Cancellations of Equal Penalties
 

Today I read through the FIBA rules exam and realized that I still have some more learning to do. I was confused by question #9, which was:

B5 commits an unsportsmanlike foul on A5. Coach A and Coach B are then charged with a technical foul. Shall the penalties for the technical fouls
cancel each other?

The correct answer is supposedly "no". Can anyone explain to me why the answer is no? I read Article 42 about Special Situations, but I'm still not getting it. What would be the proper way to handle the above mentioned situation?

Thanks for any help. You guys have been a great source of learning!

ABC,

No - That is correct answer.

Cancel the penalties in the order that they occur when the penalties are of equal weight.

Therefore in this case The Team B Unsportsmanlike foul and the Coach A Technical foul cancel each other. The result is 2 FT by any Team A player for the Coach B Technical. Team A would then get the ball at the division line for the ensueing throw-in.

Ref_in_Alberta gave the correct explanation. I'd add some comment.

When in a "special situation", you should imagine to have a sheet of paper divided into two parts; on the left you mark all fouls with their penalties on team A and on the right the same for team B, in order of occurrence, without marking any double foul (it's obviously not the only infraction, since you are in a special situation :)). All fouls should go in different horizontal lines.

Then go to the first foul and look in the opposite column if there is one that carries the same penalty: those penalties will cancel out. Proceed through the list in the same fashion until you get to the point that no penalty can cancel another. Then administer all remaining penalties in order of occurrence.

A throw-in for either team which is followed by another penalty is lost, but still is part of the relative penalty. A contrived example would be this: B1 commits a U foul on shooter A1; while the ball is in flight for the try, A2 pushes B2 going for the rebound, 5th team foul in the quarter; the basket is not scored.

The penalties are: 2 FT and ball for team A, 2 FT for team B. Team A loses the possession; A1 shoots 2 FT with lane cleared, then B2 shoots 2 FT and play resumes normally. The two penalties are different, so they do not cancel out.

Now, this may sound like a smart-a$$ question (and I've been known to ask one or two...), but are there instances where it actually becomes handy to write things down, in order to sort everything out? I'm thinking of an instance where you might have a common foul, followed by a shove back, then a punch is thrown, followed by players leaving the bench, etc. Are penalties that require ejections treated differently than a "normal" unsporting foul?

eg-italy. Thank you for the explanation. I see now how to handle the whole "cancellation" process. Alberta Ref, thank you as well for the explanation of the exam question. I've wrapped my head around this issue, now it's time to find something else I don't understand!!!

In some cases like those a note pad would be great. :D

The cancellation procedure refers only to "play" penalties (throw-ins and free throws), not to accessory penalties such as ejection.

In FIBA, leaving the bench during a fight is treated very differently than in Fed. All players leaving the bench are ejected, but only one T is charged to the coach (and usually it's cancelled with some other penalty, for example the corresponding T to the other coach), independently from the number of players involved.

Note that a shove followed by a punch by opponents is not a double foul, nor they are technical fouls but rather unsportsmanlike (U) fouls or disqualifying (D) fouls: the free throws resulting from them, if not cancelled with other penalties, must be shot by the offended player (or their substitute, in case of ejection).

Ciao