Violence in sports

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 The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page.

Contact sports such as American football, ice hockey, rugby football, boxing, mixed martial arts, wrestling, and water polo involve certain levels of physical violence, but include restrictions and penalties for excessive and dangerous use of force. Violence in sports may include threats, or physical harm and may be carried out by athletes, coaches, fans, spectators, or the parents of younger athletes.

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[edit] Causes

"Intermittent explosive disorder" may be a cause of violence. Some athletes may be genetically predisposed to violence or (particularly male athletes) have unusually high testosterone levels. Animal behavior ethology studies may also lend a clue, as athletes may resort to violence to establish territory.

The sporting arena has also been used as a platform for countries to settle their disputes in front of the world's media.

[edit] Violence by Athletes

Athletes sometimes resort to violence, in hopes of injuring and intimidating opponents. Such incidents may be part of a strategy developed by coaches or players. An example of a pre-arranged strategy is the 99 call used by the British Lions rugby union team in their 1974 tour of South Africa, as a pre-arranged all-out attack on the South African team if one of the South African players was deemed to have committed a violent infraction that had gone unpunished by the home referees. Upon hearing the team captain Willie John McBride's call of '99', each player would find the nearest opponent and attack him. This was based on the (correct) assumption that the referee would not dare to send off all the Lions if they all resorted simultaneously to violence.

In boxing, unruly or extremely violent behavior by one of the contestants often results in the fighter breaking the rules being penalized with points taken off, or, in extreme cases, disqualification. Outlawed tactics in boxing include hitting the opponent on the back of the head, under the belly, during clinching, and to the back. Other tactics that are outlawed, but less seen, are pushing an opponent extremely hard to the floor, or hitting repeatedly after the round has ended. The most notorious incident involved Mike Tyson biting off part of opponent Evander Holyfield's ear during a 1997 match.

[edit] Fan violence

Fans of the Minnesota Golden Gophers riot in the Dinkytown neighborhood of Minneapolis after the Gophers won the 2003 Frozen Four

Violence may also be related to nationalism or as an outlet for underlying social tensions. It is often alcohol-related.

See also: List of violent spectator incidents in sports

Violence by supporters of sports teams dates back to Roman times, when supporters of chariot racing teams were frequently involved in major riots. A notable example of this is the Nika riots of 532.

Montreal Canadiens fans rioted on March 17, 1955, after Maurice Richard received a suspension.

The actions of English football hooligans and firms in the 1980s caused English teams to be banned from European competition for six years after the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985. Although the level of football-related violence was significantly reduced in England after this event, in the recent Euro 2004 tournament, England were publicly warned that any violence by supporters at matches could result in the team's expulsion from the tournament. Many known hooligans were prevented from traveling to the tournament in Portugal. There was a collective sigh of relief from security experts in the USA when England failed to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Alan Rothenberg (chairman of the World Cup organizing committee in the United States in 1994) said:

“ There were three countries in the world whose presence would have created logistical and security problems, so we're very pleased they won't be coming: Iraq, Iran and England. ”

[edit] Ritual violence

High school, college, and even professional sports teams often include initiation ceremonies (known as hazing in the USA) as a rite of passage. A 1999 study by Alfred University and the NCAA found that approximately four out of five college US athletes (250,000 per year) experienced hazing.[1] Half were required to take part in alcohol-related initiations, while two-thirds were subjected to humiliation rituals.

