5 heart-warming moments of sportsmanship in football in recent times 

#2 Felix Bastians rejects penalty when 1-0 down

Felix Bastians admitted to diving, and subsequently asked for a penalty call to be overturned

In a match in the German Bundesliga between Darmstadt and Vfl Bochum, Aytac Sulu gave Darmstadt the lead in the 24th minute of the game. A few minutes later, Bochum wingback Felix Bastians was allegedly brought down after a marauding run into the box for which the team was awarded a penalty by the referee.

An act of honesty and true sportsmanship followed, as Bastians went to the referee and acknowledged that he had simulated a fall inside the box, and asked the referee to cancel the penalty decision.

The Darmstadt players lauded the wingback, hugging him after he requested the referee to overturn the call. What was truly praise-worthy is that he did this in the second half when his team was a goal down!

Diving and cheating have become part and parcel of the game, therefore such moments in a football game are cherished by the viewers as well as the players.

Vfl Bochum anyway went on to win the game 2-1 with two goals in the last ten minutes, showing that the game played in the right spirit is not a disadvantage at all. An excellent example of true sportsmanship.