If there is a mechanism whereby the red can be rescinded, it may be on this point. They may be reluctant to overrule on whether it was a foul or not, but the attacker's trajectory was not towards goal. To get a red card, the defensive player must prevent a clear goal scoring opportunity and the attacker must also be moving towards goal. The ruling body could say the referee clearly erred by in giving a straight red (if it was a foul she should have got a yellow).

Why would you want to get rid of penalty shootouts? If you can't separate the teams on the field then you separate them on nerve. It is not about luck. Either you cope with the pressure of the shootout or you don't. It may be cruel but is fair.

Yes - officiating contact can be problematic.

Whilst pretending to be fouled by diving is cheating, diving when actually fouled is perfectly legitimate. If you are in the box and a defender makes illegal contact, you are within your rights to hit the turf.

Just my 2 cents.

I've not read every response here, so this may have been said already. The overwhelming barrier to cycling in NZ and (of more relevance to me) Auckland, is the way the roading is set up (not) for cycling. I spent three weeks in Munich about 18 months ago and could travel the entire city easily on a push-bike. Yes - I know its flat there but the main reason it so good is because there are cycle lanes on both sides of every main road. These lanes are on the road-side of the pedstrian footpaths, and are made possible by the fact that all services are underground (no power-polls in the way). Whenever a side street meets the main road, both cyclists and pedestrians on the main road have right of way across the side street. Motorists are also required to give way to cyclists undertaking them when they (motorist) wants to turn right (equivalent of left turn here). Almost no-one wears a helmet or has to dress up in lycra and its not uncommon for women to ride in high heels :). People just get on their bike and go anywhere, whether its work, the pub, a restaurant or a movie etc etc. Everyone respects the cyclist (and the pedestrian).