Rules of Ultimate

13. Turnovers

13.1. A turnover that transfers possession of the disc from one team to the other occurs when:
1. 13.1.1. the disc contacts the ground while it is not in the possession of an offensive player (a “down”);
  
  Annotation: Disc down while not in possession of an offensive player
  
  It is not a turnover if a player fumbles the disc prior to fully establishing possession when attempting to gain possession of the disc after a turnover, or after a pull that has already contacted the ground (see rule 8.1.4).
  
  Steinar's comment (unofficial!): Intentional and accidental drops
  
  Intentional drops (while play is live) count as downs, since the definition of throw includes intentional drops. There is an exception in intentional drops right after turnovers, interceptions or pulls (for instance while you carry it to the pivot spot); see 13.6 and annotation.
  
  Drops after fakes (you try to fake, but the force makes the disc slip out of your fingers and it hits the ground) also count as downs, by the same definition. (You cannot rescue those drops through a self-catch either; see 13.2.5.)
  
  Dropping the disc while in the process of picking it up from the ground (or similar) is not a down; by the annotation above.
  
  Dropping the disc after an injury call is not a turnover (19.1.4), but note that the rule needs you to have established the possession before you drop the disc (see annotation on 12.1.1 for discussion).
  
  A disc that touches the ground while you're holding it (e.g. grazing the grass during a large windup) is not a turnover (13.1.1 does not apply, since you are maintaining possession).
  
  Finally, drops that just come out of nowhere are not throws and thus not passes, so you can attempt to rescue them (see annotation on 13.2.5), but they are still downs if they do hit the ground, since you are no longer in possession of the disc.
  1. 13.1.1.1. however it is not “down” if a receiver catches a pass before the disc contacts the ground, and maintains the catch while the disc is in contact with the ground.
    
    Annotation: Disc contacting the ground while in control of an offensive player
    
    If a receiver dives to receive a pass and catches the disc before it hits the ground, the disc can contact the ground after that, and still be “up”, as long as the player maintains the catch while the disc is touching the ground. The receiver can change the body parts that are being used to trap the disc, and as long as the disc continues to be trapped by at least one of those sets of body parts during that change, it is considered the same catch. If the receiver has pinched the disc between their fingers, and when the disc hits the ground it caused the disc to move and to no longer be pinched in the same spot, that is not a ‘maintained catch’ and therefore a turnover.
    
    If, after catching a disc that then contacts the ground, the receiver subsequently loses control while the disc is no longer touching the ground, the earlier catch is not negated - the disc can still be caught by any player.
2. 13.1.2. a defensive player establishes possession of a pass (an “interception”);
  
  Annotation: Interception turnover
  
  If a defender from Team A intercepts a pass while airborne and throws the disc before the contact the ground, and the pass is incomplete, that is a turnover by Team A and Team B would become the team is possession.
  
  Extra: A defender can intentionally hit a pass towards their endzone, but if they subsequently contact the disc before it hits the ground, this is a travel as per rule 18.2.5.5.
3. 13.1.3. the disc becomes out-of-bounds (an “out-of-bounds” or “out”); or
4. 13.1.4. during the pull, the offence touches the disc before it hits the ground, and subsequently fails to establish possession of the disc (a “dropped pull”).
  
  Annotation: Contested dropped pull
  
  If a “dropped pull” is contested the pulling team may choose to repeat the pull or retract the call.
13.2. A turnover that transfers possession of the disc from one team to the other, and results in a stoppage of play, occurs when:
1. 13.2.1. there is an accepted offensive receiving foul;
2. 13.2.2. the thrower has not released the disc before the marker first starts to say the word “ten” in the stall count (a “stall-out”);
3. 13.2.3. the disc is intentionally transferred from one offensive player to another without ever being completely untouched by both players (a “handover”);
4. 13.2.4. the thrower intentionally deflects a pass to themselves off another player (a “deflection”);
5. 13.2.5. in attempting a pass, the thrower catches the disc after release prior to the disc being contacted by another player (a “self-catch”);
  
  Annotation: Self-catch turnovers
  
  What: The thrower accidentally releases the disc while pivoting, and then catches it again, without any other player touching the disc.
  
  Result: This is not a self-catch turnover. The marker can continue the stall count. If the thrower has moved their pivot foot a travel infraction can be called.
  
  Why: A self-catch turnover can only occur after the thrower has attempted a pass. A pass is defined (under Throw) as “A disc in flight following any throwing motion, including after a fake attempt and an intentionally dropped disc, that results in loss of contact between the thrower and the disc”. As the disc was not in flight after a throwing motion or fake attempt, no pass has occurred and therefore 13.2.5 does not apply.
  
