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By Mike McGorry
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 At the World Doubles Squash Tournament held in Toronto, Canada, this past spring a dangerous scenario unfolded, resulting in serious injury to a player. In this situation, a player 'came around' (turned) on a ball, believed that she had an open court to hit to, struck the ball (as has been done millions of times in the history of doubles squash) and struck her opponent. The resultant injury was so serious that the player could not continue and was hospitalized. The player who was injured had to default.
Following the incident, this author and various members of the Squash Doubles Rules and Referees Committees of the USA and Canada held a roundtable discussion, centering on the issue of dangerous play and unsportsmanlike conduct on the court, and the lack of a Doubles Rule that would allow a referee to penalize a player for such conduct. We acknowledged the fact that turning has been part of the doubles game since its inception, and that it is generally a result of the opponent's poor shot rather than the turner's inappropriate shot selection. We also discussed the issue that to outlaw turning or to penalize a player for hitting an opponent after 'coming around' could lead to all sorts of abuses, such as intentionally seeking to get hit by an opponent in hopes of earning a point (see 'What's New,' October 2001).
It was determined that the existing rules, as written, failed to provide the referee with the ability to warn or otherwise discipline a player for unsportsmanlike conduct or dangerous play. We felt that the referee needed to be given certain discretion to control the game when players were acting in a manner that was inconsistent with the 'Gentleman's Game' that squash is intended to be. (Please note that the original drafters of the Doubles Rules felt no need to include such power to the referee since squash was a gentleman's game and the players seemed to police themselves.)
As a result of the recent discussions, the following Rule change is being proposed:
RULE 15: Unsportsmanlike Conduct or Dangerous Play
'The Referee, in his/her discretion, shall have the power to warn, penalize or default a player for unsportsmanlike conduct or dangerous play. Instances of unsportsmanlike conduct include, but are not limited to, the following: Swearing; racquet abuse; physical or verbal abuse of an opponent, referee or linesperson; intentionally striking (or attempting to strike) your opponent with a ball or racquet; or the like. Instances of dangerous play include, but are not limited to, the following: unnecessarily striking a ball without being aware of where your opponents are positioned on the court when a let would otherwise have been granted to the striker had he/she refrained from such striking; playing a ball so near or in such proximity to an opponent so as to create a reasonable likelihood of causing injury to said opponent; or the like.
In cases involving unsportsmanlike conduct or dangerous play, other than the situation where a player intentionally physically abuses an opponent or intentionally strikes an opponent with a ball or racquet, a referee shall first warn the offending player that future episodes of such conduct shall result in the loss of the point, and, subsequently the game and match. In cases involving intentional abuse of an opponent, referee or linesperson or the intentional hitting of an opponent with a ball or racquet, the referee shall have the discretion to penalize or otherwise default the offending player without the necessity of a warning.'
It is hoped that this rule addition will minimize dangerous play and provide the referee with the power to sanction players who act in an unsportsmanlike or dangerous manner. What do you think of the proposed rule? We hope to have this rule change in place by the upcoming doubles season.
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Feb 2008
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