Players abandon a tournament without good reason

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Comment 1 A national tournament ban of just a few months would work well I think. My preference would be for the tournament organisers to make the call here. We should not use our trained umpires to make rulings over this sort of thing. Many tournaments are without a trained umpire and therefore we should leave this for the tournament organisers to deal with. Make a brief record of the incident and give a penalty of a number of months. The tournament organisers should have complete autonomy in this, and not be answerable to anyone. This would be a national ban to enter tournaments for the duration. We should have a web page with just the name of the player/s and the date the ban is lifted. Remove name/s after this date. Does all this sound too punitive? -Tom van B

Comment 2 PNZ has recently (April 2006) circulated a "Player Code of Behaviour" document. You can download a PDF copy here (or find the plain text at the bottom of this page). This is good news as it means PNZ recognises that we have players who misbehave and brake the rules of our game. All we need now are guidelines and steps for clubs and tournament organisers on how to enforce the "Code of Behaviour". I believe that giving more autonomy to clubs and tournament organisers in this regard, is the way to go. Maybe for serious offences a red and yellow card system would not be such a silly idea. Each colour (red / yellow) would represent X number of tournament suspensions as outlined in comment 1. -Tom van B.

Comment 3 I'd like to comment on the "Code of Behaviour" document. In commenting on this document and therefore rules, my standpoint is that "less is more". I don't like rules per se and enjoy petanque because its gallic history has a similar approach, rather than the rules plagued games enjoyed by anglo saxons (if I wanted lots of rules I'd play bowls). Anyway enough about me, here are my thoughts on the document for what little they are worth.

Rule 1 re playing and abiding by the organisers - fair enough but I'm not sure if this needs to be said, I kinda would have thought it was a given.

Rule 2 re playing the game in a sporting manner - one person's gamemanship is another person's unsporting. How will sporting be enforced? Much better to expect people observe the rules of the FJP. I've played people who indulge in gamesmanship - much better to immediately get an arbite to sort the issue than get wound up about it and try to legislate against it. Furthermore, while I don't like indulging in gamesmanship, I accept it is part of the game and dealing with it makes you a better player IMO, but to legislate against is being optimisitic if we think we can get human nature to become sporting. I feel this rule should either be dropped or changed to observing the rules of the FJP.

Rule 3 abusive language - agree.

Rule 4 accept arbite rulings - agree.

Rule 5 observe the correct dress of the day - I understand PNZ has a dress code though buggar if I can find it on the PNZ website. Assuming PNZ does have a code of dress rule, then the rule for the code of conduct should be along the lines of "observe the dress code of the PNZ". If PNZ doesn't have a dress code then this rule should be dropped. As the rule is currently written the onus is on tourney organisers to provide a dress code. If tourney organisers neglect to provide a dress code you are left guessing what it might be. As far as I'm concerned, as long as you are not breaking the law, wear whatever you want. If someone wants to enforce the wearing of whites though, then they should go and play bowls.

Rule 6 re drinking - As long as my opponent does not swear or abuse people, I have no problem with them drinking during a game. I would find it a little strange in the tourney, but perfectly understandable in a plate or bowl. What I do have a problem with is playing someone who is drunk, difficult to enforce on the day, but someone who plays while drunk should be reported and prevented from playing tourneys for a period of say a year. I think the ruling should be along the lines of drinking to excess on the piste rather than drinking pur se.

Rule 7 re smoking - I am a non smoker. As petanque is an outdoor sport, I have no problem with smokers smoking on the terrain or during a game. I dislike this rule and think it should be removed. I'm not convinced that Smoke Free NZ sponsor us so many millions per annum that it is necessary for PNZ members to be by association paid up members of the smoke free Nazi party. I'd personally like to see this anti smoking rule removed but realise many would disagree with me.

