OSSAA issues new sportsmanship policy

The Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association issued a new sportsmanship policy this summer.

The policy states, “Any time an egregious act of unsportsmanlike conduct occurs two or more times during the same season, at the same school, in the same activity, the team and/or the individual will be suspended from participation in that activity for the remainder of the season. Egregious acts of unsportsmanlike conduct will be defined as instances not within the OSSAA adopted rules of the contest. In the event the second act of misconduct occurs when there are no contests left in the current season, the penalty will be applied to the next seasonn in the same activity. The OSSAA will notify the school that the team and/or individual has been placed on warning after the first offense. Unsportsmanlike acts under the policy will include acts by coaches, players or spectators.”

In a press release on Aug. 8, the OSSAA clarified that the policy rules cover acts not covered by rules of the sport.

Examples include incidents of fans entering the playing surface to confront an official or engage in fighting.

However, two technical fouls by a player or coach or another action within the rules of a basketball game resulting in an ejection of a player or coach would not violate the policy.

OSSAA Executive Director David Jackson said, “In an effort to keep egregious acts of unsporting conduct form escalating, the board adopted a policy to deal with such issues should they occur. It is our hope no school is every put in the position to implement the penalty associated with the new policy.”