Refusing to shake hands

[Gaz]

Hi all.
Obviously we have now seen numerous episodes of players refusing to shake each other's hands before matches, with calls from some areas for the Respect handshake to be binned altogether. This frustrates me because if you can't leave your feelings for someone off a football pitch, then you probably aren't in the right from of mind to be playing in the first place! The respect handshake shows that no matter what happens on the field, this is a game and it is played competitively but fairly.

Am I the only one who thinks that a refusal to shake someone's hand before a game constitutes Unsporting Behaviour, and therefore warrants a yellow? I can understand why refs would avoid this at the top level, with all the media attention, but it would put the message across that this sort of behaviour is unacceptable...

 

[refdave83]

Then you could argue that a player refusing to shake your hand at the end of the game is Unsporting so would you give a YC for that.????

 

[Gaz]

never thought of that scenario (or had it come up) but...
players walking away and not shaking my hand, no problem.
a player walking up to me and pointedly refusing to shake my hand. either laugh it off or if it was in an offensive/out of control manner, then probably a booking for dissent/ misconduct report?

tbh, I'm probably not that touchy about it but I think at the highest level, players refusing to shake others hands on national TV is a bad example, and not the sort of behaviour I think we should encourage. was your point "its not up to the referee to sort"? because I would kind of agree. but it would be a visible deterrant to that kind of behaviour in the future...

 

[andy love]

the problem is where in the laws does it say there has to be a handshake, if in the league handbook it does then you could only mention this to the league and they would have to deal with this internally, as for higher league levels some players get into a zone, and maybe shaking hands takes them out of it. if someone refuses to shake my hand then that is fine with me, i was taught good manners and so long as i make an effort then my own mind is clear.

i see your point Gaz these pro's are role models for many, and refusing to shake hands is a sign of, lack of respect to the fellow man, and maybe it should be made compulsory to show some respect, towards those you are about to do battle with, before the game, and at the end the choice is their own and so long as they leave the FOP in a dignified manner then i am cool with that.

but to show a yellow for C1 for not shaking a hand is a bit over the top and we would all have a really bad game if we did. but yes if the player was showing dissent in an offensive/out of control manner sod the yellow straight red for offinabus. you won't be the most popular man on the FOP but hey when are we anyway.

 

[Ian Mitchell]

The pre-kickoff handshake is not compulsory because then it would just become routine for players and the benefit it is supposed to give to the game would be lost. If they don't want to shake anybody's hand, don't force them. But I'm pretty sure they won't have much repsect shown to them by the other players for the rest of the game. Bad eggs will always be found out.

 

[Gaz]

fair points chaps, thank you!