Fans and athletes in Wisconsin are being told not to say things during sporting events such as “airball” or “scoreboard,” according to guidelines from the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.
The WIAA, which controls high school sports in Wisconsin, released an email in December outlining words that should not be spoken at sporting events. (RELATED: Arizona High School Bans Patriotic Gear From Football Game)
The list, according to the Post-Crescent, includes:
- “Fundamentals”
- “Sieve”
- “We can’t hear you”
- “Air ball”
- “You can’t do that”
- “There’s a net there”
- “Scoreboard”
- “Season’s over” (during tournament play)
The story has garnered national attention after student-athlete April Gehl told the WIAA to “eat shit” for its rules, and was promptly suspended for five games.
EAT SHIT WIAA pic.twitter.com/hqH8TH3rgm
— April Gehl (@AprilGehl24) January 4, 2016
The situation has evolved into a massive headache for the WIAA after Sports Illustrated and USA Today published stories about the issue.
Even ESPN commentator and former Duke basketball star Jay Bilas weighed in on the controversy.
How ridiculous. The "adults" making these decisions have too much time on their hands, and too little sense. https://t.co/Lm5tVnnMjR
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) January 12, 2016
Under the new rules, a crowd behaving in an acceptable fashion at a Wisconsin high school basketball game. pic.twitter.com/n8aGfztVdV
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) January 12, 2016
WIAA director of communications Todd Clark told local CBS news Channel 3000, “I think the challenge is even with the parents and talked to parents and to student-based fans is that, you know there’s a wide spectrum of that and at some point, there is a, there’s a line.” (RELATED: High School Football Player Dies After Collapsing During Playoff Game)
Paul Ackley, athletic director at McFarland High School, actually agrees with the WIAA. He also Channel 3000, “If a kid gets an answer wrong on the white board, they’re not going to start chanting, ‘You can’t do that.'” (SLIDESHOW: Here Are Some Of The Greatest Sports Movies Ever)
Ackley must just have forgotten that the decision to participate in sports is voluntary, while attending school is not.