To attack an opponent instead of attacking the ball, which is usually being controlled by the attacked player at the time.
To object to someone's argument by attacking them or a facet of their personality instead of the argument itself; to make an ad hominem attack.

""What we are seeing is an orchestrated campaign from the Labor Party to try to play the man and not the ball," he said... " this is the kind of personal attack that we are going to see from the Labor Party right up until polling day.""

Translation

Find a translation for the play the man and not the ball phrase in other languages:

العب الرجل وليس الكرة

jugar al hombre y no a la pelota

jouer l'homme et non le ballon

आदमी खेलते हैं और गेंद नहीं

gioca l'uomo e non la palla

공이 아니라 남자를한다

играть человеком, а не мячом

మనిషిని ఆడుకోండి బంతి కాదు

آدمی کو کھیلنا اور گیند نہیں

打男人而不是打球

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    "play the man and not the ball." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/idioms/play-the-man-and-not-the-ball>.

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    You can't have your ____ and eat it too.
    A Cake
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    D Bologna