Rules Analysis
Ultimate is a non-contact, self-refereed sport. All players are responsible for administering and adhering to the rules. Ultimate relies upon a Spirit of the Game that places the responsibility for fair play on every player.
It is trusted that no player will intentionally break the rules; thus there are no harsh penalties for inadvertent breaches, but rather a method for resuming play in a manner which simulates what would most likely have occurred had there been no breach.
Players should be mindful of the fact that they are acting as referees in any arbitration between teams. Players must:
Highly competitive play is encouraged, but should never sacrifice the mutual respect between players, adherence to the agreed-upon rules of the game, or the basic joy of play.
The following actions are clear violations of the spirit of the game and must be avoided by all participants:
In the case where a novice player commits a breach out of ignorance of the rules, experienced players are obliged to explain the breach.
An experienced player, who offers advice on rules and guides on-field arbitration, may supervise games involving beginners or younger players.
Rules should be interpreted by the players directly involved in the play, or by players who had the best perspective on the play. Non-players, apart from the captain, should refrain from getting involved. However players may seek the perspective of non-players to clarify the rules, and to assist players to make the appropriate call.
It is still up to the players involved to make the final call. Non players must not provide advice regarding a call unless they are requested to by the players involved.