If someone is asked to not do something (follow a rule) and the rule is reasonable and not harming that person but that person explicitly and intentionally ignores the request and does it anyway, that person should face a consequence. IMO
You can argue about the consequence (the fine, the amount, etc.). But can we agree that deliberate antagonistic actions warrant consequences?
I'm not sure i'd call it aggressive, the way he said it was more playful, in his typical cocky way. Of course it was still stupid and immature and classic Moutet behavior. I've come to appreciate him though, not for his antics, but for his game.
Saying “fuck, fuck, fuck” with a smile in your voice and a wink is neither obscene or aggressive (or aggravated). Moutet is a scamp and perhaps a flirt but he was gleeful that he had won his match and beaten a great player. Stupid overreaction by a sport that wishes it were golf.
I counted 5 at the time, so that's only $8,000 apiece to use an f-bomb on TV. Bargain!
Perhaps the ATP was having a "Fifth one free" promotion?
Seriously, Moutet deserved the penalty but perhaps the ATP should do what Sweden does with traffic tickets, make the penalty proportionate to income? Surely this merits less punishment than any of, say, Djokovic's outbursts that risked injury to ball kids, linespeople and fans?
This actually boggles the mind -- what kind of pearl-clutching 89-year old viewer does the ATP design their profanity rules for? What a dismaying way to deprive an athlete of all their prize money, in a sport where most of the loot goes to a small slice of players at the very top.
It was at a live event where children might be attending (the mic was live to the crowd), broadcast live on a TV channel during the day before the “watershed” when children could be watching, he was asked not to twice, and still he did it.
Does the US approve of swearing at any time on TV?
It was a typically stupid act by Moutet. And he will pay the price.
I’ve been hearing a lot more cursing by elected officials in the past year and it doesn’t bother me. There’s no law against it but in this sport there happens to be one— though the cursing thing probably has more to do with live broadcast TV regulations. In sport you have to have rules and there have to be some consequences for breaking them. We can (and do) argue forever about whether a particular instance of invoking the rules was fair and whether the penalties were fair. We can argue about what the rules should be. But I don’t think we can expect officials to laugh it off when a player flouts the rules intentionally. Cursing isn’t comparable to putting a ballkid or linesperson in danger, but in some ways it can be seen as more of a “F**k-you to the game itself.
It's in line with the ATP Code of Conduct (on the ATP site: p253/4). Unsportsmanlike conduct has a $40k fine at ATP 500 events, and the rules are written to include post-match interviews.
If someone is asked to not do something (follow a rule) and the rule is reasonable and not harming that person but that person explicitly and intentionally ignores the request and does it anyway, that person should face a consequence. IMO
You can argue about the consequence (the fine, the amount, etc.). But can we agree that deliberate antagonistic actions warrant consequences?
I agree and think this is the salient point here. This was an aggressive, first-degree offense.
I'm not sure i'd call it aggressive, the way he said it was more playful, in his typical cocky way. Of course it was still stupid and immature and classic Moutet behavior. I've come to appreciate him though, not for his antics, but for his game.
Maybe “aggravated” was what fits better there…this was not a typical audible obscenity violation, for sure.
Saying “fuck, fuck, fuck” with a smile in your voice and a wink is neither obscene or aggressive (or aggravated). Moutet is a scamp and perhaps a flirt but he was gleeful that he had won his match and beaten a great player. Stupid overreaction by a sport that wishes it were golf.
I counted 5 at the time, so that's only $8,000 apiece to use an f-bomb on TV. Bargain!
Perhaps the ATP was having a "Fifth one free" promotion?
Seriously, Moutet deserved the penalty but perhaps the ATP should do what Sweden does with traffic tickets, make the penalty proportionate to income? Surely this merits less punishment than any of, say, Djokovic's outbursts that risked injury to ball kids, linespeople and fans?
This actually boggles the mind -- what kind of pearl-clutching 89-year old viewer does the ATP design their profanity rules for? What a dismaying way to deprive an athlete of all their prize money, in a sport where most of the loot goes to a small slice of players at the very top.
It was at a live event where children might be attending (the mic was live to the crowd), broadcast live on a TV channel during the day before the “watershed” when children could be watching, he was asked not to twice, and still he did it.
Does the US approve of swearing at any time on TV?
It was a typically stupid act by Moutet. And he will pay the price.
The match was during the school day, so I guess the innocent children learned *something* that day
I’ve been hearing a lot more cursing by elected officials in the past year and it doesn’t bother me. There’s no law against it but in this sport there happens to be one— though the cursing thing probably has more to do with live broadcast TV regulations. In sport you have to have rules and there have to be some consequences for breaking them. We can (and do) argue forever about whether a particular instance of invoking the rules was fair and whether the penalties were fair. We can argue about what the rules should be. But I don’t think we can expect officials to laugh it off when a player flouts the rules intentionally. Cursing isn’t comparable to putting a ballkid or linesperson in danger, but in some ways it can be seen as more of a “F**k-you to the game itself.
How old is he? He acts like a 5th grader!
He definitely knew what he was doing. Whether we like it or not, swearing is prevalent today and more commonplace. Fining him is a bit absurd.
It's in line with the ATP Code of Conduct (on the ATP site: p253/4). Unsportsmanlike conduct has a $40k fine at ATP 500 events, and the rules are written to include post-match interviews.
Did he ever get fined for stripping down his shorts in court?
I can’t get too worked up by a bit of swearing. Very immature, and a bit too early in the day I suppose, but there’s worse crimes.
…like the ATP tacitly promoting gambling to the “innocent children” and gambling addicts!
I mean, I watch football/soccer which has been entirely taken over by gambling companies so I barely notice it in tennis, but yes.