How do self-refereeing and Spirit of the Game work?

Ultimate is a non-contact, self-officiated sport (Rule 1). There is no referee: players and captains are solely responsible for making and resolving all calls, and every player acts as a referee.

Players must:

• know and follow the rules and their spirit
• be fair-minded, objective and truthful
• explain their view clearly and briefly, let opponents speak, and listen to them
• use respectful words and body language
• resolve disputes efficiently and make calls consistently
• only call breaches that make a difference to the play, or where safety is at risk

Clear violations of Spirit include dangerous or aggressive play, intentional fouls, taunting or intimidating opponents, disrespectful celebrations, retaliatory calls, calling for a pass from an opponent, and other win-at-all-costs behaviour.

Good Spirit includes retracting a call you no longer believe, checking in with an opponent after a contentious moment, and complimenting good play.

Each team names a spirit captain, and teams can call a Spirit Stoppage to talk through Spirit issues. For a deliberate or egregious breach, the captains should agree an appropriate outcome, even if it is not set out in a specific rule. With beginners or younger players, an experienced player may supervise and guide on-field discussions.