Flagrant foul

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Jordan Farmar (No. 5 in purple) flagrantly fouls Rajon Rondo (No. 9 in white) as Rondo attempts a dunk. NBA flagrant foul.jpg
Jordan Farmar (No. 5 in purple) flagrantly fouls Rajon Rondo (No. 9 in white) as Rondo attempts a dunk.

In basketball, a flagrant foul is a personal foul that involves excessive or violent contact that could injure the fouled player. A flagrant foul may be unintentional or purposeful; the latter type is also called an "intentional foul" in the National Basketball Association (NBA). However, not all intentional fouls are flagrant fouls, as it is an accepted strategy to intentionally commit a foul (without the intent to injure) in order to regain possession of the ball while minimizing how much time elapses on the game clock.

Contents

NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) established the flagrant foul to deter contact that, in addition to being against the rules, puts an opponent's safety or health at risk. When the flagrant foul was introduced in the 1990–91 season, the only penalty beyond that of a common personal foul was that the coach of the offended team could select which player would shoot the resulting free throw attempts. [1] Starting with the 1990–91 season, the offended team also retains possession of the ball following a flagrant foul, in addition to receiving free throw attempts. [1]

The NBA defines two levels of flagrant fouls, flagrant foul—penalty (1) and flagrant foul—penalty (2). [2] Flagrant 1 is "unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent", while the more serious Flagrant 2 is "unnecessary and excessive contact committed by a player against an opponent." [3] Flagrant 2 results in an immediate ejection of the offender. Flagrant 1 does not result in the offender's ejection, unless the same player commits a second Flagrant 1 foul in the same game. Thus, Flagrant 1 and Flagrant 2 are analogous to the yellow card and red card used in various other sports. NBA referees have discretion in determining which level to call. Starting with the 2006–07 season, all Flagrant 2 fouls are reviewed via instant replay, and may be downgraded as a result of the review. [1]

Flagrant 2 fouls result in an automatic fine of the offending player. [2] Additionally, the NBA has a "penalty points" system, whereby players committing a Flagrant 1 or Flagrant 2 are assessed one or two penalty points, respectively. During the regular season, accumulating more than five points results in an automatic suspension. [1] During the NBA playoffs, suspensions of one or two games are meted out for every penalty point a player accrues above a total of three. [3]

Game tactics

It is an accepted basketball strategy for a trailing team to commit fouls intentionally late in a game, in an attempt to regain possession of the ball while minimizing how much time elapses on the game clock. A common personal foul gives the fouling team a chance to regain possession of the ball by rebounding a missed free throw. Alternately, if the offended team makes both free throws, the fouling team will then be given possession of the ball, potentially giving them an opportunity to make a three-point field goal, which if made, yields a one-point gain to the fouling team.

In this context, the flagrant foul rule deters undesired, potentially injurious play by awarding possession of the ball to the offended team as an extra penalty. If the fouling team is judged to have committed a flagrant foul, the offended team retains possession of the ball following any free throw attempts. As there is no change in possession, there is no benefit to the team that committed the flagrant foul. Thus, teams that attempt a strategy of intentionally fouling must do so without having their fouls judged as flagrant.

FIBA

International Basketball Federation (FIBA) basketball rules have similar fouls but use different terms.

In addition, any foul by a defensive player before a throw-in during the last two minutes of the game was formerly penalized as an unsportsmanlike foul. This rule was changed in 2022, similar to the NBA's "Away from the Play Foul," and these fouls are now penalized as a personal foul that incurs one free throw plus possession. [5]

The penalty for both unsportsmanlike and disqualifying fouls in full-court basketball is two free throws and a throw-in from the throw-in line in the team’s frontcourt.

In the halfcourt 3x3 variant, the penalty is also two free throws, but possession after the free throws varies based on the degree of the foul. After a player's first unsportsmanlike foul, possession goes to the team that was otherwise entitled to possession at the time of the play. Following any foul that results in ejection, possession goes to the non-offending team. The only exception is in the case of a double unsportsmanlike foul; no free throws are awarded in such a situation.

United States scholastic rules

U.S. college and high school rules define a flagrant foul as a personal or technical foul that is extreme or severe.

NCAA

The NCAA's Playing Rules Oversight Panel adopted the "flagrant" term before the 2011-12 season for both men's and women's basketball. [6] However, the NCAA's women's rules committee abandoned the term "flagrant", effective with the 2017–18 season, in favor of FIBA's "unsportsmanlike" and "disqualifying" terms. [7] These fouls are counted as personal fouls and technical fouls.

Certain conduct constitutes a flagrant foul despite not being malevolent or unsportsmanlike. [8]

NFHS

In the United States, the NFHS rulebook, which governs high school play, defines flagrant fouls in Rule 10: Fouls and Penalties. The word "flagrant" itself is defined in Rule 2: Definitions; 2-16c calls it "a foul so severe or extreme that it places an opponent in danger of serious injury, and/or involves violations that are extremely or persistently vulgar or abusive conduct." All flagrant fouls result in disqualification of the offender in addition to two free throws and possession for the offended team.