[edit] Athlete Violence

Hungary's Ervin Zador after the Blood in the Water match
  • In 1951, Heisman trophy candidate Johnny Bright, from Drake University, was slugged by Wilbanks Smith, from Oklahoma A&M, during an A&M home football game. Bright suffered a broken jaw in what many[who?] viewed as a racially motivated attack.
  • Blood in the water: The water polo semi-final match between Hungary and Soviet Union at the 1956 Summer Olympics was stopped to defuse a possible riot by the fans when a Russian player punched Hungary's Ervin Zador.
  • On 22 August 1965, as Juan Marichal of the San Francisco Giants batted in the 3rd inning, he exchanged unpleasant words with Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Johnny Roseboro, whom Marichal believed was deliberately making return throws too close to his head. Marichal hit Roseboro on the head with his bat three times, opening a bloody gash that would require 14 stitches. NL president Warren Giles suspended Marichal for eight games, fined him $1,750, and barred him from playing in that season’s remaining two games between the Giants and Dodgers. Roseboro filed a lawsuit against Marichal, and settled out of court, reportedly for $7,000. Marichal and Roseboro eventually reconciled and became friends after both had retired from baseball.
  • On 1 November 1970, the Kansas City Chiefs led the Oakland Raiders 17-14, and a long run for a first-down run by quarterback Len Dawson apparently sealed victory for the Chiefs in the final minute when Dawson, as he lay on the ground, was speared by Raiders’ defensive end Ben Davidson, who dove into Dawson with his helmet, provoking Chiefs’ receiver Otis Taylor to attack Davidson. After a bench-clearing brawl, offsetting penalties were called, nullifying the first down under the rules in effect at that time. The Chiefs were obliged to punt, and the Raiders tied the game on a George Blanda field goal with eight seconds to play. Taylor’s unwise retaliation against Davidson’s foul play not only cost the Chiefs a win, but Oakland won the AFC West with a season record of 8-4-2, while Kansas City finished 7-5-2 and out of the playoffs.[2] See also Chiefs–Raiders rivalry.
  • In 1972, Ohio State University was leading the University of Minnesota 50-44 with 36 seconds left to play in the basketball game. Ohio State's Luke Witte was fouled hard going to the basket. Minnesota’s Corky Taylor punched the dazed Witte in the head and kneed him in the groin. Gopher reserve Ron Behagen then stomped Witte on the neck and head. Witte was taken off the court on a stretcher and booed by Minnesota fans. [3]
  • On 9 December 1977, Kermit Washington of the Los Angeles Lakers was already fighting with Kevin Kunnert of the Houston Rockets when Rudy Tomjanovich of the Rockets came running toward them. Seeing a man in an opponent uniform rushing at him, Washington instinctively turned and punched Tomjanovich in the face, resulting in a near-fatal season-ending injury to Tomjanovich. The NBA suspended Washington for 60 days (26 games) and fined him $10,000. A civil jury awarded Tomjanovich $3.2 million. This incident is the subject of the book The Punch by John Feinstein.
  • On 29 December 1978, late in the fourth quarter of the Gator Bowl, the Clemson Tigers led 17-15 as the Ohio State Buckeyes were driving for what they hoped would be the winning score. A pass interception by Clemson nose guard Charlie Bauman ended the Buckeyes’ chance to win. As Bauman returned the interception, he was run out of bounds at the Buckeyes’ sideline, where Buckeye Coach Woody Hayes, who had a lengthy record of violence against cameramen, journalists and his own players, vented his anger by punching Bauman in the gut on national television. Bauman was more surprised than injured. Hayes was fired the next day; it was the end of his coaching career.
  • On 23 November 1986, after Jim McMahon of the Chicago Bears threw an interception, Charles Martin, defensive lineman of the Green Bay Packers, had the right to block him during the return, but instead picked him up from behind and body-slammed him to the ground. Martin was ejected from the game and suspended for two games. This was the longest suspension by the NFL for on-field violence until the Albert Haynesworth head-stomping incident in 2006 (see below). McMahon’s injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
  • On 6 January 1994, as figure skater Nancy Kerrigan practiced during the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, a man ran onto the rink and hit her knee with a baton, then fled. Kerrigan was unable to compete, and the Ladies event was won by Tonya Harding (her win is no longer recognized). Police soon arrested Tonya's ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, Tonya's bodyguard Shawn Eckhardt, and Shane Stant, the assailant Gillooly and Eckhardt had hired to attack Kerrigan. Harding pled guilty to hindering the investigation, but said she had no prior knowledge of the attack. At the 1994 Winter Olympics, Kerrigan won the silver medal (2nd place), while Harding finished 8th.
