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Baird denies he took a dive

31 August 2010-AAP

Suspended ... Baird will have to sit out Glory's next two matches (Getty)

Suspended Perth Glory striker Michael Baird lashed out at Melbourne Heart skipper Simon Colosimo for labelling him a cheat as the fallout from the A-League's crackdown on diving continues.

Glory is exploring its legal options after Baird was handed a two-match suspension for simulation in Perth's 2-2 draw with Heart on Sunday.

Under the A-League's current rules, Baird has no avenue to appeal the ruling.

But the 27-year-old is adamant he did not dive and said he is angry at Colosimo for accusing him of blatant simulation.

"I do hope the FFA can just look through and give us a chance to appeal, even if they still give me two weeks (after that)," Baird said on Tuesday.

"I think everyone's got the chance to appeal a sentence, even murderers.

"So hopefully they'll change their mind and get some more footage, because I don't know what footage they're watching because the footage I've seen with the club, there's definitely angles that have shown I got clipped."

Straight after the match, a fuming Colosimo effectively accused Baird of cheating.

"That was blatant simulation," Colosimo said. "It's the kind of thing we're trying to get rid of in the game."

Baird returned serve.

"That's pretty tough to cop when another player labels you a cheat ... because he's an experienced player and he's been there in that sort of situation and he would have done it in the same situation," Baird said.

"I've always respected Simon. But for what he did after the game ... for him to come out and accuse me and say those words about me, I've got no time for the bloke."

After having some time to cool off since the incident on Sunday, Colosimo - the sitting PFA President - agreed Baird should have the right to plead his case.

"I was heated, I was angry, all of that, but I still believe that as players and as people, everyone out there forgets that we are people, we deserve the right to have a fair hearing," he said.

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