Last month, Wisconsin’s governing body for high school athletics declared that chanting “U-S-A, U-S-A,” is unsportsmanlike behavior. The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association also directed schools to stop fans from booing, or chanting “Air Ball,” “Season’s Over,” “Fundamentals,” “Scoreboard,” and “Over-Rated.” “Any action directed at opposing teams or their spectators with the intent to taunt, disrespect, distract or entice an unsporting behavior in response is not acceptable sportsmanship,” the WIAA wrote in an email obtained by the Post-Crescent.
“Student groups, school administrators and event managers should take immediate steps to correct this unsporting behavior.” I should point out that a spokesman for the WIAA told television station WISC that the sportsmanship guidelines are a point of reference and “not a requirement.” “It’s up to each school or district to create their own sportsmanship conduct policies and enforcing them with appropriate consequences,” the spokesman told the television station. FULL REPORT