Rule 8 re kids, friends, relatives, dogs, extra terrestrials, this rule is silly and impractical, hells bells we should be encouraging people to come and watch us, not discourage them - and if they are so excited they run onto the piste - good on them. In all the years I have played at tourneys I have never seen this "problem" occur. Please don't have a rule against something that doesn't happen. Good luck enforcing it if it ever does. I think this rule should be dropped and replaced by a ban against people of one year if they abondon a tournament without a valid reason, as Tom pointed out above, a wedding is not a valid reason.

If you have read this far, thanks for reading - but you really should get out more.

Cheers

Maurice (I need to get a life) Manuel-Belz

Comment 4 I agree with a lot of the above. However, I keep coming back to what the method of enforcement is going to be. Regardless of whether you think a rule makes sense, without a practical procedure of enforcing a rule with a penalty, nothing will ever happen. If we look at the various elements of Articles 37, 38, and 39 and in particular, ingredients such as: "the Chairman of the concerned Association’s Committee", "Umpire", "Organising Committee", "Disciplinary Committee", "Umpire’s report", "the Jury", and "the President of the Jury" most of us will slump into deep depression. Unless we are prepared to leave the international rules to international tournaments, and come up with some home grown practical ways of controlling bad behaviour not much is going to happen. It is important that PNZ with this "Player Code of Behaviour" is not seen as merely dishing up tokenism. -Tom van B.

Comment 5 You can read some great satirical viewpoints about this new PNZ "Player Code of Behaviour" on this page. See also Australian petanque players banned from wearing high heels. -Tom.

Comment 6 If a team advises the organiser prior to the start play that they cannot complete the competition the organiser can make a ruling on byes and their value (i.e. a win of 13-7 or whatever). If a team withdraws DURING a competition, without good reason, I would consider them guilty of incorrect conduct and as an umpire would consider withdrawal of licences. This is covered in the UK rules. Withdrawal of licences is serious and should only be done after discussions with the organiser but the umpire has the final word. Dave Ciano UK 22th April 2006.

Comment 7 Please understand the point I made in (comment 4) "Unless we are prepared to leave the international rules to international tournaments, and come up with some home grown practical ways of controlling bad behaviour not much is going to happen." The vast majority of New Zealand players do not have a licence, and most tournaments here do not have a qualified (trained) umpire. -Tom van B.

Comment 8 I think effectively Tom, that you are arguing for a "Code ofConduct". Without it there will be no reference point for what is considered inappropriate behaviour. I am all for a CofC, but only if there is procedure for enforcing it, otherwise it aint worth the paper its written on. The procedures and CofC will need to be available on the PNZ Website IMO and there will need to be procedures for individuals who are unhappy with the behaviour of another individual and wish to take action, and a procedure for tournament advisors to either take action themselves and/or report the behaviour/incident to PNZ who may take action. I guess what I am saying is that PNZ can be commended for putting out a CofC, but it is only half the story, accompanying it must be procedure for enforcing which may or may not also require comment. Surely there must be other counties already with a CofC and the procedures concerned as a model/template for us kiwi's to pinch/borrow/steal? -Cheers Maurice.

Comment 9. 25/04/08 Andy Gilbert talks about bad player behaviour on this 2008 PAGE

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PNZ PLAYER CODE OF BEHAVIOUR

This Code applies to all members of Petanque New Zealand affiliated clubs.

Release date: April 2006.

During all games players are expected to:

1. Play and abide by the rules of the game as instructed by the Tournament Organising Committee and Umpires of the day.

2. Play the game in a sporting manner.

3. Not use or abusive language, particularly to other players, officials and spectators.

4. Accept without argument the decisions of the Umpire(s).

5. Observe the correct dress of the day.

6. Not drink alcohol during games, and to excess for the duration of the competition (i.e. arriving under the influence at the start of the day is unacceptable).

7. Not smoke during games, and on the terrain at any time (i.e. even when spectating).

8. Ensure that supporters and/or family or friends do not encroach onto the terrain or allow any pets or children to do so during play. Any player who is found to be in breach of this code of behaviour will be considered to be guilty of improper behaviour and liable to the penalties in Articles 37, 38, and 39 of the rules of the game.

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