# Has pepper spray been used before on the sports field? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 30, 2024, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pepper-spray-been-used-before-on-the-sports-field/1010994 "2024-11-30T22:05:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2024, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pepper-spray-been-used-before-on-the-sports-field/1010994/1 "2024-11-30T22:05:03Z")
Reading about Michigan upsetting favoured Ohio State. The article implies that emotions ran so high that **pepper spray was used to separate the two teams.** _It took several minutes for stadium security and police to separate the two teams, with pepper spray being dispersed to get the situation under control, according to multiple media reports._ _The television broadcast showed players wiping their eyes and coughing in the aftermath of the brawl._ **Has this happened before in American sports?**. I refereed ethnic soccer games at many levels for many years, but never saw anything like this… > **[Brawl ensues after Michigan deals stunning upset loss to rival Ohio State | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/30/sport/brawl-mars-michigan-upset-of-rival-ohio-state-spt-intl/index.html)** > > An ugly brawl after the final whistle marred Michigan’s shocking upset win over rival Ohio State, who entered the game at the No. 2 team in the nation. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2024, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pepper-spray-been-used-before-on-the-sports-field/1010994/2 "2024-11-30T22:37:49Z")
I don’t know specifically about pepper spray, but a 2006 game between Miami and Floriday International definitely got out of hand, and the cops had to break things up. > **[FIU–Miami football brawl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIU%E2%80%93Miami_football_brawl#:~:text=The%20FIU%E2%80%93Miami%20football%20brawl,in%20Miami%2C%20Florida%2C%20United%20States)** > > The FIU–Miami football brawl was a bench-clearing brawl that occurred on October 14, 2006, during a college football game between the University of Miami Hurricanes and the Florida International University Golden Panthers (now Panthers) at the Miami Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, United States. > The main campuses of Florida International University (FIU) and the University of Miami (Miami) are only nine miles (15 km) apart. FIU is a public university located in western Miami, playing at FIU Stadi... ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2024, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pepper-spray-been-used-before-on-the-sports-field/1010994/3 "2024-11-30T23:08:05Z")
The game of football evolved in the late 19th century from an activity that was very violent and at times resembled a gang rumble more than a sport. Pepper spray as we know it now had not been invented in those days but I wouldn’t be surprised if the local constabulary used any weapons they had available to deal with the mob and protect themselves. The brawl at the Michigan-Ohio game was reminiscent of those days. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2024, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pepper-spray-been-used-before-on-the-sports-field/1010994/4 "2024-11-30T23:34:41Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > **Has this happened before in American sports?**. At least, in major, high-level sports, like Division 1 college football (or a major pro sport): no, not the best of my knowledge, and at least not on the field, against the players themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pepper-spray-been-used-before-on-the-sports-field/1010994/5 "2024-12-01T16:18:52Z")
Who made the decision that this was the smartest play? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pepper-spray-been-used-before-on-the-sports-field/1010994/6 "2024-12-01T16:34:19Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Who made the decision that this was the smartest play Using pepper spray? Currently under investigation, in fact. > **[Ohio St. police probe pepper spray use in melee](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/42703166/police-probing-use-pepper-spray-ohio-state-michigan-melee)** > > A brawl broke out between Michigan and Ohio State players after the Wolverines planted their flag at midfield in the Horseshoe following their upset of the second-ranked Buckeyes. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pepper-spray-been-used-before-on-the-sports-field/1010994/7 "2024-12-02T05:06:13Z")
Expensive little fracas… > **[Big Ten fines Michigan, Ohio State $100k each for postgame brawl | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/01/us/michigan-ohio-state-football-fight-intl/index.html)** > > The Big Ten Conference has fined Michigan and Ohio State $100k each for their involvement in Saturday’s postgame brawl, the conference announced. ---
**Author:** ![Kitten\_Mitten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b782af/32.png) [@Kitten\_Mitten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitten_Mitten)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pepper-spray-been-used-before-on-the-sports-field/1010994/8 "2024-12-02T21:48:00Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Expensive little fracas… They deserve it. The Other School is always complaining about everything to the Big Ten office, even when they have instigated stuff. So, just desserts. Suck it wolvies ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2024, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-pepper-spray-been-used-before-on-the-sports-field/1010994/9 "2024-12-03T05:34:14Z")
Wandering o/t a bit - forget pepper spray;Texas has seen nine acts of gun violence at school sporting events since 2018, according to the Center for Homeland Defense and Security. There were 14 shootings at high school football games nationwide last season.