How to prevent water polo violence?

Answer 1

A previous "answerer" wrote ..

Water polo is a non-contact sport, therefore correct and strong refereeing will prevent violence occurring

This is simply WRONG, and it misses the point.

Water Polo is a very physical contact sport. The manner of play and kinds of contact are similar to Basketball and team handball. Physical play is constant, and penalized only when it takes away advantage, or when it crosses the line into violence. Most specifically, it is perfectly legal to impede, hold, sink or pullback a player holding on to the ball .. see rules 20.9 and 21.8. Think Rugby or hockey, not soccer.

However, there is a huge difference between contact and violence. To make violence the responsibility of the referee is getting it backwards. Violence is prevented through good parenting and good coaching, particularly around keeping composure. The nature of the sport is that incidental contact happens. The vast majority of violent incidents start when the recipient of something incidental takes it personally, reciprocates, and it escalates.

The way to prevent violence in water polo is for parents and coaches to teach players to not be violent.