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Originally Posted by chapmaja
This goes in the direction of my sports law class' current discussion. At one point does the actions of a participant within a sporting event go beyond the confines of the sporting event and warrant interaction from the court system.
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The answer to this could actually be pretty easy. Most states have criminal laws codified (i.e. written down in statutes) that specify what is and what isn't, along with what is a defense, etc. Courts have come along and interpreted specific cases to further define what specific actions may constitute (in this case) an assault or a defense to one. While the statute may not specify a game as a defense to an assault, one thing the courts might do is come along and say that since the official is not a player and is not so equipped, treating him as such a participant is not a valid defense under the law as it might be against another player. In other words, head butting another player MAY not be a criminal violation, but head butting an official, coach, etc. probably IS.