Equivalents in other sports

Related Research Articles

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In basketball, a technical foul is any infraction of the rules penalized as a foul which does not involve physical contact during the course of play between opposing players on the court, or is a foul by a non-player. The most common technical foul is for unsportsmanlike conduct. Technical fouls can be assessed against players, bench personnel, the entire team, or even the crowd. These fouls, and their penalties, are more serious than a personal foul, but not necessarily as serious as a flagrant foul.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free throw</span> Penalty in basketball

In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line, a line situated at the end of the restricted area. Free throws are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team, analogous to penalty shots in other team sports. Free throws are also awarded in other situations, including technical fouls, and when the fouling team has entered the bonus/penalty situation. Also, depending on the situation, a player may be awarded between one and three free throws. Each successful free throw is worth one point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Personal foul (basketball)</span> Illegal contact with an opponent in basketball

In basketball, a personal foul is a breach of the rules that concerns illegal personal contact with an opponent. It is the most common type of foul in basketball. A player fouls out on reaching a limit on personal fouls for the game and is disqualified from participation in the remainder of the game.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ejection (sports)</span> Removal of a participant due to a rules violation

In sports, an ejection is the removal of a participant from a contest due to a violation of the sport's rules. The exact violations that lead to an ejection vary depending upon the sport, but common causes for ejection include unsportsmanlike conduct, violent acts against another participant that are beyond the sport's generally accepted standards for such acts, abuse against officials, violations of the sport's rules that the contest official deems to be egregious, or the use of an illegal substance to better a player's game. Most sports have provisions that allow players to be ejected, and many allow for the ejection of coaches, managers, or other non-playing personnel. In sports that use penalty cards, a red card is often used to signal dismissals. In some sports, another player is permitted to enter the game in place of the player who has been ejected, but in others the team is required to continue the game with a reduced number of players.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foul (basketball)</span> Unfair act by a player in basketball

In basketball, a foul is an infraction of the rules more serious than a violation. Most fouls occur as a result of illegal personal contact with an opponent and/or unsportsmanlike behavior. Fouls can result in one or more of the following penalties:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unsportsmanlike conduct</span> Penalty or foul caused by poor behavior by an athletic participant

Unsportsmanlike conduct is a foul or offense in many sports that violates the sport's generally accepted rules of sportsmanship and participant conduct. Examples include verbal abuse or 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.

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Delay of game is an action in a sports game in which a player or team deliberately stalls the game, usually with the intention of using the delay to its advantage. In some sports, the delay of game is considered an infraction if it is longer than that permitted according to the game's rules, in which case a penalty can be issued. Some sports that have a delay of game penalty are American football, Canadian football, ice hockey and association football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Key (basketball)</span> Area on a basketball court

The key, officially referred to as the free throw lane by the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), and the restricted area by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), is a marked area on a basketball court surrounding the basket, where much of the game's action takes place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foul (sports)</span>

In sports, a foul is an inappropriate or unfair act by a player as deemed by a referee, usually violating the rules of the sport or game. A foul may be intentional or accidental, and often results in a penalty. Even though it may not be intentional, fouling can still cause serious harm or injury to opposing players, or even their own players if unaware of their surroundings during particular situations on sports. Fouls are used in many different sports. Often own teammates can clash and foul each other by accident, such as both going for and with eyes on a ball in AFL. Strategical fouls violate the traditional norms of cooperation and agreement to the essential rules and regulations of the game, or are perhaps not part of the games at all.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penalty (gridiron football)</span> Penalty in American football

In gridiron football, a penalty is a sanction assessed against a team for a violation of the rules, called a foul. Officials initially signal penalties by tossing a bright yellow colored penalty flag onto the field toward or at the spot of a foul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonus (basketball)</span> Situation in basketball

In the sport of basketball, the bonus situation occurs when one team accumulates a requisite number of fouls, the number of which varies depending on the level of play. When one team has committed the requisite number of fouls, each subsequent foul results in the opposing team's taking free throws regardless of the type of foul committed. Teams under the limit are commonly referred to as having fouls to give, and thus they can try to disrupt their opponents without being penalized free throws. These fouls reset every quarter or half depending on the rules in use.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">3x3 basketball</span> Basketball variant played on half of a regulation court

3x3 basketball is a variation of basketball played three-a-side, with one backboard and in a half-court setup. According to an ESSEC Business School study commissioned by the International Olympic Committee, 3x3 is the largest urban team sport in the world. This basketball game format is currently being promoted and structured by FIBA, the sport's governing body. Its primary competition is an annual FIBA 3X3 World Tour, comprising a series of Masters and one Final tournament, and awarding six-figure prize money in US dollars. The FIBA 3x3 World Cups for men and women are the highest tournaments for national 3x3 teams. The 3x3 format has been adopted for both the 2020 Summer Olympics and 2022 Commonwealth Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rules of water polo</span> Rules and regulations covering the play, procedure, and equipment of water polo

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big3</span> Professional basketball league set up in a 3-on-3 concept featuring former NBA players

Big3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by hip-hop musician and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. The league consists of 12 teams whose rosters include both former NBA players and international players. The rules of Big3 games contain deviations from the official rules of 3-on-3 basketball as administered by FIBA. In January 2020, Big3 announced its rule set would be the core of a new basketball variant called "Fireball3".

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "NBA Rules History". NBA. 2008-05-02. Archived from the original on 2011-03-03. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  2. 1 2 "ArticleList NBA Rule No. 12: Fouls and Penalties". NBA. 2001-01-31. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  3. 1 2 Caron, Emily (May 10, 2019). "NBA Playoffs Flagrant and Technical Foul Rules, Suspensions Explained". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  4. 2018 Official Basketball Rules (PDF). Mies, Switzerland: FIBA - International Basketball Federation. 2019. pp. 44–45.
  5. "FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2022 set to come into force October 1". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  6. Greg Johnson (2011-05-26). "PROP approves rules changes". NCAA. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  7. "NCAA Women's Basketball Playing Rules History" (PDF). Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  8. Anthony Chiusano (2017-03-17). "The flagrant foul at the end of Arkansas vs. Seton Hall explained". NCAA. Retrieved 2017-11-25.