Sexual assault? It qualifies by any reasonable definition of the term but hitting someone in the nuts seems more like regular assault. And for good or ill, a lot of stuff happens in sports that would be considered assault in any other context. If you chase someone down while hitting them with a stick it’s definitely assault, unless you’re playing lacrosse. Then it’s a legal move. Rugby is a riot over someone trying to steal a ball. And then there’s boxing.

No one is claiming that Vinnie Jones wasn’t a serious asshole on the field. He was a goon. That’s part of sports. It’s not a good part, but here we are.