  Extra: If the disc is accidentally released during the throwing motion as part of a fake attempt, the thrower cannot catch the disc unless it has been touched by another player.
  
  The thrower may touch a disc they have thrown, for example to prevent an opponent from catching it, or to tap it to a teammate.
  
  If the thrower does catch their own pass, the turnover location is where the thrower is when they caught the pass.
6. 13.2.6. an offensive player intentionally assists a team-mate’s movement to catch a pass; or
  
  Annotation: Assisting a team-mate’s movement
  
  A player is prohibited from intentionally pushing off of a teammate to jump higher.
7. 13.2.7. an offensive player uses an item of equipment or object to assist in catching a pass.
13.3. If a player determines a turnover has occurred they must make the appropriate call immediately. If the opposition disagrees they may call “contest” and play must stop. If, after discussion, players cannot agree or it is unclear what occurred in the play, the disc must be returned to the last non-disputed thrower.
13.4. After a “stall-out” call:

Annotation: Contesting a “stall-out” turnover

A “stall out” turnover should typically only be contested by the thrower.

If the stall count was fast from 1-5, but then the correct speed for the remainder of the count, the thrower cannot contest the stall-out on the grounds that is was a fast count.
Annotation: Continuing play after an accepted “stall out”

The marker from Team A calling the stall out gets the disc where the stall occurred and then may either:
1. place the disc on the ground. After acknowledgment by Team A, the former thrower from Team B loudly announces “Disc in”, or
2. retain the disc and have the former thrower from Team B restart play with a check
Extra: A marker should not automatically call “stall-out” because they got to the count of ten. They should be certain that the disc was not yet released and that their count wasn't fast.
1. 13.4.1. If the thrower still has possession of the disc, but they believe a fast count occurred in such a manner that they did not have a reasonable opportunity to call fast count before a stall-out, the play is treated as either an accepted defensive breach (9.5.1) or a contested stall-out (9.5.3).
2. 13.4.2. If the thrower made a completed pass, the thrower can contest if they believe it was not a “stall-out”, or there was a fast count immediately prior to the “stall-out”.
3. 13.4.3. If the thrower contests a stall-out but also attempts a pass, and the pass is incomplete, then the turnover stands and play restarts with a check.
13.5. Any offensive player may take possession of the disc after a turnover, except:
1. 13.5.1. after an “interception” turnover, in which case the player who made the interception must maintain possession; and
  
  Annotation: Ground stripped interception
  
  If, in attempting to intercept a pass, a defender from Team A loses control of the disc due to ground contact, or accidentally drops the disc, then possession is deemed to have not been established and any player on Team A may take possession of the disc.
2. 13.5.2. after an offensive receiving foul, in which case the fouled player must take possession.
13.6. If the player in possession after a turnover, or after a pull that has already hit the ground, intentionally drops the disc, places the disc on the ground, or transfers possession of the disc, they must re-establish possession and restart play with a check.

Annotation: Intentionally dropped disc

What: Player A intercepts a pass and then intentionally drops the disc, or places the disc on the ground to allow their teammate to become the thrower.

Player A retrieves an out-of-bounds disc and then intentionally drops the disc at the location of the intended pivot to allow their teammate to become the thrower.

Result: This is not a “double turnover”. The opposition can call a Violation in which case play stops and Player A must take possession of the disc. Play must restart with a check.

Extra: However if Player A attempts a pass directly after the interception, and this pass is incomplete, this is a turnover.

Note: If there is any uncertainty as to whether the players’ loss of possession was due to attempting to allow a teammate to become the thrower, or that they were in fact attempting a pass that was incomplete, the player should be given the benefit of the doubt.
13.7. After a turnover, the turnover location is where:
1. 13.7.1. the disc has come to a stop or is picked up by an offensive player; or
2. 13.7.2. the intercepting player stops; or
3. 13.7.3. the thrower was located at the time of the call, in the case of 13.2.2, 13.2.3, 13.2.4, 13.2.5; or
4. 13.7.4. the offensive player was located, in the case of 13.2.6 and 13.2.7; or
5. 13.7.5. the accepted offensive receiving foul occurred.
13.8. If the turnover location is out-of-bounds, or the disc touched an out-of-bounds area after the turnover occurred, the thrower must establish a pivot point at the location on the central zone nearest to where the disc went out-of-bounds (Section 11.8).

