, which was still admitted by him to be wrong, is plainly a case of a hammer being employed to crash against a scapegoat’s head.


Not all gates of hell closed

PARTIAL closure of the ground – now that’s truly going to hurt the racist rump of CSKA Moscow’s hoodlums.

As punishment for the racist taunts rammed at Manchester City captain Yaya Toure in a Champions League group game, UEFA have slapped a partial closure of the Khimki Arena for a future match.

You can just hear the vile vanguard say, ‘okay we’ll go to a part of the ground that’s open’.

Yep, that’s done it. That’s a swift, swingeing blow.

Just for good measure, and as if not to be outdone by their city neighbours, trouble flared between Spartak Moscow and Shinnik Yaroslavl this week when a certain section of the charming Muscovite hosts unfurled a Nazi banner.

And FIFA want the world to respect a decision of having the 2018 World Cup in Russia, let alone next year’s Winter Olympics?