What is a disruptive foul, and what is the penalty?

A disruptive foul (FIBA Article 37, new in 2026) is illegal contact that isn't serious enough to be flagrant but disrupts the flow of the game and puts the opponent at a disadvantage. It replaces part of the old unsportsmanlike foul. The criteria are:

1. Stopping a transition: unnecessary contact by a defender, not legitimately trying to play the ball directly, to stop the offence's progress in transition (until the attacker starts the act of shooting).
2. Stopping the clock late: unnecessary contact by a defender anywhere on the court, not legitimately trying to play the ball directly, to stop the game clock or shot clock at the end of a quarter or overtime.
3. Clear path from behind or the side: illegal contact from behind or laterally on an opponent heading for the basket with no opponents between them and the basket, while they have the ball, are trying to gain it, or a pass to them has been released (until the act of shooting starts).

Penalty

• Charged to the offender as a player foul and a team foul (scoresheet "DI"). It does not count towards game disqualification.
• Free throws: 2 if not shooting; basket counts plus 1 if shooting and it goes in; 2 or 3 if shooting and it misses.
• Then a throw-in from the throw-in line in the team's frontcourt, opposite the scorer's table.