While I may be a social player in that I play petanque purely for the enjoyment of the game.

I played a few competitive games and found the lack of sportsmanship not to my liking

Having read a newspaper article recently it suggested that cheating is part of the game.

Am I showing my Anglo-Saxon background in thinking my personal integrity is more important than a game of petanque?

Or is cheating considered legitimate in petanque?

If I were to suspect a player of cheating, I'd point it out (diplomatically). If it occurred another time, I'd end the game immediately and never play against that person again, making a very vocal (I'm a New Yorker) presentation of the fact that so-and-so cheated by a particular method.

Petanque - like any other game - should be played fairly - and none of us should be cheated out of the experience by some jerk who has such a fragile ego that they can't stand to lose against a better opponent.