Unsportsmanlike conduct

Ayellow cardbeing given in a game ofhandball

Unsportsmanlike conduct(also calleduntrustworthy behaviourorungentlemanly fraudulentorbad sportsmanshiporpoor sportsmanshiporanti fair-play) is afoulor offense in manysportsthat violates the sport's generally accepted rules ofsportsmanshipand participant conduct. Examples includeverbal abuse,taunting of an opponent or a game official, an excessive celebration following a significant play, or feigning injury. The official rules of many sports include a general provision whereby participants or an entire team may be penalized or otherwise sanctioned for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Examples in different sports

InAmerican football,unsportsmanlike conduct results in a 15-yardpenalty,assessed after the completion of a play.When it occurs after a scoring play, the 15 yards are assessed on the kickoff. Situations that can incur such a penalty includeexcessive celebrationsafter plays, often involving props or multiple players or engaging in taunting against an opponent; a player's purposeful removal of his helmet anywhere in the field of play during or in between plays; or if asubstitute leaves the team bench during a fight.Unsportsmanlike conduct can also lead to players or coaches being ejected from the game if the conduct is found to be flagrant, such as making contact with game officials. In the NCAA, two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls lead to the offender's ejection. Two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls may lead to the offender's ejection in the NFL, depending on the nature of each foul (a rule first implemented for the 2016 season after the events of the previous season's clash between New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr and Carolina Panthers defensive back Josh Norman; one of the first ejections under this rule was Giants center Weston Richburg with the second foul being for a cheap shot against Norman in a Week 3 clash with the Washington Redskins, which had added Norman to the roster that offseason).

The referee signals unsportsmanlike conduct by holding his arms outstretched with palms facing downward. Coaches can also receive an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty for taunting, arguing with, or abusing officials, one of the few times a coach's actions can be penalized outside of the rarepalpably unfair actpenalty; however, unlike the players, coaches cannot be disqualified for their second.

During theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United States,the definition of unsportsmanlike conduct was expanded to include violating protocols designed to curb the spread ofCOVID-19.Penalties may include fines, suspensions, or even loss of draft picksin addition to the standard 15-yard penalty for the guilty party.

InCanadian football,unsportsmanlike conduct is covered by two penalties. Nonviolent offenses constitute anobjectionable conductfoul and only carries a 10-yard penalty. (Indoor American footballleagues, because of the shorter field, also assign a 10-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.)Rough playis the foul called for unsportsmanlike violent behavior; it carries a 25-yard penalty, the largest in all gridiron football.

Inassociation football,the term "unsporting behaviour" is more commonly used, being one of the listed reasons under law 12 of thelaws of the gamefor which ayellow cardmay be given. It is interpreted broadly, most commonly to sanctionfoulswhich are more serious than most, though below a level which would merit ared card.Other examples include extravagant goal celebrations (e.g. removing one's jersey) and simulating actions intended to deceive the referee (diving).

Inbasketball,such misconduct is penalized by atechnicalfoulas opposed to apersonalfoul. The technical foul is akin to a caution in that two such fouls warrant an expulsion, although egregious conduct will be immediately assessed two consecutive technical fouls, or in at least one case, one.

Intennis,such conduct is categorized as a "code violation". Examples include racket abuse (intentionally throwing a racket or using it to strike an object other than the ball), ball abuse (intentionally hitting or throwing the ball into the stands outside of normal play), or intentionally shouting during a point in order to distract an opponent. Penalties vary based on the organizers of the match or tournament and usually start with a verbal warning for a first violation, and forfeiture of a point, game, or a match for additional violations.

