I understand why they can bump into each other, but once they take off their gloves and fight why aren't they arrested?
2007-03-09 05:58:28 · 19 answers · asked by theFo0t 3 in Sports ➔ Hockey
When players agree to participate in certain sports, they are basically covered by the rules of those sports as opposed to external rules.
Countries basically pre-authorize these activities and accept that certain things could fall outside of activity which is normally considered legal.
However, things which are Not covered by the rules of the sport are still subject to external punishment and subject to normal laws.
Fighting within certain limits in Hockey is covered in the rules and is common place, just as Punching is allowed in Boxing, or Hitting is allowed in Football.
However when actions go outside of things regulated and permitted by that sport, they can become civil or criminal matters.
Particularily vicious attacks, assaults and so forth have in the past resulted in Criminal charges and Civil cases outside of the sport, since those infractions went beyond the normal play and infractions accounted for by the leagues they happened in.
Also, while baseball didn't make Steroids illegal in the sport, they didn't make them legal either, so If a baseball player was actually caught with illegal steroids he would be arrested for possession.
It has been the case in the past that certain incidents, Like Bertuzzi on Moore were investigated criminally as assaults, and that particular case is still in Civil litigation.
Patrick Roy faced assault charges recently, though they were dropped by the victim.
More often charges filed come from Minor leagues and Junior games where the leagues do not cover higher forms of punishment like suspensions.
2007-03-09 07:06:25 · answer #1 · answered by enders_knight 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
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2016-06-11 18:07:18 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fighting is part of the game. You'd be hard pressed to find a guy in the league who'd want it outlawed. However swinging your stick like a hatchet with no intention other than to hurt someone is another story. Rarely does a guy get hurt in an on ice fight, at least not to the point where they miss a game because of injury sustained as a result of one. I certainly wouldn't object to a life time ban for Simon or even adding some misdemeanor criminal charges. That kind of thing cannot be excused. Generally speaking when players fight there is an exchange prior to, where they agree to "go". You don't see to many fights where a guy isn't a willing participant, and niether would want the other to be arrested.
2007-03-09 06:50:32 · answer #3 · answered by kinggretzky99 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wow, the ignorance in some of these answers is astonishing. The difference between hockey assaults such as Shawn Thornton's recent attack, and boxing, UFC, or football, is the that the defense of consent is not available. Football players, boxers, and ultimate fighters all consent to be assaulted, and therefore, there is no crime. However, while a hockey player has consent for a certain level of physical contact, there is a scope to that consent. Sucker punching another player exceeds the scope of this consent, and is in fact a criminal act. That these crimes are not enforced baffles me, and I can see no justifiable reason why. And I'm an attorney btw.
2013-12-17 07:05:13 · answer #4 · answered by Neil 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the same reason that boxers and ultimate fighters aren't arrested for fighting in organized practices and competitions.
If a hockey player gets in a fight in a bar, he can get arrested like anyone else.
2007-03-09 10:08:11 · answer #5 · answered by rinkrat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
legally it is called the "Mutual Combat Clause"
This reflects that in sports both participants are willing. This also applies if you and some punk step out behind a bar to throw down. You might get arrested for Disorderly Conduct but you won't be charged with Assault.
Now, breaking someones neck or striking them across the face is not something a hockey player has a "Reasonable Expectation" to have happen. In other words, Moore or Hollweg did not agree to have these things happen to them. That is why Steve Moore is suing and Hollweg could. BTW Bertuzzi did face assault charges and Chris Simon could if Hollweg pressed charges.
2007-03-09 06:56:59 · answer #6 · answered by Pooky Bear the Sensitive 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
For fighting? Gee what next arrest American Football players for TACKLING each other? Yeah I can see asking about the players that go out and dude crap like what was done last night. As a general rule though if you arrested Hockey Players you would have to arrest Boxers.
2007-03-09 07:40:18 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I hope you get beat by a rogue hockey player.
Gimme a break, it's part of the game. And "bump" ha let me bump you. Listen fighting is a product of not being able to get in a hit "legally" sometimes the opportunities to retaliate don't present themselves.
Also dude c'mon it's hockey that's part of the game and every one of those players knows it.
2007-03-09 07:02:49 · answer #8 · answered by bourgoise_10o 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well like everyone says, it's part of the game, allways has ben and allways will be(hopefully). But the main reason is, Who is going to press charges? ? ? ? Without that happening there will be no arrests. Mcsorely had charges pressed against him when he hit Brashear in the head with his stick. . . . . he was found guilty of assult with a weapon and given 18 months probation.
2007-03-09 07:33:47 · answer #9 · answered by bolton510 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Oh they get arrested. But sometimes it's for something unrelated to hockey. Anyone remember Mike Danton and the foiled murder plot?
2007-03-10 04:41:46 · answer #10 · answered by jrbill4life 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