Sports and Sports Rules

Rules are defined as a set of explicit regulations that govern conduct within a particular activity. Whether you are playing basketball, baseball, volleyball or any other sport, there are rules in place. If you have ever been frustrated by a rule you think is unnecessary, you may be interested to learn about the importance of rules.
Low Blows
In sports, a low blow is an improper maneuver that gives a player an unfair advantage. Rules are important because they prevent low blows from occurring and ensure that a player does not obtain an unfair advantage in a sport. The term originated in boxing, describing a hit that lands below a boxer's waistline . A boxer is penalized for a low blow because hitting another boxer in the genitalia is not sportsmanlike, and an unfair way to gain the upper hand in a boxing match. Other sports have rules preventing low blows as well. For example, if a basketball player hits another player when attempting to wrestle away the ball he is called for a foul, because it is an unfair way to gain possession of the ball.
Framework
On a fundamental level, rules provide a framework for all players and define the game that you are playing. For example, if you are playing basketball and you wish to approach the opponent's net, rules dictate how you can travel down the court: You must continuously dribble the ball, rather than simply holding the ball as you run down the court. Players must learn the rules of a sport so they know how to properly interact with the sports equipment and other players, and so everyone is on the same page when playing.
Objective
Rules in sports provide you with an objective to strive toward. For example, in football your objective is to score points against the opposing team. Typically, you may attempt a touchdown for six points, or a field goal for three points. Rules also dictate how to score points: they determine how many yards you must run to reach the end zone, the size of the end zone and the width between the field goal posts. For these reasons, rules describe your objective and how you may achieve it when playing a sport.
Considerations
It is important to note that certain populations may implement different rules when playing the same game. For example, the women playing in the WNBA have a 3-point line that is closer to the rim than men in the NBA, because on average men have a further shooting range than women. It is not essential that an absolute set of rules be implemented across all populations for a given sport, but rather that all players in a game are familiar with and agree to a given set of rules beforehand. This ensures that in each game, everyone understands how to play the sport and is on an equal playing field.