Donald Young Warned for Cursing After Uttering 'Son of a Biscuit' (VIDEO)
Tennis player Donald Young was annoyed after receiving a cursing warning for muttering "son of a biscuit" during the Sarasota Open on Tuesday, April 15.
Chair Umpire Keith Crossland warned the athlete that cursing on the court was illegal, to which Young replied with confusion, since his outburst was not exactly explicit.
"I said biscuit man, come on Keith, don't even give me crap for that, man, please, I said 'son of a biscuit,' that's a problem? That's a problem now," Young responded.
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Profanity on the tennis court is a common offense among athletes, and Young blurred the lines of the rule by using the word "biscuit." Although the outburst occurred during a frustrating moment in round 1 for Young, the player went on to win the match against Alexander Zverev 6-4 and 7-5. Considering the close scores, it is apparent Young was under duress, resulting in his flare-up.
Profanity in sports is widely censored, and sports programs including those on ESPN go to great lengths to omit the vulgar language. In the NBA, athletes are given a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct, which can include the use of profanity.
Profanity is not the only problem on the field, court or golf course. Last year, the NFL considered implementing a 15-yard penalty for any players who use racial slurs on the field. A second violation could result in an ejections.
Nevertheless, in 2012, the Supreme Court ruled against a government crackdown on broadcast profanity and nudity, saying that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had not given fair notice of its policy change in three high-profile incidents. However, broadcasters are still fined for airing a single expletive on a live show and for brief nudity. The FCC content policy applies only to broadcast television and radio though, not cable or satellite channels.
