UNSPORTSMANLIKE FOUL

2017 RULES / ART 37

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Index

1. OBR- Rule (slides 5-7)

2. Five criteria (slides 8-12)
3. Practical cases (slides 13-42)
a) Criteria C1 (slides 14-17)
b) Criteria C2 (slides 18-22)
c) Criteria C3 (slides 23-31) NEW
d) Criteria C4 (slides 32-37)
e) Criteria C5 (slides 38-42)

= A normal basketball play, a Normal Foul

= An action that is an Unsportsmanlike Foul

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul

Art. 37 Unsportsmanlike foul 

37.1. Definition 

37.1.1. An unsportsmanlike foul is a player contact foul which, in the judgement of an

official is: 
• Not a legitimate attempt to play the ball within the spirit and intent of the rules
• Excessive, hard contact caused by a player in an effort to play the ball or an
opponent. 
• An unnecessary contact caused by defensive player in order to stop the
progress of the offensive team in transition
This applies until the offensive player begins his act of shooting.
• Contact by the defensive player from behind or laterally on an opponent in an
attempt to stop the fast break and there is no defensive player between the offensive
player and the opponent’s basket.
This applies until the offensive player begins his act of shooting.
• Contact by the defensive player on an opponent on the court during the last 2
minutes in the fourth period and in each extra period, when the ball is out-of-bounds
for a throw-in and still in the hands of the official or at the disposal of the player 4
ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul

37.1.2. The official must interpret the

unsportsmanlike fouls consistently throughout
the game and to judge only the action. 

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 ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul

37.2. Penalty 
37.2.1. An unsportsmanlike foul shall be charged against the offender. 
37.2.2. Free throw(s) shall be awarded to the player who was fouled, followed by: 
• A throw-in at the centre line extended, opposite the scorer’s table. 
• A jump ball in the centre circle to begin the first period. 

The number of free throws shall be awarded as follows: 

• If the foul is committed on a player not in the act of shooting: 2 free throws. 
• If the foul is committed on a player in the act of shooting: the goal, if made, shall
count and,
in addition, 1 free throw. 
• If the foul is committed on a player in the act of shooting and the goal is not made, 2
or 3 free
throws. 
37.2.3. A player shall be disqualified for the remainder of the game when he is charged with
two unsportsmanlike fouls or with one technical foul and one unsportsmanlike foul.
37.2.4. If a player is disqualified under Art. 37.2.3, the unsportsmanlike foul shall be the
only foul to be penalised and no additional penalty for the disqualification shall be
administered. 
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5 criteria

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
five criteria

To facilitate better decision making, referees are

required to use 1 of the 5 existing criteria to
determine if an Unsportsmanlike Foul should be
called.
C3
C2 C4
C1 C5

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
five criteria

C1 Not a legitimate attempt to play the ball within the spirit and intent of
the rules

C2 Excessive, hard contact caused by a player in an effort to play the ball

or an opponent. 

An unnecessary contact caused by defensive player in order to stop

C3 the progress of the offensive team in transition
This applies until the offensive player begins his act of shooting.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
five criteria

Contact by the defensive player from behind or laterally on an

C4 opponent in an attempt to stop the fast break and there is no
defensive player between the offensive player and the opponent’s
basket.
This applies until the offensive player begins his act of shooting.

Contact by the defensive player on an opponent on the court during

C5 the last 2 minutes in the fourth period and in each extra period, when
the ball is out-of-bounds for a throw-in and still in the hands of the
official or at the disposal of the player taking the throw-in.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
NEW criteria C3

There is only ONE new criteria added to the existing 2014 rules, after the
latest development of the game and the actions by players guided in most of
cases by coaches.
The purpose of the new rule is to clean the game from not normal basketball
actions which damage the spectacle and dynamic of the game with
unnecessary contacts, out of the intent and spirit of the rules.
In order to interpreted correctly and consistently the rules must follow the
criteria below:

• Not a legitimate effort to play directly the ball

• Not a normal basketball play
• Intent to make a foul being out of LGP (active)
• Being in LGP to play defense according to the rules.

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Practical cases

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 1

C Not a legitimate attempt to play the ball within the

1 spirit and intent of the rules

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 1

C Example C1.1
When grabbing the body of an opponent,

1 It is a UF for a not legitimate attempt to play the ball.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 1

C Example C1.2
When grabbing the uniform of an opponent,

1 It is an UF for a not legitimate attempt to play the ball.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 1

C Example C1.3
The excessive movement of the elbows (lateral),
1 if there is a contact it is an UF.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 2

C Excessive, hard contact caused by a player in an

2 effort to play the ball or an opponent.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 2

C Example C2.1
You may make a personal foul, in the normal defensive action, but you
do not need to "stop by any means“ your opponent's action in an not

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effort to play the ball or play an opponent . This is an excessive-hard
contact and should penalise as an UF. Note the correct technique to
make the call – analyse – call normal foul – upgrade to UF.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 2

C Example C2.2
You can fall into a fake, or you may make a personal foul, in the

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normal defensive action, but you do not need to "stop by any means“
your opponent's action in an not effort to play the ball. This is an
excessive-hard contact and should penalize as an UF.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 2

