SECTION 2. Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls

Article 1 - Unsportsmanlike Acts

There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct or any act that interferes with orderly game administration on the part of players, substitutes, coaches, authorised attendants or any other persons subject to the rules, before the game, during the game or between periods. Infractions for these acts by players are administered as either live-ball or dead-ball fouls depending on when they occur. (A.R. 9-2-1:I-X)
a. Specifically prohibited acts and conduct include:

1. No player, substitute, coach or other person subject to the rules shall use abusive, threatening or obscene language or gestures, or engage in such acts that provoke ill will or are demeaning to an opponent, to game officials or to the image of the game, including but not limited to:

(a) Pointing the finger(s), hand(s), arm(s) or ball at an opponent, or imitating the slashing of the throat.
(b) Taunting, baiting or ridiculing an opponent verbally.
(c) Inciting an opponent or spectators in any other way, such as simulating the firing of a weapon or placing a hand by the ear to request recognition.
(d) Any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or themselves).
(e) An unopposed ball carrier obviously altering stride when approaching the opponent’s goal line or diving into the end zone.
(f) A player removing his helmet after the ball is dead and before he is in the team area (Exceptions: Team, media or injury timeouts; equipment adjustment; through play; between periods; and during a measurement for a first down).
(g) Punching one’s own chest or crossing one’s arms in front of the chest while standing over a prone player.
(h) Going into the stands to interact with spectators, or bowing at the waist after a good play.
(i) Intentionally removing the helmet while the ball is alive.
(j) Dead-ball contact fouls such as pushing, shoving, striking, etc. that occur clearly after the ball is dead and that are not part of the game action. (A.R. 9-2-1:X)
(k) After the ball is dead, using forcible contact to push or pull an opponent off the pile. (A.R. 9-2-1:XI)                                           (l) Feigning an injury.

PENALTY − Unsportsmanlike conduct. Live-ball fouls by players: 15 yards [S27: UC-*]. Live-ball fouls by non-players and all dead-ball fouls: 15 yards from the succeeding spot [S7 and S27: UC-*]. Automatic first down for live-ball and dead- ball fouls by Team B if not in conflict with other rules. Flagrant offenders shall be disqualified [S47: DSQ].

2. After a score or any other play, the player in possession immediately must return the ball to an official or leave it near the dead-ball spot. This prohibits:

(a) Kicking, throwing, spinning or carrying (including off the field) the ball any distance that requires an official to retrieve it.
(b) Spiking the ball to the ground (Exception: A forward pass to conserve time (Rule 7-3-2-f)).
(c) Throwing the ball high into the air.
(d) Any other unsportsmanlike act or actions that delay the game.

PENALTY − Unsportsmanlike conduct. Dead-ball foul. 15 yards from the succeeding spot [S7 and S27: UC-*]. Automatic first down for fouls by Team B if not in conflict with other rules. Flagrant offenders shall be disqualified [S47: DSQ].

b. Other prohibited acts include:

1. During the game, coaches, squad members and authorised attendants in the team area shall not be on the field of play or outside the 20-yard lines to protest an officiating decision or to communicate with players or officials without permission from the referee. (Exception: Rules 1-2-4-f, 3-3-4-d, 3-3-8-c and 3-5-1).
2. No disqualified person shall be in view of the field of play (Rule 9-2-6).
3. No person or mascot subject to the rules, except players, officials and eligible substitutes, shall be on the field of play or end zones during any period without permission from the referee. If a player is injured, attendants may come inbounds to attend him, but they must obtain recognition from an official.
4. No substitute(s) may enter the field of play or end zones for purposes other than replacing a player(s) or to fill a player vacancy(ies). This includes demonstrations after any play (A.R. 9-2-1:I).
5. Persons subject to the rules, including bands and audio/video/lighting systems operators, shall not create any noise or distraction that prohibits a team from hearing its signals or obstructs play (Rule 1-1-6).

