“Common sense is needed in such situations”

The score wouldn't be a surprise, considering that the Mogliano's have previously lost by huge scores: 157-13, 81-16 or 118-10. What started the scandal is the fact that the winning team posted on social media a picture of the joy after the game.

Those who saw the post immediately entered the comments section and charged the gesture: “Bad example of sportsmanship. What are the children learning?”, “It's hard for me to be proud when I see something like this”, were some of the reactions of the users on the Facebook platform.

Reactions divided after shock score in Italy U17 basketball championship: 'Put his hands in his pocket and stop playing?' / “You need common sense in such situations”

The controversy surrounding this match has been commented on by the parties involved. The Mogliano coach said that the goal of this team “is not to win, but to give everyone the chance to play sports”, quickly closing the topic, according to the Italian publication La Stampa.

Alesandro Zorzi, the president of Polisportiva Casale, said that he does not consider it a lack of respect: “I come from rugby and I was taught that respect for the opponent is shown by playing to the maximum potential. Is it more humiliating to play to the maximum potential and win by a large margin or to stop and not play?”

The Italian Rugby Federation should introduce a rule allowing the referee to stop play if superiority is clear. What should the boys have done? To put his hands in his pocket and stop playing? We should reconsider registering teams of this level in the competition if the final scores show an astronomical difference every weekend”

The president of the local basketball association, Fabio Coldebella, contradicts Alessandro Zorzi: “What is the point of continuing if you have reached your goal and by a big margin? Common sense is needed in such situations!”, Coldebella said, according to the source cited earlier.