Unfortunately on some of the points discussed in this document, the UPA rules differ from the WFDF rules, and the UPA rules are the ones I looked at. However, in Europe I am told that WFDF rules are normally used. I've indicated these differences but I am not sure I have caught all of them.
The aim is to save you the hassle of reading through all the rules to find the rules that you don't know.
These rules are correct [upa]
This variation is correct [upa]
These rules are in fact wrong
These rules are wrong in [upa] but right under [wfdf]
I am not clear whether everyone should return to their previous position. I don't think the rules are explicit on this. I think the way people play is that the picked defender gets to simulate their un-picked status, and everyone else kicks their feet waiting for the check.
404.14 C - you can call a pick. 404.17 A - play is stopped, continued with a check back at thrower. 404.17 B - Only continue if disc is in the air when pick called and team who called foul gain advantage. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 404.14. Positioning: A. Right to Position: Every player, with the exception of the thrower as set forth in section 404.10(B), is entitled to occupy any position on the field not occupied by any opposing player, provided that he does not cause personal contact in taking such a position. B. Avoiding Contact: It is always the responsibility of all players to avoid contact in any way possible. Violent impact with legitimately-positioned opponents constitutes harmful endangerment, is a foul and must be strictly avoided. C. Picks: No player may establish a position, or move in such a manner, so as to obstruct the movement of any player on the opposing team. In the event of a pick, the obstructed player shall immediately call, "pick" loudly. Play shall then be stopped and be resumed only after a check, with the stall count resuming from the point of interruption or to five if the count is over five. The continuation rule applies only to the next catch after the pick call. D. Principal of Verticality: All players shall have the right to the space immediately above them. Accordingly, a player cannot prevent an opponent from attempting to catch a pass by placing his arms above an opponent. If a player so places his arms, and contact occurs, a foul may be called. E. Playing the Disc: Whenever the disc is in the air, all players shall play the disc in lieu of the opponent. F. Rights of Players Off the Ground: A player who has jumped is entitled to land at the same point without hindrance by opponents. He may also land at another point provided the landing point was not already occupied at the time of his takeoff and if the direct path between the takeoff and landing point was not already occupied at the time of takeoff. ------------------------------ 404.17. Stoppage of Play: A. General: Whenever an infringement of the rules or a time-out occurs, play is halted and the disc is put back into play with a check at the point of the last possession before play was stopped, except as otherwise provided by these rules. B. Play Continuation Rule: (1) If a foul, violation or pick is called while the disc is in the air, play continues until possession of the disc is gained. (2) If the team who would receive the benefit of the call gains possession as a result of a pass committed prior or during the time the call was made, play shall continue unhalted. It is the responsibility of the player who made the call to call out, "play on" to indicate that this rule has been invoked. C. Disputes: Whenever there is a failure to come to an agreement over any call, the disc shall be returned to the last thrower prior to the dispute via a check. D. Offsetting Fouls: If offsetting catching fouls are called by offensive and defensive players on the same play, the disc shall be returned to the last thrower at his point of possession via a check.If you want to read it, here is what the UPA rules (9th edition with most but not all of the recent changes) say: -- otherwise skip to the conclusions.
3. Picks: A. No player may establish a position, or move in such a manner, so as to obstruct the movement of any player on the opposing team; to do so is a "pick. B. In the event of a pick, the obstructed player must immediately. call "Pick" loudly; play stops and is resumed after a check, *unless the continuation rule [XIX-2] applies.* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. *Continuation Rule: A. Disc In the Air 1. If a foul, violation, or pick is called while the disc is in the air, the play is always completed. 2. If the team which called the foul, violation, or pick gains possession as a result of that pass (e.g., an incomplete pass following a traveling violation, or offensive foul), play continues unhalted. In this situation, players should call "play on." 3. If the pass is completed, but the defensive effort on the pass was affected by the violation (e.g. picks), the pass does not count and possession reverts back to the thrower. B. Disc Not in the Air 1. If a foul, violation, or pick is called while the disc is not in the air, and a player attempts a pass before play has stopped, and the pass is incomplete, it is a turnover. 2. If a foul, violation, or pick is called while the disc is not in the air, and a player attempts a pass before play has stopped, and the pass is completed, the pass does not count, and possession reverts back to the original thrower.* C. It is the responsibility of the player who made the call to call out "Play on" to indicate that this rule has been invoked. 3. If there is ever a failure to come to an agreement over any call, the disc reverts back to the thrower after a check. 5. Any time the marker's count is interrupted by the call of a foul, violation, pick, or time-out, the count is resumed as follows: Travel or Pick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . same or 5 if over 5
If a D player intercepts the pass, that player receiving the disc should call `PLAY ON'.
Note in particular this means that if you catch it in the endzone and bring it up to the front line you just put your foot on the line, no check needed.
XVI. Fouls 1. Fouls are the result of physical contact between opposing players. A foul can only be called by the player who has been fouled and must be announced by calling out the word "Foul!" loudly immediately after the foul has occurred. 2. The player initiating contact is guilty of a foul. 3. Throwing Fouls: A. A throwing foul may be called when there is contact between the thrower and the marker. B. Contact occurring during the follow through (after the disc has been released) is not sufficient grounds for a foul, but should still be avoided whenever possible. C. When a foul is committed by a thrower or the marker, play stops and possession reverts back to the thrower after a check. D. If the thrower is fouled in the act of throwing and the pass is completed, the foul is automatically declined and play continues without interruption. E. If the marker is fouled in the act of throwing and the pass is not completed, play continues without interruption. 4. Catching Fouls: A. A catching foul may be called when there is contact between opposing players in the process of attempting a catch, interception, or knock down. A certain amount of incidental contact during or immediately after the catching attempt is often unavoidable and is not a foul. B. If a player contacts an opponent before the disc arrives and thereby interferes with that opponent's attempt to make a play on the disc, that player has committed a foul. C. If a player's attempt to make a play on the disc causes significant impact with a legitimately positioned stationary opponent, before or after the disc arrives, *it is considered "harmful endangerment" and is a foul.* D. Dangerous, aggressive behavior or reckless disregard for the safety of fellow players is always a foul. E. If a catching foul occurs and is uncontested, the player fouled gains possession at the point of the infraction. If the call is disputed, the disc goes back to the thrower. *If an uncontested foul (with the exception of a force-out foul [XV-9]) occurs in the end zone, the player fouled gains possession at the closest point on the goal line to the infraction.*
IMO, this is a poor system. When you hear `foul' yelled, you can't tell which team has been fouled, so you can't tell if there is any point in injuring yourself making a spectacular play. When a pick is called, things are different. Everyone knows that the disc in the air has to be completed, else it is a turn-over. When a foul is called, you don't know. I think something needs to be changed. Either we need a different word for a foul inflicted on a D player and a foul inflicted on an O player. Or maybe the player who calls foul should only call foul loudly after the play has happened. I don't know.
I get the impression the foul rule is abused by many high
level O players, who call a foul because of a follow-through
contact, thus getting a share option---get the disc back if
the pass is incomplete, and try again.
I like Derek's (of Stan) solution to this: allow the closest
marker to be one metre away; then there'll be no throwing fouls.