# Players shaking hands with sports officials

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/players-shaking-hands-with-sports-officials/964902>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [May 22, 2022, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/players-shaking-hands-with-sports-officials/964902 "2022-05-22T22:12:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2022, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/players-shaking-hands-with-sports-officials/964902/1 "2022-05-22T22:12:52Z")

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In what sports is it traditional to shake hands with (or otherwise congratulate) the officials - generally for a “job well done” - usually after the event?

Tennis - both players (in a singles match) at least touch the hand of the Chair Umpire after a match. I’m not sure about doubles - do all four players follow the protocol?

Soccer - after a game, don’t the players usually shake hands with the head referee?

I can’t imagine baseball players congratulating the home plate umpire after a game.  
Hockey, North American football - same thing.

Other sports?

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**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2022, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/players-shaking-hands-with-sports-officials/964902/2 "2022-05-22T22:59:53Z")

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> [@Mark\_Finn](#):
>
> Soccer - after a game, don’t the players usually shake hands with the head referee?

Yes, at least the team captains usually do, and after an uneventful game maybe other players too. Also the team managers. Can fall trough though if there have been disputable calls.

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**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2022, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/players-shaking-hands-with-sports-officials/964902/3 "2022-05-22T23:04:55Z")

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Cricket  
Australian Rules  
Field Hockey  
Both Rugby League and Union

In fact isn’t that convention the norm in all the British origin sports et al, or bluntly essentially only the North American sports who don’t?

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**Author:** ![Tierce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@Tierce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tierce)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2022, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/players-shaking-hands-with-sports-officials/964902/4 "2022-05-23T04:28:57Z")

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Fencing (at least pre-COVID).