The most reprehensible behavior in sport: your answers

“For me, it’s obvious: racism has no place in sport. When I see what a 14-year-old from Aylmer suffered on and off the ice, I am appalled. Let’s not stay silent. »

Jean-Francois Leclerc

“All those corrupt and cheating athletes who broke the hearts of their loyal fans: Ben Johnson, Lance Armstrong, Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, Éric Gagné, Roger Clemens, Geneviève Jeanson and many others. Doping in sport is a scourge, unfortunately not yet sufficiently controlled. »

Claude Saulnier

And we received a boatload of emails supporting Richard Labbé’s choice on fake soccer injuries. Some have also broadened their focus to soccer refereeing in general. Here are a few.

“I share Richard Labbé’s opinion. All these mimics of serious soccer injuries are degrading and disgusting to watch! Seeing multi-millionaires behave like this is really frustrating. How can they be proud of themselves? Why is everyone participating in this masquerade? »

Philippe Dube

“Unquestionably the soccer players who feign injuries! And perhaps even more, the tolerance of referees and leaders! Are the referees tired of the players making fun of them? »

Louis

“What horrifies me in sports, especially football (soccer), is killing time when the team is ahead. Do everything to prevent the game from continuing by faking injuries, walking super slowly to get out of play during a substitution, throwing the ball far to delay the resumption of play… I don’t have the impression that the referees add the time lost during these non-sporting actions, in my opinion. Phew, it feels good to talk about it! »

Dennis T.

“What I dislike the most is the unpunished anti-game. And I blame the refereeing. And it is in soccer that there are the most. And that’s a shame because it’s such a beautiful sport. The worst cases are: 1. The player pretending to be in pain or hanging/stumbling to attract a foul. Often it is so obvious that this player should be given a caution. 2. The player who pretends to be in pain to waste time because his team is leading. A yellow. 3. Hanging up the jersey. There is no more anti-game. For me, it would be an immediate yellow. »

Daniel Tardy

“To answer your question, one of the behaviors that I find particularly reprehensible is the scuffles that sometimes occur after a goal has been scored in soccer. Thus, when a team is behind and scores, a player will hurry to get the ball to restart the game quickly in order to hope for a possible equalizer. On the other hand, opposing players will try to prevent it. This can then lead to futile confrontations. A second, still in soccer, is the reflex that some players have to surround the referee after a controversial decision. I find this behavior completely reprehensible. »

Mathieu Carrier

Tennis too has received its share of criticism

“I’m a tennis fan and seeing players throwing their racquets around is ridiculous and dangerous, and what about Zverev’s attack on the referee’s chair. I believe that the ATP must be tougher and severely penalize offending players. »

Michael Jacques

“I have always seen tennis as a sport of finesse, a sport where one of the greatest qualities was courtesy. Roger Federer is the perfect example. But those who allow themselves to yell at the referee of the match exasperate me, they make their tantrum while the opponent waits on the other side of the net for the game to resume. Nick Kyrgios’ antics are lamentable. Players who slaughter their tennis racquet have all the unsportsmanlike spirit. »

Patrick Bardoul

“I am a tennis fan. For several years, I have been flabbergasted by the gestures of aggressiveness produced during winning points. These gestures disgust me to the point of stopping watching a game. I can’t believe they don’t have a bad influence on younger players. The second point that I would like to emphasize is what seems to me to be a flagrant lack of respect for bullet hunters, male or female. Some players take and give the balls back to them so casually that they are downright insulting. Every time I see such behavior, I wonder: who do these players think they are? »

Camille Roberge

Bulk, some of your other suggestions for misbehavior in sport

“Slightly smarter than ‘the code’ in hockey, there is ‘the code’ in baseball where a pitcher, armed with a ball which he uses as a weapon, takes aim at the opposing batter at 90 miles an hour. , which he aims for the head quite frequently, all because said batter earlier in the game committed a generally much less serious mischief to a pitcher’s teammate. »

Sylvain Archambault

“All acts of cheating – big and small – horrify me. And that includes those cunning little tricksters who defy the spirit of the rules or push their interpretation to the limit of logic (hello, Bill Belichick?). But most reprehensible in my eyes is the use by these cheaters of the following expression to justify themselves: “If you are not cheating, it is because you are not trying hard enough to win.” Everything that this detestable expression implies makes me nauseous. »

Guy Regnier

“I have been around minor hockey for several years. As a player, parent of players, coach, but also as an official for more than 20 years. Obviously, I have always heard the cries of parents (it’s amazing what the group effect can diminish judgment!). However, this year I notice a new phenomenon. We are not unaware that there is a shortage of officials. This year, my region recruited several new young referees aged 14 to 17. However, before the games, the coaches got into the habit of saying thank you for being there, considering themselves lucky to have referees for their games. I have a message for you, coaches: if you want the young generation not to give up, stop yelling at them! It’s fine to send us flowers before the party, you could leave it for the pot! They are mostly minor referees. Surely you wouldn’t want a stranger yelling at your own kids in the street. The arena is no exception! »

Claude Crepeau

“As I love hockey, I consider battles in the NHL to be completely ridiculous and should be totally banned. It would be enough to impose suspensions of several parts and the whole thing would stop quickly. For me, boxing matches should also be banned. It’s unacceptable to take so many blows to the head. Boxing should be a training sport like karate. »

Jacques Filion

“One thing I can’t understand: why does the Players’ Association come to the defense of a player who deals a vicious blow to another? The player taking the hit is a member of the Association, right? The Association should encourage players to show more respect. Wilson against Panarin, it’s good for the sport, right? »

Peter Martin

“For me, it’s the refereeing in hockey that no longer upholds the rules when the game is over in front of the net. Cross-check, very obvious punch, but nothing…”

Jocelyn Lapierre