Unsportsmanlike conduct Unsportsmanlike conduct ( also called unsporting behaviour or ungentlemanly conduct ) is a foul or offense in many sports that violates the sport ' s generally accepted rules of sportsmanship and / or participant conduct . Examples include verbal abuse or taunting of an opponent , an excessive celebration following a scoring play , or feigning injury . The official rules of many sports include a catch - all provision whereby participants or an entire team may be penalized or otherwise sanctioned for unsportsmanlike conduct . Examples . In American football , unsportsmanlike conduct results in a 15 - yard penalty , assessed after the completion of a play . When it occurs after a scoring play , the 15 yards are assessed on the kickoff . Situations that can incur such a penalty include excessive celebrations after plays , often involving props or multiple players or engaging in taunting against an opponent . Referees can also call unsportsmanlike conduct if a player purposely removes his helmet anywhere in the field of play during or in between plays , or if a substitute leaves the team bench during a fight . Unsportsmanlike conduct can also lead to players being ejected from the game . The referee signals unsportsmanlike conduct by holding his arms outstretched with palms facing downward . Coaches can also be hit with unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for taunting or arguing with officials ( although the latter instance is seldom enforced ) , one of the few times a coach ' s actions can be penalized outside of the rare palpably unfair act penalty . In association football , unsporting behaviour is punishable by a yellow card under law 12 of the laws of the game , the accumulation of which can lead to suspension of the offending player for a number of subsequent matches , the exact number of cards and matches varying by jurisdiction . Popular examples include extravagant celebration ( such as covering one ' s head with one ' s jersey or removing it over the head ) and simulating actions intended to deceive the referee , also known as diving . In basketball , such misconduct is penalized by a " technical " foul as opposed to a " personal " foul . The technical foul is akin to a caution in that two such fouls warrant an expulsion , although egregious conduct will be immediately assessed two consecutive technical fouls . Unsportsmanlike conduct also includes attempts by players of match fixing , which has seen teams deliberately lose ( a thrown game ) or achieve draws or select scores , in order to receive a more favorable knockout bracket or a higher draft pick . In tennis , such conduct is categorized as a " code violation " . Examples include racket abuse ( intentionally throwing a racket or using it to strike an object other than the ball ) , ball abuse ( intentionally hitting or throwing the ball into the stands outside of normal play ) , or intentionally shouting during a point in order to distract an opponent . Penalties vary based on the organizers of the match and / or tournament and usually start with a verbal warning for a first violation , and forfeiture of a point , game , or a match for additional violations . In cricket , such behavior is considered to be violating the " spirit of the game " . The preamble to the " Laws of Cricket " state certain actions which may violate the spirit of cricket . A more detailed list ( along with appropriate sanctions ) is given in the ICC Player ' s Code of Conduct . In ice hockey , unsportsmanlike conduct is defined in Rule 75 of National Hockey League Rule Book .