I saw another incident at a tournament this weekend where a player fouled, knew he fouled, but sat down without saying anything. He very thinly hit the wrong ball first while his body was in between the shot and the seated player. And he got away with it. Everyone on my side of the room was cringing as the shooter just walked away and sat down and his opponent got up to shoot the cue ball where it stopped. That's bad for pool.
This really ticks me off because it’s so clearly unsportsmanlike conduct at best, and I’d even call it cheating. The cover we use is that the seated opponent has the responsibility to pay attention. Yes, but nowhere in any rules I’ve seen does it say you don’t call fouls on yourself. That’s just the norm, at least for many pool players.
But I don’t think the problem is that pool players are particularly unethical or unsportsmanlike, I think the problem is that it’s not explicitly in the rules that you should call fouls on yourself. This encourages a "I can get away with it" attitude. The best way to change the norms and etiquette is to just put it in the rules. Then it will catch on.
Here is the first section under General Rules
To that I would add:
Or that might go under the Fouls section.
Here is the section on unsportsmanlike conduct:
To that I would add
(i) intentionally failing to call a foul on oneself
This really ticks me off because it’s so clearly unsportsmanlike conduct at best, and I’d even call it cheating. The cover we use is that the seated opponent has the responsibility to pay attention. Yes, but nowhere in any rules I’ve seen does it say you don’t call fouls on yourself. That’s just the norm, at least for many pool players.
But I don’t think the problem is that pool players are particularly unethical or unsportsmanlike, I think the problem is that it’s not explicitly in the rules that you should call fouls on yourself. This encourages a "I can get away with it" attitude. The best way to change the norms and etiquette is to just put it in the rules. Then it will catch on.
Here is the first section under General Rules
1.1 Player’s Responsibility
It is the player's responsibility to be aware of all rules, regulations and schedules applying to competition. While tournament officials will make every reasonable effort to have such information readily available to all players as appropriate, the ultimate responsibility rests with the player.
To that I would add:
It is expected that players will call fouls on themselves, especially when no official is present or it is difficult for an opponent or official to determine if a foul has occurred. It is unsportsmanlike conduct to attempt to deceive an opponent or an official by intentionally failing to call a foul on oneself.
Or that might go under the Fouls section.
Here is the section on unsportsmanlike conduct:
6.16 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. Among other penalties possible are a warning; a standard-foul penalty, which will count as part of a three-foul sequence if applicable; a serious-foul penalty; loss of a rack, set or match; ejection from the competition possibly with forfeiture of all prizes, trophies and standings points.
Unsportsmanlike conduct is any intentional behavior that brings disrepute to the sport or which disrupts or changes the game to the extent that it cannot be played fairly. It includes
(a) distracting the opponent;
(b) changing the position of the balls in play other than by a shot;
(c) playing a shot by intentionally miscuing;
(d) continuing to play after a foul has been called or play has been suspended;
(e) practicing during a match;
(f) marking the table;
(g) delay of the game; and
(h) using equipment inappropriately.
To that I would add
(i) intentionally failing to call a foul on oneself