But there is a new plague: shirt pulling, wrestling and grappling in the penalty box. It is ruining our viewing pleasure, as well as corrupting the young.

It is bordering on a global endemic, too. Just ask the 10,000 fans watching the opening game of the Ethiopian Premier League season last weekend in Addis Ababa Stadium.

The capital's derby between Ethiopia Coffee FC and Ethiopian Commercial Bank may have lacked the fast pace and showbiz slickness of the EPL. But it contained the same number of infringements - the so-called "dark arts".

Mainly committed by defenders, such low tactics stop strikers at free kicks and corners from reaching the ball, in turn leaving fans bereft of goals. Even Ethiopia's finest are at it - the same bear hugging, head-locking, forearm-smashing, shirt tugging and theatrical tumbling and wrestling.

"I hate these players who do this," muttered Ethiopian Coffee supporter Nat as his fellow fans gestured with flaying arms and cat whistles - anger aimed mainly at the referee for allowing another cheat-fest.

Among the many serial EPL offenders are Stoke's Ryan Shawcross and Manchester City's Eliaquim Mangala.

This week in the League Cup the pair were indulging in the dark arts and went unpunished.

Why are the rules being broken so casually? Take a look at laws overseeing such fallacious play. You'll note they are clear and simple to understand.

• A direct free kick is awarded if a player commits any of offence in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force.

• That includes kicks or attempts to kick an opponent; trips or attempts to trip an opponent; jumps at an opponent; charges at an opponent; strikes or attempts to strike an opponent; pushing an opponent; tackling an opponent.

• The rules also state a penalty is awarded if such offences are committed by a player inside his own penalty area, "irrespective of the position of the ball", provided it is in play.

Yet the above fouls have become standard tactics in the penalty box.

Cross reference the infringements with actions - or the lack thereof - of the referee, who is there, need we need reminding, to deploy the law.

Be prepared to get on your feet and yell "foul!" "penalty!" or "Referee, what the ****!" just like the tens of thousands sat ringside during this weekend's EPL fixtures.

Bear in mind as you watch the unpunished cheats that there have been 70 Premier League penalties awarded in 2014. But just four have been given for dark arts in the box.

Grappling, holding, grabbing - call it what you will - is an offence, plain and simple. But they are now standard play.

Amateur players are copying the professionals. Worse, so are the young, as is increasingly witnessed in junior games as the children copy their heroes.

Two tickets to see the Ethiopian derby at the Addis Ababa Stadium - the running track of which once hosted athletic legends Abebe Bikila and Haile Gebrselassie - cost just HK$6, a far cry from the average HK$400 lowest-price EPL ticket.

But the level of anger and frustration at having a game ruined by the flagrant flouting of the rules is the same no matter what the price you had to pay.

Thankfully, there is a growing chorus of fans, pundits and former players, managers and ex-refs who are calling for action.

We want the rules applied as intended and make them stick to stamp out the cheating.

Former EPL and World Cup referee Graham Poll is leading a new campaign called "Hands off in the box!".

"Grappling and blocking in the box is the number one issue I am asked about," he said this week. "It's pure cheating and prevents goals from being scored. Tackling this issue is long overdue. It's not about a change in the law, it's about the appropriate enforcement."

All refs have to do is apply the law, says Poll. Fans from Addis Ababa to Anhui, Zambia to Zhejiang understand the rules.

Why can't the players and, crucially, the refs?