Spitting the dummy: A history of spitting in sport

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky spits water before the second period against the New Jersey Devils . Photo / AP

Liverpool great and football analyst Jamie Carragher was suspended by Sky UK overnight after being filmed spitting in the direction of a 14-year-old girl through his car window.

Here's a look at other spitting incidents involving sportspeople.

SPITTING AT A FAN

It's a bad idea to spit at a fan (of the cooling apparatus with rotating blades variety or the team supporter one). Liverpool - yes that club again - striker El-Hadji Diouf was hit with a two match ban and fined two weeks wages after hoiking at a Celtic fan late in a UEFA Cup match. Diouf ended up making a donation of £60,000 to a Glasgow charity of Celtic's choice.

NOT IN THE FACE

NFL hall of famer Terrell Owens crossed the line when he spat in the face of rival D'Angelo Hall before a game in 2006. Playing for the Cowboys, Owens allegedly spat at the Falcons cornerback in the opening stages of the game.

"We were kind of walking face to face, and he just hauled off and spit in my face. I lost all respect for the guy, man, after that," Hall told ESPN.

"That's like the No. 1 thing in the National Football League. You don't spit in another grown man's face," Hall added.

Really the number one thing?

THE SPIT OF A TIGER

After all the achievements and off field dramas during Tiger Woods' golf career, this incident is often forgotten. Woods was found guilty of breaking the European Tour's code of conduct after spitting during the Dubai Desert Classic. You'd think golfers could get away with the odd spit into the rough but Woods sprayed on the green.

"The Euro Tour is right - it was inconsiderate to spit like that and I know better," Woods said on Twitter at the time. "Just wasn't thinking and want to say I'm sorry."

Woods, who has a reported net worth of more than US$700m, was fined between US$400 and US$16,000 for a minor breach.

IN THE HAIR

Dutch midfielder Frank Rijkaard and West Germany's Rudi Voller were both sent off in their second round clash at the 1990 Football World Cup after Rijkaard spat into the back of Voller's head. Moments after Rijkaard was sent off for a late tackle on the Dutch keeper, Rijkaard gave him a send off but spitting into his curly hair. Voller was then sent from the field as well.

ON THE HALLOW TURF

Romanian tennis player Victor Hanescu was fined $7500 after spitting towards spectators at Wimbledon in 2010. Sure it was only court 18 but it's still Wimbledon. Hanescu asked for the match to be stopped at around 8.20pm due to fading light but was refused by the match umpire. Fans started to turn on the 31st seed who spat in their direction. He was handed a code violation, only to forfeit the match a game later claiming a thigh injury.

TENNIS AGAIN

Argentine player Juan Ignacio Chela was hit with a US$2000 fine after spitting at Aussie opponent Lleyton Hewitt during the 2005 Australian Open.

Chela claimed he wasn't spitting at towards the Aussie.

"It's sad something like that happens. But at the end of the day, he apologised at the net when we shook hands. I said: 'Just forget about it, mate'," Hewitt said after the match.