Unsportsmanlike Conduct Rule

[cstrombe]

Was watching this match between Archer and Zielinski, and at 1:34:32 Zielinski commits an "unsportsmanlike foul" according to the commentator. There was some checking by ref, he got on the phone, and determined it was just an intentional foul. But commentator said it should be -18 points (presumably referring to the points lost in the normal 3 fouls + penalty sequence). Curious about the rule here. In the WPA rules, it says "for unsportsmanlike conduct, the referee will choose a penalty depending on the nature of the offense." Under "unsportsmanlike conduct" it says "the penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is the same as for a serious foul, but the referee may impose a penalty depending on his judgement of the conduct."

- Would "serious foul" here mean -15 points?
- Does this also get the same treatment as the normal three-foul penalty, with a required re-rack? Is that up to referee? Is it even an option?
- Sounds like the number of points up to ref, could it be anything?

Curious if there are any sort of standards or normally accepted outcomes for unsportsmanlike conduct? The rule book makes it seem pretty open-ended.

 

[batmmann5]

So, back in 2000, you can see this in this video. It happened. Efren did, what Johnny thought Wiktor did. 56 minutes. Efren -15 and Dallas elected to have Efren break again. I saw another video from 2021 or 2022, where Darren was not allowed to continue shooting when Corey got an unsportsmanlike penalty, so the rules changed. Darren had a wide open table, but was not given the option, Corey had to break again. That video is on you tube.

 

[cstrombe]

Oh nice, that helps, thanks. Would be interested in the other one you mention if you find that link. Thanks!

 

[Bob Jewett]

Oh nice, that helps, thanks. Would be interested in the other one you mention if you find that link. Thanks!

The current WPA/BCA World Standardized Rules are available on the WPA website. They are different from the (old?) rule cited above.

 

[cstrombe]

I copied those rules from the wpa pdf there now, the "2025-09-15" version, which I thought was the current set of rules. Please let me know if I'm looking in the wrong spot. Would definitely be interested in seeing the current rule.

 

[Bob Jewett]

I copied those rules from the wpa pdf there now, the "2025-09-15" version, which I thought was the current set of rules. Please let me know if I'm looking in the wrong spot. Would definitely be interested in seeing the current rule.

Rule 3.16 says, in part: "3.16 UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT The normal penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is the same as for a serious foul, but the referee may impose a penalty depending on his judgment of the conduct." It goes on to list weaker and stronger penalties from just a warning to expulsion from the tournament.

Here is what is currently on the WPA website in the current, official rules for 14.1 specifically:

...​

7.11 SERIOUS FOULS For 3.13 Three Consecutive Fouls, only standard fouls are counted, so a breaking foul does not count as one of the three fouls. A point is subtracted for the third foul as usual, and then the additional fifteen-point penalty is subtracted, and the offending player’s consecutive foul count is reset to zero. All fifteen balls are re-racked, and the offending player is required to shoot under the requirements of the opening break.​

​

For 3.16 Unsportsmanlike Conduct, the referee will choose a penalty depending on the nature of the offense. ​

​

7.12 STALEMATE ...​

​

There have been tournaments in which the management has decided that specific kinds of fouls that would be considered unsportsmanlike, such as touching the cue ball illegally, automatically incur some specific penalty. That takes away the referee's discretion on how to penalize the foul. That is outside the standard rules.

The CSI rules may have some of those specific cases.

 

[cstrombe]

Got it, thanks for the clarification. Are the WPA rules considered "official"? Seems like there are a few competing rules (WPA, CSI).

 

[qolbrand]

Got it, thanks for the clarification. Are the WPA rules considered "official"? Seems like there are a few competing rules (WPA, CSI).

depends on what god you believe in, i suppose.

wpa has always always been my baseline but most of the players i encounter in the wild respond with “you mean bca?”

 

[cstrombe]

I did check the BCA site and they at least point to WPA, "Please refer to the World-Standardized Rules provided by the World Pool Association."

 

[Nogbert]

So, back in 2000, you can see this in this video. It happened. Efren did, what Johnny thought Wiktor did. 56 minutes. Efren -15 and Dallas elected to have Efren break again. I saw another video from 2021 or 2022, where Darren was not allowed to continue shooting when Corey got an unsportsmanlike penalty, so the rules changed. Darren had a wide open table, but was not given the option, Corey had to break again. That video is on you tube.

didnt dallas do the exact same thing immediately before efrens foul at 56min? im a stranger to 14.1, but dallas did basically only touched the cue ball with the tip of his cue... seems like the same thing efren did

 

[Straightpool_99]

didnt dallas do the exact same thing immediately before efrens foul at 56min? im a stranger to 14.1, but dallas did basically only touched the cue ball with the tip of his cue... seems like the same thing efren did

Nope. Touching the ball with the TIP of the cue like mr. West did (without really moving it) is a perfectly ok way to take a foul. Intentionally fouling is a big part of 14.1. It's still a foul and loss of one point, or 15+1 if you foul 3 times in a row. After 3 in a row you then also have to rebreak the balls. All such fouls must however be commited by using the cue tip to strike the ball.

Touching the cue ball with anything else, besides the tip, (on purpose) is not ok, and is considered unsportsmanlike. Punishment is usually up to the discretion of the officials. For instance deliberately moving balls with your hands, raking the balls to the rail with the cue etc. may be a loss of game. What Efren got is typical for the type of infraction he commited. Accidentally touching the cue ball with your clothes, hands or part of the cuestick except the tip is just a normal foul, but may result in the lie of the balls being restored to where they were before the foul occured. Efren deliberately tapped the cue ball with his ferrule, thats not ok. Sometimes a cue ball is wedged in an ideal spot and it's hard to touch it with the tip without disturbing the lie of the balls. Keep in mind that even 1mm of movement may either leave a ball on (make it pocketable) or enable a legal safety shot. This rule is there to avoid people creatively avoiding making an actual attempted stroke, to get out of a tough situation. It can sometimes be easier to just graze the ball with your ferrule and avoid movement, rather than elevating the stick over the pack and tapping it with the tip. You lose some control when you have to elevate (for instance) or if there are other factors making the stroke awkward, while just tapping the ball with the ferrule itself doesn't require anything like that.