Rules of Ultimate
16. Continuation after a Call
- 16.1. Whenever a foul or violation call is made, or a player attempts to stop play in any way, play stops immediately and no turnover is possible (unless in situations specified in 15.9, 16.2, and 16.3).
Steinar's comment (unofficial!): Injury calls and other exceptions
There is also an exception for injury calls while the disc is in the air, in 19.1.6, even though it is not in the list of exceptions here. It works differently (quite unlike 16.2.4); see the rule for details. Technical stoppages also have their own rules (19.2.1 and annotation, 19.2.3), and violation calls on restarting after a check also (10.7.5).
- 16.2. If a foul or violation:
Annotation: What occurs after play continues in these scenarios
What: The marker calls a foul against the thrower and then the thrower attempts a pass. The pass is incomplete.
Result: The turn over stands. Play does not need to stop.
Why: Rule 16.2.4.1. – the team that called the foul gained possession so play continues.
What: The thrower calls a foul against the marker during the act of throwing. The throw comes out fine and heads straight for its intended target - an unguarded offensive player. The offensive player drops an easy catch.
Result: The turnover stands. Play restarts with a check.
Why: Rule 16.3. – the team that called the foul has lost possession, however the foul did not actually affect the turnover – that was caused by the player dropping an easy catch.
Extra: If the foul actually caused the throw to change direction or come out ‘wobbly’ then it is reasonable that the foul affected play. Therefore the disc should go back to the thrower, as per rule 16.2.4.2.1
What: A Pick occurs in the stack on the left of the field at the same time the disc is thrown down the right side of the field - the disc is in the air at the time of the call. An offensive player catches the disc.
Result: The completion stands and the player who called Pick gets to move where they think they should have been.
Why: Rule 16.3. - The Pick did not affect the possession.
Extra: If the offensive player had dropped the disc, this would be a turnover (16.2.4.1.)
If the pick was called before the throw and neither the pick nor the pick call affected the play - the turnover stands (16.3).
Annotation: Call affecting the play
An event (including a foul, violation, injury) or call affects the outcome if the outcome would have been meaningfully different had it not occurred. For example, a call affected the play if a receiver is aware that the call has been made before the throw and therefore slows down and fails to complete the pass.
During a stoppage to discuss these situations it is reasonable for a player to ask the opposition if they think the event or call affected the outcome. If the opposition thinks that it was affected, they should be able to provide some form of valid justification.
Annotation: Foul by the marker before a throw
If the thrower calls a foul before they are in the act of throwing, play must stop. If the thrower does incorrectly continue play, the disc must come back to the thrower unless 16.3 applies - this applies to both a completed pass, and a turnover.
Extra: If the thrower is fouled before the throw, but the foul continues to occur during the throw, then 16.2 applies.
If the foul occurs before the throw, but the thrower waits to call the foul during the act of throwing, 15.9 applies.
Annotation: Pick/Foul not involving the thrower called during the act of throwing
Unlike in previous version of the rules, continuation does not apply to calls made (not involving the thrower) during the act of throwing.
So if a foul is called by the dump receiver while the thrower is in the act of throwing, play should stop immediately. If the thrower continues the throw, with no impact from the foul call, the result of the pass can stand as per 16.3.
However if the thrower heard the foul call while they were throwing, and this impacted their throw and the pass was incomplete, 16.3 would not apply and therefore the disc would be returned to the thrower.
Additionally if a pick is called while the thrower is in the act of throwing, and the thrower attempted to stop the throw as a result of the pick call, and the pass is incomplete, the disc would be returned to the thrower.
- 16.2.1. is called against the thrower and the thrower attempts a pass, or
- 16.2.2. is called by the thrower during the act of throwing, or
Steinar's comment (unofficial!): Marking violations
There is a special rule for calling a marking violation (whether called by the thrower or not) in 18.1.6, which presumably overrides 16.2.