C Example C2.3
You can fall into a fake, or you may make a personal foul, in the

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normal defensive action, but you do not need to "stop by any means“
your opponent's action in an not effort to play the ball. The end of the
action is an excessive-hard contact and should penalise as an UF.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 2

C Example C2.4
You can fall into a fake, or you may make a personal foul, in the
normal defensive action, but you do not need to "stop by any means“

2 your opponent's action in an not effort to play the ball or play an

opponent . This is an excessive-hard contact and should penalise as an
UF.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 3

C An unnecessary contact caused by defensive

player in order to stop the progress of the
offensive team in transition.
3 This applies until the offensive player begins his
act of shooting.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
Criteria 3

C Principles to remember

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1. Not a legitimate effort to play directly the ball

2. Not a normal basketball play

3. Intent to make a foul being out of LGP

(active – chasing the player with the ball)

4. Being in LGP to play defense according to the

rules (personal foul if illegal contact)

5. Stop the progress in transition

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
Criteria 3

C Example C3.1.
We must be ready to anticipate the  contact by the defensive player

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when offensive player with an excellent drill overpassed him.
Defensive player cannot play anymore the ball and grabbed the
opponent from waist. The video example is an UF.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
Criteria 3

C Example C3.2
When from a LGP, moving according to the direction of the offensive

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player, faced with an opponent, player tried for the ball and produces
a normal contact but illegal. Normal foul.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 3

C Example C3.3
Once defensive player is overflowed in an LGP, and does not try to

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defend his position, just opening his arm to stop the offensive
player with the intention to stop the game. This is an UF.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 3

C Example C3.4
Defensive player is in LGP and tried to maintain his legal

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position when contact occurred. Whether is a defensive or
offensive foul (judgement of the referee) in no way is an U foul
although team was in transition. Normal Foul.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 3

C Example C3.5
Once defensive player is overflowed in an LGP, and does not try to

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defend his position, just opening his arm to stop the offensive
player with the intention to stop the game. This is an UF.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 3

C Example C3.6
Offensive player overtakes defensive player, whose reaction is to stop

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offensive transition with his body and in continuation with hands. Is
an unnecessary contact. This is an UF..

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 3

C Example C3.7
The defensive player after losing the balance of the body, because
of the action from offensive player, instead of rectifying the

3 position, stops the offensive player with a grab forcing to stop the
game, is an unnecessary contact caused in order to stop the
transition of the offensive team. It is an UF.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 4

Illegal contact by the defensive player from

behind or laterally on an opponent in an attempt
C to stop the fast break and there is no defensive
player between the offensive player and the

4 opponent’s basket.
This applies until the offensive player begins
his act of shooting.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
Criteria 4

C Principles to remember

4 1. Team control established by an offensive team.

2. No defensive player between the offensive

player with the ball an opponent’s basket.

3. Illegal contact (foul called) by the defensive

player from behind or laterally.

4. This applies until the offensive player begins his

act of shooting.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 4

C Example C4.1
Illegal contact by the defensive player from laterally on an

4 opponent in an attempt to stop the fast break and there is no

defensive player between the offensive player and the
opponent’s basket. This applies until the offensive player
begins his act of shooting.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 4

C Example C4.2
When is no defensive player between the offensive player and the
opponent’s basket, and player makes a possibly illegal contact on

4 the side, the offensive player is in act of shooting, it is a Normal

Foul.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 4

C Example C4.3
When there is no defensive player between the offensive player
with the ball and the opponent’s basket, the illegal contact (foul

4 called) by defensive player is laterally or behind, regardless the

nature of the illegal contact, it is considered as an UF.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 4

C Example C4.4.
No defensive player between the offensive player with the ball and

4 the opponent’s basket , illegal contact is lateral, the referee calls a

defensive foul, what is an UF.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 4

C Example C4.5
The contact is obviously laterally and therefore is no defensive

4 player between the offensive player and the opponent’s basket and
an UF should be called. Note the correct technique to make the
call – analyse – call normal foul – upgrade to UF.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 4

C Example C4.6
We must identify when contact occurs. There is no defensive

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player between the offensive player and the opponent’s basket
and the illegal contact is by defensive player from behind or
laterally, when the offensive player is still dribbling. This is an UF.
Referee incorrectly calls a normal foul

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 5

Contact by the defensive player on an opponent

C on the court during the last 2 minutes in the

fourth period and in each extra period, when the
ball is out-of-bounds for a throw-in and still in
5 the hands of the official or at the disposal of the
player taking the throw-in.

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
Criteria 4

C Principles to remember

4 1. Last 2 minutes of the 4th or extra period..

2. Ball is out-of-bounds for a throw-in

3. Illegal contact (foul called) by the defensive

player on the court before the ball is realised.

4. Referee reminds (preventative officiating) the

team before the throw-in taking (good
officiating technique).

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ART. 37 unsportsmanlike foul
criteria 5

C Example C5.1
Here we can see the following three factors of this criteria, last 2

5
minutes of game, ball out-of-bounds for throw-in, and illegal
contact by a defensive player. The referee calls a foul on defensive
player, correctly an UF.

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