Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe SAN FRANCISCO, March 23 (UPI) -- San Francisco high schools have banned post-game handshakes from girls' soccer games, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday. In addition, "All soccer players will be barred from saying a single word to their opponents, opposing coaches or officials upon the conclusion of every soccer game,'' Donald Collins, the school district's high school athletic commissioner, said in an e-mail sent this week to all coaches and referees. Advertisement The decree followed a string of incidents in which players reportedly used end-of-game rituals to call names, slap hands too hard, and even purposefully strike one another. Any player who speaks to an opposing team member or coach will be subject to penalty "even if they are engaged in benign dialogue or other benign activities,'' the commissioner said. The announcement has been criticized by some coaches, referees and students. "The whole purpose of soccer or sports is to have these kids learn to control their tempers under adversity, and we're going to cut that out?" said league referee Jan Leja. "What's the use of having sports?"
