Summer Basketball Tournament Enforces Fines for Swearing and Blasphemy
Do you have a habit of swearing or blaspheming easily? Well, get ready to reach into your wallet. At least if you are part of one of the teams participating starting tomorrow in the summer basketball tournament “Basket Forever,” scheduled at the Spiaggia Sabbioni court. For every inappropriate word heard on the field from the referee, a monetary penalty will be issued.
Rules and Penalties
The regulations, on the other hand, are clear — “5000 lire for each blasphemy uttered within the playing field; 3000 lire for each insult directed at an opponent or referee during the game; 1000 lire for each curse word spoken on the field” — and the organizers of the highly anticipated and widely followed (every year, hundreds of people gather around the concrete court near the lakefront) tournament promise to be strict and unyielding. “The idea was inspired by some parish tournaments,” explains Maurizio Stella, “where a blasphemy immediately resulted in the player’s expulsion from the field. We have chosen to introduce these sanctions to uphold the spirit of joy and friendship that should characterize the event.
During the game, in fact, it’s easy for a single word out of place to heat up tempers, ruining the celebration. In past editions, even when professional Serie A players were involved, it has happened that a near melee broke out over an exclamation or insult slipped out during play. This must absolutely not happen.” The difficult and delicate task of issuing fines will fall to the referee, who — this is also a new feature — will occupy a special position on the field. “It’s true,” continues Stella, “we decided to place the referee on a chair at the sideline: a small seat similar to those used by tennis umpires, offering a great view of the game. It should also be remembered that some players of the Gs Riva Gardacartiere will be officiating the matches.
Each offender will have to settle their debt before the start of the next game involving their team, and, as we mentioned above, no discounts of any kind are expected. Tournament participants are therefore warned: they can enjoy exclamations like “darn,” “damn it,” “holy cow,” and even “by Jove,” but nothing more.
Certainly, the already high quality of the event (all registered players belong to the basketball teams of Basso Sarca) will undoubtedly benefit from this rule. Fair play and sportsmanship at all costs, in short. Costs that, we can guarantee, for some might also be a financial burden.