Incricket,such behaviour is considered to be violating the "spirit of the game". The preamble to theLaws of Cricketstate certain actions which may violate the spirit of cricket. A more detailed list (along with appropriate sanctions) is given in theICC Cricket Code of Conduct.Since good behaviour in cricket is traditionally deemed thesine qua nonof a gentleman to the game's historical status as a "gentleman's game", it has led to the saying "It's not cricket", an English language phrase meaning unsportsmanlike conduct in sports, in business, or in life in general. There is considerable debate over whethersledgingshould be deemed as "unsportsmanlike behaviour" and banned due to several high profile punishable instances of racial and verbal abuse during international matches; proponents have argued that sledging was meant to be witty and humorous and not a personal attack on the opposition player.In-game punishments for offences are not substantial and often limited to a handful of penalty runs, but can have much wider consequences as the umpires call into question thehonour,integrityandhonestyof the player. This can cause significant recriminations from players & nations accused. An example of which was the2006 ball-tampering controversy,where two umpires judged that Pakistan had beenball tamperingand awarded 5penalty runsto England. Pakistan refused to take the field after a break in play, causing a forfeit win to be given to England and a huge scandal within the sport.

Inice hockey,unsportsmanlike conduct is defined in Rule 75 of theNational Hockey LeagueandIIHFRule Bookboth read as follows: "Players, goalkeepers and non-playing Club personnel are responsible for their conduct at all times and must endeavor to prevent disorderly conduct before, during or after the game, on or off the ice and any place in the rink. The Referees may assess penalties to any of the above team personnel for failure to do so." A player can receive a two-minute penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Unusually for a team sport,fighting,in most circumstances, does not constitute unsportsmanlike conduct. Referees signal the penalty by making a "T" shape with their hands; palm to finger tips. This leads to it being referred to as being "T'd off".

In fighting sports such asbo xing,unsportsmanlike conduct such as low blows or elbowing can result in a competitor losing a match by disqualification.

Field lacrosse

Field lacrosse's definition of unsportsmanlike conduct generally includes the same behavior as other sports, such as arguing with the official over a call, usingfoul language,using the lacrosse stick as a weapon for attacking players and/or nonplaying personnel,and fans,taunting or baiting other players. It is considered apersonal foulunder the rules. Coaches and nonplaying personnel can incur the penalty if they enter the field without the official's permission (save situations where the rules allow it) or use abusive language toward officials. Additional infractions can be called if the behavior continues. Penalties can vary from one to three minutes, usually non-releasable; in some less severe instances that do not involve abusive conduct, such as deliberately handling the ball during play, repeatedly committing the sametechnical foulor deliberately delaying return to the playing field in order to gain an advantage, those penalties are releasable.

Under rules for high school boys/girls' lacrosse, a second unreleasable unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the same player is an automaticejectionfoul. The player must serve three unreleasable minutes in the penalty area; when that time expires, a substitute must re-enter the game in his place. (S)he must leave the game area unless they are no school personnel around to supervise, in which case (s)he is confined to the bench area for the rest of the game, plus his/hersuspensionincreasing by a game.

Motorsports

InFormula 1,drivers are shown a black-and-white flag for unsportsmanlike driving; if said driving continues, the driver will be shown a fully-black flag which outright disqualifies that driver.For unsportsmanlike conduct that occurred once the race has ended, or outside a race, the phrase "bringing the sport into disrepute" is used, such as regarding use ofteam ordersor when FIA expelledAndrea Moda Formulain 1992.

NASCARlikewise has section 12-4, which prohibits actions that are "detrimental to stock car racing". This was invoked againstMichael Waltrip Racingas a result of apparentlygaming the systemin order to allow their driverMartin Truex Jr.to make the 2013Chase for the Cup.Another example was whenMarcos AmbroseandCasey Mearswere fined for attacking each other in the pit area after the2014 Toyota Owners 400.Abuse of officials has caused an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during the 2010 fall Texas race, where NASCAR gave Kyle Busch a two-lap hold penalty for an unsportsmanlike gesture Busch gave an official while serving a one-lap hold penalty for speeding in the pits in an attempt to exit ahead of the pace car.

Match fi xing

Unsportsmanlike conduct also includes attempts by players ofmatch fi xing,which has seen teams deliberately lose (a thrown game) or achieve draws or select scores, in order to receive a more favorable knockout bracket or a higher draft pick.

See also

• Bodyline
• Cheating
• Perfidy
• Foul (association football)
• Gamesmanship
• Trash-talk