  • Adrian Dodson biting Alain Bonnamie's mouth during a Commonwealth title fight.[citation needed]
  • On January 25, 1995, Manchester United striker Eric Cantona assaulted a fan during a game against Crystal Palace after said fan hurled racial slurs towards him. Cantona was banned for the remainder of the FA Premier League season.
  • On March 26, 1997, Fight Night at the Joe, a brawl between the Red Wings and Avs. Retaliation by the Wings for a dirty hit by Claude Lemieux a year earlier. A total of 46 penalties in the game.
  • On 28 June 1997, in the third round of their rematch that became known as The Bite Fight, Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield on one of his ears, and had two points deducted. The referee was ready to disqualify Tyson, but Holyfield was willing to continue. Tyson bit Holyfield again, this time on the other ear, tearing off the top of ear and spat the flesh out onto the ring. Tyson was disqualified.
  • On January 19, 2001, basketball player Elnes Harold Bolling of the Racing de Gualeguaychú (Argentina) team became incensed after a foul on him was called by referee Fabián Blumenblat. Bolling, who had just served a suspension for fighting, punched Blumenblat, knocking him unconscious. Blumenblat suffered a shattered jaw and orbital bone and underwent immediate surgery to save the sight in his left eye. The Virgin Islands-born Bolling, who had become a naturalized Argentine at some unknown time, was banned for life from the league and faced a prison sentence of a month to a year.
  • On 8 March 2004, late in the third period of an ice hockey match between the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks, Todd Bertuzzi of Vancouver skated after Steve Moore of Colorado, punching him in the head from behind and falling on him along with several other players from both teams. Moore's head hit the ice, causing three fractured neck vertebrae, facial cuts and a concussion. Moore was knocked unconscious, and lay motionless for several minutes before being carried off on a stretcher.
  • On 19 November 2004, the infamous Pacers–Pistons brawl took place in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It ranks among the worst episodes of sports violence in American Sports history.
  • On 9 July 2006, Zinedine Zidane headbutted Marco Materazzi during the FIFA World Cup Final and was shown the red card (ejected) in what was his final professional football game. Materazzi had allegedly insulted Zidane throughout the game.
  • On 1 October 2006, following a touchdown by the Dallas Cowboys, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth of the Tennessee Titans yanked off the helmet of Cowboys’ center Andre Gurode, who was laying on the ground, and stomped on Gurode’s head with his cleats, narrowly missing Gurode’s right eye. A referee assessed Haynesworth with a 15-yard penalty, to which Haynesworth protested by taking off his own helmet and throwing it to the ground. Haynesworth was given another 15-yard penalty and got ejected. The NFL suspended Haynesworth for five games without pay. The gash on Gurode’s face required 30 stitches.
  • On 16 December 2006 the NBA's leading scorer, Carmelo Anthony was involved in a large brawl in which ten players from the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets (including Anthony) were ejected.
  • The Pacers–Pistons brawl would not be the last major brawl at The Palace of Auburn Hills. On July 21, 2008, during a WNBA game between the Detroit Shock and Los Angeles Sparks, a confrontation between the Shock's Plenette Pierson and the Sparks' Candace Parker turned into a bench-clearing brawl (this time, no spectators were involved). Five players from each team drew suspensions of one to four games for their involvement in the melee; Shock coach Rick Mahorn was suspended for two games for escalating the battle; and Shock star center Cheryl Ford was lost for the season with a torn ACL suffered when she tried to restrain one of her teammates.
  • On August 23, 2008 at the 2008 Summer Olympics, Cuban Taekwondo champion Ángel Matos kicked Swedish referee Chakir Chelba in the head then drew blood from him, pushed a judge and spat on the floor after being disqualified in the Bronze Medal match due to his Kye-shi time running out because of a injury to his foot he received during the match. As a result of the incident Matos and his coach Leudis Gonzalez were banned for life by the World Taekwondo Federation.

[edit] References

  1. ^ BBC News | SPORT | Riots after Lakers win NBA title
  2. ^ KC Chiefs website
  3. ^ <http://www.10000takes.com/hall_of_shame/>

Adrian Dodson disqualified for biting Alain Bonnamie during a 1999 Commonwealth title fight.

[edit] Further reading

[edit] See also

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violence_in_sports"