Annotation: Where to establish a pivot foot – disc out-of-bounds

The official spot is just next to the line (since the line is not part of the playing field), but a pivot foot on the line is also acceptable. Given the fact that perimeter lines are only a few centimetres wide, the “error” is too small to be significant. While the rules state that the pivot point should be established in-bounds, rule 11.3.3 also indicates that it is not a problem that the pivot foot contacts an out-of-bounds area.

Extra: If the disc flew out the side of the end zone, there is a cone on the spot where the pivot point should be established. Rule 2.6 states that the edge of the central zone must be marked by that cone, so the player should not move it. Therefore the pivot point should be established on the end zone line next to the cone. Players should not move the cone. Note that the player is allowed to have enough room to turn on their pivot foot (otherwise unsafe situations might occur during pivoting).

Steinar's comment (unofficial!): Pivot foot on the line

See my comment on 11.3.2.1.

Steinar's comment (unofficial!): Ground tap

In USAU, when setting a pivot after out-of-bounds (or in general, most situations where the disc is moved), one needs to tap the disc to the ground to mark that one has set a new pivot. This is not required in WFDF; the only times when one needs to place or touch the disc to the ground are in two very specific settings to restart play (when no defender is nearby, and after a stall-out where the marker does not want possession themselves; see 10.6.1.2 and annotation on 13.4). It is not a breach of the rules to do so, but it is probably more confusing than anything.

One effect that the USAU ground tap has, is that it makes it much harder to make a run-up to the pivot point. However, this is explicitly disallowed in WFDF; see 18.2.5.3 and annotation.
1. 13.8.1. If 13.8 does not apply, a pivot point must be established according to 13.9, 13.10, or 13.11.
13.9. If the turnover location is in the central zone, the thrower must establish a pivot point at that location.

Annotation: Where to establish a pivot foot after a turnover – disc in-bounds

What: A disc is turned over and the pivot is to be established in the Central Zone.

Result: The thrower should pick up the disc and place the pivot at the spot of the disc.

Why: Rule 13.9 tells the thrower to establish a pivot at the turnover location.

Extra: The pivot should be as close to the disc’s location as possible. Players should not place their right foot at the turnover location and then use their left foot as their pivot. This is a travel infraction (18.2.5.1)

Steinar's comment (unofficial!): Guarding the dead disc

It's fairly common that throwers put the pivot point somewhere different from the disc (breaching this rule and annotation), but defenders should also be mindful that where the disc is, there will soon be a person. If you stand extremely close to where the disc is, you are essentially setting yourself up to be in an illegal position (due to disc space) once the thrower picks up the disc—also potentially creating a foul if contact occurs. So you can just as well give the thrower their legal space to set up to begin with; you do not gain anything from standing ten centimeters from the dead disc.
13.10. If the turnover location is in the offence’s attacking end zone, the thrower must establish a pivot point at the nearest location on the goal line.
13.11. If the turnover location is in the offence’s defending end zone, the thrower may choose where to establish a pivot point:
1. 13.11.1. at the turnover location, by staying at the turnover location or faking a pass; or
2. 13.11.2. at the nearest location on the goal line to the turnover location, by moving from the turnover location.
  1. 13.11.2.1. The intended thrower, before picking up the disc, may signal the goal line option by fully extending one arm above their head.
    
    Annotation: Hand signal after a turnover in defending end zone
    
    The goal line signal can be useful to communicate to all players that the goal line option will be taken. If the signal is made, the thrower must move to the goal line. However it is a voluntary signal. The intended thrower may still establish the pivot at the goal line even if they do not signal the goal line option.
    
    The defence may ask the intended thrower if they intend to choose the goal line option and it is good spirit to provide a response (via hand signal), however it is not required.
    
    Extra: If the player is establishing a pivot point at the goal line the player may carry the disc at a constant or variable speed, and must move at walking pace or faster.
    
    The player must put the disc into play either at the spot of the disc or on the goal line, not in between.
3. 13.11.3. Immediate movement, staying at the turnover location, faking a pass, or signaling the goal line option, determines where to establish a pivot point and cannot be reversed.
  
  Annotation: Establishing a pivot foot after a turnover in defending end zone
  
  If the thrower breaches rule 13.11.3, this should be treated as a travel infraction. Play does not stop, but the thrower must return to the correct pivot.
  
  The thrower cannot pick up the disc, look and see if there are any players to pass to, and then move to the goal line.
13.12. If, after an accepted turnover, play has continued unknowingly, play stops and the disc is returned to the turnover location, players resume their positions at the time the turnover occurred and play restarts with a check.