MIES (Switzerland) - Experts analyze all BCL games each week. In order to improve the understanding of referees' decisions and to increase transparency towards our fans, we publish some of those 'tough calls', along with an explanation.

Tough Call 1:  UCAM Murcia v Tofas Bursa - Travelling & Foul

Red 00 steals the balls and starts a fastbreak, finishing with a lay-up. The referees calls a personal foul to White 5, followed by a Technical Foul to the White team's Head Coach.

Article 25.2.1:  A player who catches the ball while he/she is progressing, or upon completion of a dribble, may take two steps in coming to a stop, passing, or shooting the ball.

Article 34.1.1:  A personal foul is a player’s illegal contact with an opponent, whether the ball is live or dead.

Outcome: Incorrect decisions from the referees. Red 00 committed a travelling violation because he ended his dribble while his right foot was on the floor and then he took 3 steps before trying to shoot. Then, White 5 did not create any illegal contact, he just touched the ball from the opponent’s hands.  After these two mistakes from the referees, the visiting team Head Coach was penalized with a Technical Foul.

Tough Call 2: Rytas Vilnius v BK Opava - Offensive foul

Yellow 33 finishes his dribble and makes a lay-up. A contact occurs and the referees call an offensive foul to Yellow 33.

Article 33.1: The offensive player cannot spread his/her legs or arms outside of his/her cylinder and cause an illegal contact with the defensive player in order to gain an additional space.

Outcome: Correct decision. Yellow 33 was responsible for creating an illegal contact with his opponent by spreading his left arm outside of his cylinder to try to prevent having the ball blocked.

Tough Call 3: Hapoel Holon v Rio Breogan - Act of Violence/Disqualifying Foul

The Purple team are taking a throw-in from  their endline. Before receiving the ball, Purple 44 extends his arm outside of his cylinder and hits White 10. The referee calls an offensive foul, then the crew meets and upgrade it to an unsportsmanlike foul. Finally, they decide to review the IRS for a possible act of violence and eventually an upgrade to a disqualifying foul. After the review, the referees stay with the initial decision of unsportsmanlike foul.

Article 38.1.1: A disqualifying foul is any flagrant unsportsmanlike action by players, substitutes, head coaches, assistant coaches, excluded players and accompanying delegation members

Article 38.2.1: Acts of violence may occur during the game, contrary to the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play. These should be stopped immediately by the referees.

Outcome: Incorrect decision from the referees. The contact created by Purple 44 was a flagrant unsportsmanlike action, contrary to the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play.