Law 38: Flagrant Foul

A flagrant foul violates the spirit of fair play and by nature or severity exceeds a personal or disruptive foul.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.1.1 · recall

A reckless, violent or dangerous act that causes or may cause injury is a flagrant criterion.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.1.1 · recall

Excessive, hard contact in an effort to play the ball or an opponent is a flagrant criterion.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.1.1 · applied

Not a legitimate basketball play against an opponent, with or without the ball, is a flagrant criterion.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.1.1 · applied

Risking injury is enough; harm need not follow.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.1.1 · applied

Flagrant fouls must be interpreted consistently throughout the game, judging only the action.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.1.2 · recall

Stopping a break with unnecessary contact is a disruptive criterion, not a flagrant one.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 37.1.1, 38.1.1 · applied

A violent act that can injure is flagrant: free throws, then the throw-in.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38 · applied

A disruptive foul exceeds a personal one; a flagrant foul exceeds both.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 37.1.1, 38.1.1 · recall

An elbow swung into the head is violent and may injure; the others are personal fouls.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.1.1 · applied

A flagrant foul is charged against the offender and counts as one of the team fouls.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.2.1 · recall

The flagrant penalty sets its own free throws, whatever the team-foul count.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.2.2 · recall

At the start of the first quarter the free throws are followed by the jump ball in the centre circle.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.2.2 · applied

Two flagrant fouls bring a game disqualification.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.2.3 · recall

That flagrant foul is the only foul penalised; nothing extra is given for the disqualification.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.2.4 · recall

The routes to disqualification count category 1 technicals and flagrant fouls; category 2 is left out.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 36.2.1, 38.2.3 · applied

A made goal stands and 1 free throw is added, then the frontcourt throw-in.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.2.2 · applied

Missed 2-pointer: 2 free throws, then the frontcourt throw-in.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.2 · applied

Two flagrants disqualify; that flagrant's own penalty is all that is given.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.2.3, 38.2.4 · applied

A5 was not shooting: 2 free throws, then Team A throws in from its frontcourt line.

Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 38.2.2 · applied