Violence in sports: When does it become a legal

[Bleacher Creature]

Isn't it about time to end the protection that sports has enjoyed through the years, when it comes to how on field-ice-court fighting and assaults are handled?

What Bertuzzi did was a flat out assault. In the "real world" he would have been arrested.

Bill Romanoski's attack on his teammate should also be dealt with in criminal court.

Thoughts???

[jhanke]

In the major cases I agree, but face it not all fights land people in jail. Most get broken up and the people fighting get thrown out of the bar. Most player violence is not that serious, even the fights in Hockey. When it is then litigation should take place. I think you need to keep in mind the intensity that these people work under and the type of men they are.

[madyaks]

Just because it happens on the ice doesn't mean they should be above the law.

If I can be arrested for hitting you in a bar fight, they should also know that they can be arrested at a hockey game.

The same discretion used by a cop in a bar fight should be used on the ice.

If it is a little push and shove, maybe a swing but no one is hurt, if both parties agree a cop should maybe let it go.
If it is a major fist fight, people are hurt, there should be an arrest, even if the guy who gets the worst of it says not to arrest the other guy they should.