PENALTY − [1-4]Unsportsmanlike conduct. Dead-ball foul. 15 yards from the succeeding spot [S7 and S27: UC-*]. Automatic first down for fouls by Team B if not in conflict with other rules. Flagrant offenders shall be disqualified [S47: DSQ].                                      [5] Unsportsmanlike conduct. The referee may take any action they consider equitable, which includes directing that the down be repeated, assessing a 15-yard penalty, awarding a score, or suspending or forfeiting the game [S27: UFA].

Article 2 - Unfair Tactics

a. No player shall conceal the ball in or beneath his clothing or equipment or substitute any other article for the ball.
b. No simulated replacements or substitutions may be used to confuse opponents. No tactic associated with substitutes or the substitution process may be used to confuse opponents (Rule 3-5-2-e). (A.R. 9-2-2:I-VI)
c. No equipment may be used to confuse opponents (Rule 1-4-2-d).
d. No unusual action or verbiage may be used by Team A to confuse an opponent into believing the snap or free kick is not imminent.
e. No action that simulates an injury may be used to confuse opponents or officials.
PENALTY − [a-e] — Unsportsmanlike conduct. Live-ball foul. 15 yards from the previous spot [S27: UFT]. Automatic first down for fouls by Team B if not in conflict with other rules. Flagrant offenders shall be disqualified [S47: DSQ].                                                          f. No more than one squad member may be assigned or wear the same jersey number (Exception: Non-competitive games).    PENALTY − Unsportsmanlike conduct charged against the Head Coach and the players must immediately correct the numbering and report the change. Administer as a dead ball foul - 15 yards [S27: UC-2PN].

Article 3 - Unfair Acts

The following are unfair acts:
a. A team refuses to play within two minutes after ordered to do so by the referee.
b. A team repeatedly commits fouls for which penalties can be enforced only by halving the distance to its goal line.
c. An obviously unfair act not specifically covered by the rules occurs during the game. This includes substitutes, coaches or any other persons subject to the rules, other than a player or official, interfering in any way with the ball or a player while the ball is in play (A.R. 4-2-1:II) (A.R. 9-2-3:I).
PENALTY − Unsportsmanlike conduct. The referee may take any action he considers equitable, which includes directing that the down be repeated, assessing a 15-yard penalty, awarding a score, or suspending or forfeiting the game [S27: UFA].

Article 4 - Contacting an Official

Persons subject to the rules (Rule 1-1-6) shall not intentionally contact a game official forcibly during the game.
PENALTY − Unsportsmanlike conduct. Administer as a dead-ball foul. 15 yards from the succeeding spot and automatic disqualification. Automatic first down for fouls by Team B if not in conflict with other rules [S7, S27 and S47: FCO/DSQ].

Article 5 - Game Administration and Sideline Interference

While the ball is alive and during the continuing action after the ball has been declared dead:
a. Coaches, substitutes and authorised attendants in the team area must be behind the coaching line.
PENALTY − Administer as a dead-ball foul.
First infraction: Warning for sideline interference. No yardage penalty. [S15: SLW] Second and third infractions: Delay of game for sideline interference, five yards from the succeeding spot. [S21 and S29: SLI]
Fourth and subsequent infractions: Team unsportsmanlike conduct for sideline interference, 15 yards from the succeeding spot. Automatic first down for fouls by Team B if not in conflict with other rules. [S27 and S29: SLM]
b. Physical interference with an official is a foul charged to the team for unsportsmanlike conduct. (A.R. 9-2-5:I)
PENALTY − Team unsportsmanlike conduct. Administer as a dead-ball foul. 15 yards from the succeeding spot. Automatic first down for fouls by Team B if not in conflict with other rules. [S27: UNS]

Article 6 - Disqualified players and coaches

a. Any coach, player or identified squad member in uniform who commits two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls in the same game shall be disqualified.
b. A player disqualified from the game (Rule 2-27-12)must leave the playing enclosure (Rule 2-31-5) under team supervision within a reasonable amount of time after his disqualification. He must remain out of view of the field of play under team supervision for the remainder of the game.
c. A coach disqualified from the game must leave the playing enclosure within a reasonable amount of time after the disqualification and must remain out of view of the field of play for the remainder of the game.
d. A head coach disqualified from the game may designate a new head coach.

Article 7 - Removing persons from the playing enclosure