- 16.2.3. is called or occurs when the disc is in the air,
- 16.2.4. Once possession has been established:
- 16.2.4.1. If the team that called the foul or violation gains or retains possession as a result of the pass, the play stands. Play can continue without a stoppage if the player who made the foul or violation call makes a “Play on” call as soon as possible.
Steinar's comment (unofficial!): What about retracted calls?
Say the disc is in the air. Defense calls foul and everybody stops due to the call (they shouldn't, but say that they do), so the disc goes to the ground. After discussion, the call is retracted, what happens?
First of all: If everybody agrees the offense couldn't get to the disc anyway (say it was a really bad throw), then 16.3 applies and the turnover stands. But if offense could have gotten to it, then what?
The rules are mostly silent on this (15.11 talks only about stall count after a retracted call, not what retraction actually does), but when I asked the WFDF rules email address, I was told that one should play as if the call never happened, i.e., the turnover stands. This is perhaps surprising; defense effectively gets rewarded for making a bad call. Again, the lesson is: Go for the disc as usual, despite the call.
There is an exception to this: In case of 15.9, i.e., an incorrect stoppage, then 16.2 is not the right rule; 15.9.1/15.9.2 is. So as described on my comment on 15.9, you need to figure out why the call was retracted. If e.g. there never was a foul call but someone just misheard and thought they echoed one, then the disc goes back to the thrower with stall count to 1 (15.9.2, 9.5.1).
Annotation: Play on called before possession established
If “play-on” is called before possession is established, and then the team that called the breach does not gain/retain possession, the “play on” call should be ignored and play should stop. The players involved must still determine if the breach actually affected the outcome, before determining whether the play should stand.
Annotation: Play on not called
Any player recognizing that play should continue without a stoppage should announce “play on”.
If the player who called the breach does not announce “play on” and the opposing team is uncertain whether play should continue, the opposing team has the option to stop play by calling “violation”.
Annotation: Team that gains/retains possession can choose to stop play
If the team that called the foul gains or retains possession, but the foul has impacted on their ability to continue play, they can call an indirect foul once possession has been established. This will stop play and enable them to make up any positional disadvantage caused by the foul.
- 16.2.4.2. If the team that called the foul or violation does not gain or retain possession as a result of the pass, play must be stopped.
- 16.2.4.2.1. If the team that called the foul or violation believes that possession has been affected by the foul or violation, the disc will be returned to the thrower for a check (unless the specific rule says otherwise).
- 16.2.4.1. If the team that called the foul or violation gains or retains possession as a result of the pass, the play stands. Play can continue without a stoppage if the player who made the foul or violation call makes a “Play on” call as soon as possible.
- 16.3. Regardless of when any call is made, if the players involved from both teams agree that the event or call did not affect the outcome, the play stands. This rule is not superseded by any other rule.
Annotation: Foul called before possession is established
If an offensive receiver calls foul on contact that occurs before possession is established, they can continue to make a play for the disc. If the defender stops to discuss the foul call or to contest the foul call, play still does not stop until possession is established. After possession is established play should stop, but as per 16.2.4.1 if the receiver catches the pass, the catch will stand.
Annotation: More than one pass
There is no specific limit on how many passes can occur before 16.3 no longer applies. However once more than one pass has been completed, it becomes increasingly unlikely that the event, or call, will not affect the outcome.
Steinar's comment (unofficial!): The simple version
Section 16 is short, and it is important, yet it can be incredibly confusing for new players. The single sentence spread over four different rules, the repeated “the team that called the foul or violation”… You probably want to understand all of it, but if you don't want to, these three simple principles will take you 90% of the way:
The situations in 16.2.1 and 16.2.2 seem to be rare in practice; what really matters is the situation where the disc is in the air (and in particular, pick). And there, the advice I give to new players is simple: Even if someone calls pick, go for the disc just as much as usual. You can argue about the rules after you've caught it.