Today’s article, adapted from specialist sources, is based on basketball, yet it can be easily be adapted and modified, up to a certain point, by other team sports disciplines.

End-of-game fouling situations present certain unique problems for referees. The hard part is that we know very well that the losing team is fouling with the intent of stopping the clock and forcing the other team to shoot, and hopefully miss, free throws. But the big issue, much debated by coaches, players and analysts, always revolves around the question, are the losers fouling in an unsportsmanlike manner?

If one had to listen to the coaches and supporters, it would sound like most end-of-game fouls should be ruled unsportsmanlike. This is very easy to say, but yet much harder to do.

The ‘rulebook-lawyer officials’ are probably doubled over after reading that last sentence.

The FIBA rules and underlining philosophy read, “an unsportsmanlike foul is a personal foul that, on the basis of observation of the act, is not a legitimate attempt to directly play the ball or a player. ...holding or pushing an opponent in order to stop the game clock, pushing a player in the back to prevent a score, causing excessive contact with an opponent while playing the ball, fouling a player who is away from the ball and not directly involved with he play or contact with a player making a throw-in.”

There are some little things a referee can do to make sure end-of-game fouling situations do not get out of hand.

One such thing is to call the first foul. Most of the time, the player being fouled is the one with the ball. Defenders are usually frantically trying to get to that player. They reach in and try to slap at the ball and/or the player. One should therefore try as much as possible to let go of the advantage/disadvantage principle and call the foul immediately, at the first hint of contact. That should basically, under normal circumstances and having intelligent players, prevents more and harder fouling.

If the referee lets the first minor slap go, the defender is going to foul harder next time since he was not sanctioned initially. The harder the foul, the more the referee will hear, “unsportsmanlike or the old-version of intentional!” and the players get angrier at the contact generated by the hard fouls. Though the referee might ignore that minor slap, say, in the middle of the second quarter, now is the time to get it right away.

Another thing one can do is to take the decision to whistle the hard foul unsportsmanlike. Violent contact must always be ruled unsportsmanlike. Greatly experienced referees advise to look for two-handed pushes from behind or shirt pulls, especially on airborne players. One should strive hard to send the message that this would not be tolerated. (Last week I had a call where I followed the rules and signalled as unsportsmanlike even though I am sure the player who committed the foul had no idea what he had done wrong. The action involved an airborne player whose defender literally moved under him whilst trying to win an offensive foul. This is a very dangerous move, often unnoticed by the spectators, which needs to be stopped immediately.)

The last point I will share with you is the most debatable. Keep calling the fouls if need be.. I perfectly understand that it is not fun to shoot lots of free throws in the last few minutes, but we have to accept that some games just go that way. The important thing for the referee is to stay with it.