足球比赛精神 The Spirit of the Game
您听说过“足球比赛精神”这一术语吗？也许没有。如有，场合、背景？官方还是民间？
民间谈论，估计常见。官方的？
最权威的来自国际足球理事会的《足球竞赛规则》，主要由两处。一是“官方注解”，裁判员应当依照足球比赛的“精神”来执行竞赛规则；另一个是第5条，裁判员的决定依据应包括“足球竞赛规则”和“足球比赛精神”。
Have you ever heard of a term called 'the spirit of the game' in football? Maybe yes or maybe not. If yes, to what extent, or in what context? Unofficially or officially?
Plenty of folks talks, not unusual. Officials one?
It appears in the IFAB's Laws of the Game (hereafter referred as LoG). The highestly authorative. Mainly at two corners. One is to 'applying the Laws of the Game within the Spirit of the Game' at the Notes section and another is in the Law 5. That is what the LoG advise match officials at its Notes section.
（注：Spirit of the Game，可翻译为“足球（的）精神”、“足球运动（的）精神”、“足球竞赛（的）精神”或“足球比赛（的）精神”。您喜欢哪一个？这里，以中国足协翻译的、人民体育出版的《足球竞赛规则》（中英对照）中的中文表述“足球比赛精神”参照。）
据此解释，“足球比赛精神”有战略重要性，而且高于“足球竞赛规则”，对吧？那我们最好好好研究，避免误解。
From the abovmentioned statements, may we draw a point that the spirit of the game is strategically important and superior to the Laws of the Games? As such, we'd better take efforts at studying it well to avoid misunderstanding.
首先，这一术语何时出现在“足球竞赛规则”中？我们从第一部（1863年，下图）开始找，没有。最后发现153年过去后，2016年，这一术语才出现在“足球竞赛规则”中。那么，2016年前，足球比赛就没有精神了吗？当然不是。
First, when was it first introduced in the LoG?We dig in the dust of the history of LoGs since 1863 (a picture of the original one displayed below) and have come to realise that it's birthday at 2016-17 version.So before 2016-17, was no spirit of the game? For sure, No.
其次，足球比赛精神的定义是？精神是主观的、摸不着的。如果靠精神，如何保证“足球竞赛规则”在全球的统一适用？感谢国际足球理事会。其在“足球竞赛规则”中界定“足球竞赛精神”是指“足球的基本原则”。这一解释从2016-17版至今，还保留。
Secondly, what defines the spirit of the game? Every spirit is intangiable and subjective.How spirit alone can ensure the uniformity of the laws across the world?'The essential principles of football' - as defined by the LoG since 2016-17 version.
第三，往深处探究。“足球的基本原则”又是什么？失望。国际足球理事会的“足球竞赛规则”中只有零星的而不是系统全面的对“足球比赛的精神”或“足球的基本原则”的解读。更糟糕的是，“足球竞赛规则”的第5.2条规定裁判员在适用“足球竞赛规则”和“足球比赛精神”时，需根据自己的主观判断，在自己能力范围内，做出认为合适的决定。
Going deeper. Thirdly. What are the essential principles of football?Disappointed. Neither 'the spirit of the game' nor 'the essential principles of football' are systematically elabrated except some scattered 'talkings' in the LoG. Worse. Law 5.2 authorizes referees to make decisions according to the LoG and the spirit of the game, to the best of the referee's ability and in the opinion of the referee.
今日足球，是世界上最流行的运动，几千亿美金的生意。对裁判员判罚的争议导致争论、打架，甚至战争。虽然足球判罚的主观性和因此导致的讨论和谈论是足球为世界上最强大的运动的原因之一，但我们给裁判员多大的自由裁量权？
Football, today, is billions-dollars industry and/or the most popular sports in the world. Disputes over decisions may cause arguments, brawls, fights or wars in some cases. While debates are one of the reasons for football's popularity, how much spaces and freedoms are invidual referees allowed to officiate the game?
不仅对这一术语的解释关乎裁判员的执法尺度，还关乎足球该如何踢、如何教、如何发展？错误的理解浪费资源和努力。还有可能，如果错误的理解，很可能导致踢的不是足球。如果是这样，输球或对足球发展的失望是必然的。因此，正确理解这一术语对足球参与者或者从业者而言，关乎大体。
No only does the interpretation of the term matter how the game is officiated, but also how the game should be played and be developed.
Wrongly understanding may lead to wastes of resources and/or efforts. Or you are playing a different game from what it is supposed to be. If that is the case, losing and/or disappointments will be guaranteed.
As such, to understand the term correctly is fundamental to all involved with the game.
在“足球竞赛规则”中加入此术语，我们是否可理解为不是倒退，而是进步？因为，当有限的17条“足球竞赛规则”解决不了问题时，我们可退守最后一道防线，用”足球比赛精神“去解决问题。
To insert the term of 'the spirit of the game', is arguably not a setback but forwarding thinking, since the LoG can not solve all situations and rollback to the principles of football can be a soultion.
而且，不理解“足球比赛精神”，就等于不理解足球的原则，在此前提下去适用”足球竞赛规则“可能导致错误的执法、错误的踢球或者教球，或者错误的发展足球。
Furthermore, applying the LoG without understanding of the principles of the game may lead to the wrong administration of the LoG or incorrect playing, coaching or developing of the game.
我们相信从1863年起，“足球竞赛规则”的立法者就有其相应的立法的宗旨和原则，有其对“足球比赛精神”的理解，只是没写出来。但多少您可能从字里行间或者规则的历史演变中找到一些线索。
We assume that since the day one, the lawmakers had in their mind the principles of the game, if you read carefully between the lines, behind the lines or trace back the history of the LoGs.
第四，根据上面的分析，您是否同意，“足球竞赛规则”中加入此术语的必要的。
Fourthly, if you share with us the above analysis, may we conclude that to insert the term at the LoG is necessary.
第五，我们接下来需研究的是这个术语需如何清晰的被定义。我们应当就让这个术语模棱两可吗？因为足球规律之一是其为人的运动，很多程度是依赖裁判员的主观判断，简单的17条规则给裁判员很多空间。还是，我们至少应当确定其基本的框架？这样不会因为被裁判员滥用此自由裁判权而将美丽的运动变丑陋。
Fifthly, the next step. to what extent shall we define the term? Or shall we leave the term as blurred as such, since to some extent, referee's decisions are subjective as a nature of the game. Or shall we at least draw some frames to define the spirit of the game, within or beyond the LoG, officially, for the sake and the beauty of the game.
第六，每个运动项目的比赛均有其精神。足球比赛的特殊精神是什么？足球和其他运动项目的比赛通用的精神又有哪些？
Sixthly, every sport has its own spirit of the game. What are the unique ones for football or soccer, and what are the common ones among sports?
您对上面的讨论感兴趣吗？如您愿意，我们请您一起来爬这个“足球比赛精神”的山。也许爬山的过程，就是对足球发展的贡献和对足球的保护。也许爬山的过程，就是一个心灵净化的过程。足球比赛精神的心灵追求，是吗？
we invite you joining in the journey to climb the mountain of the spirit and to contribute to the development and the guarding of the beautiful game.
Is it a spiritual pursuit of the spirit of the game?
From: FT Guardians FC