WFDF 1996 Rulebook.

ARTICLE I GENERAL

• 101 WFDF Rules:

  The World Flying Disc Federation (hereinafter referred to as "WFDF") is a nonprofit Federation organized and existing under a set of by-laws known as the WFDF Statutes. WFDF shall promulgate, publish and enforce specific rules of play for each sport or event. These rules shall be set forth in separate articles with each Article setting forth rules for a specific event, with the exception that field events, due to their simplicity and similarity, shall all come under the heading of one Article.

• 102 Spirit of the Rules:

  Flying disc sports have traditionally relied upon a spirit of sportsmanship which places the responsibility of fair play on the players themselves. Highly competitive and committed play is encouraged, but never at the expense of the bond of mutual respect between players, adherence to the agreed upon rules of any event, nor the basic enjoyment of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate adverse conduct from the playing field. The responsibility for the maintenance of this spirit rests on each player's shoulders.

• 103 Construction of the Rules:

  Any rule set forth in Articles II through VIII shall be construed in accordance with the purpose for the rule, in a manner of consistency and fairness, exercising substance over form, with due regard to the spirit and gamesmanship fundamental to disc sports as set forth in section 102 of Article I herein.

  • 103.01 Comments:

    To facilitate understanding and comprehension of the rules of disc play, a comment discussing the event appears at the beginning of the set of rules pertaining to that event. The comment shall not be considered a rule; however, it may be used as an aid in interpretation of the actual rules.

  • 103.02 Gender:

    Wherever used in the rules, the use of either gender shall be applicable to both genders.

  • 103.03 Rule Changes:

    Suggestions for rule changes or additions concerning specific events are to be made to the appropriate WFDF event committees. Proposals concerning general rule considerations may be made directly to the WFDF Rules Committee (RUC).

  All event committees shall submit their proposed rule documents for the coming season by November 1. The RUC shall then review the proposed rules and, through communication with the event committees, assemble the rule book for the coming season. The book shall be submitted to the Board for ratification by Jan. 1. After ratification, the rules shall be effective commencing April 1.

• 104 Tournaments:

  Players shall compete in one or more of the disc events at tournaments organized or sanctioned by WFDF or organized and sanctioned by a nation which is a member of WFDF.

  • 104.01 Entry:

    To qualify for entry in a tournament, a player shall pay the entry fee set by the tournament director and by WFDF.

  • 104.02 Tournament Director:

    The tournament shall be under the management and control of a tournament director who shall oversee the entire tournament, appoint officials and delegate duties and responsibilities to said officials and other tournament personnel, interpret the rules of play when necessary, settle disputes as they arise, perform any other acts and duties required by the WFDF rules, and otherwise insure that the tournament is conducted in an efficient, professional, consistent and fair manner.

  • 104.03 Determining Order of Play:

    Whenever it is necessary to determine which player or team shall commence play or have the right to choose which field to defend, or whenever an arbitrary method of resolving a deadlock is required, the disc flipping method shall be used. This method shall be performed as follows: The two principals or their representatives shall meet, each with a disc, and shall release their respective discs, with a flipping motion, into the air. The principal or representative shall choose the "same" or "different" position while the discs are in the air and the other principal or representative shall receive the choice not taken. The principals or representatives shall then permit the discs to come to rest without impeding the discs' movements. If both discs come to rest in a right side up or upside down position, the principal or representative with the "same" position choice wins the flip. If one disc is right side up and the other is upside down, the principal or representative with the "different" position choice wins the flip.

• 105 Classification of Players:

  To promote fair competition, players shall be classified based upon age and sex and shall compete against other players of a like classification, or, at their discretion, in the open field of players. The following classifications shall be used:

  • 105.01 Open Division:

    All players who do not qualify for any other division or choose not to compete in any other division.

  • 105.02 Women's Division:

    Available only to female players. The women's division may be further subdivided into junior, master, grand master, senior grand master, or legends divisions, depending upon the number of female players who would qualify for said divisions.

  • 105.03 Junior Division:

    Available to players who do not reach their 19th or subsequent birthdays during the calendar year in which the tournament concludes.

  • 105.04 Under-Twelve Division:

    Available to players who do not reach their 12th or subsequent birthdays during the calendar year in which the tournament concludes.

  • 105.05 Master Division:

    Available to players who reach at least their 35th birthdays during the calendar year in which the tournament begins. Master division for Ultimate play begins at 30 years of age for men and 28 years of age for women.

  • 105.06 Grand Master Division:

    Available to players who reach at least their 45th birthdays during the calendar year in which the tournament begins.

  • 105.07 Senior Grand Master Division:

    Available to players who reach at least their 55th birthdays during the calendar year in which the tournament begins.

  • 105.08 Legends Division:

    Available to players who reach at least their 65th birthdays during the calendar year in which the tournament begins.

  • 105.09 Suspension of Classification:

    A tournament director may suspend one or more of the divisions for a given tournament if fewer than five persons at a tournament qualify for that division. If a division is suspended, the players who would have qualified for that division shall compete in another division in which they qualify, or the open division.

  • 105.10 Choice of Divisions:

    If a player qualifies for more than one division, he shall choose which division he shall compete in prior to the start of play, and shall not compete in any other division throughout the duration of the tournament.

• 106 National Teams
  • 106.01 A foreigner who wishes to compete on a national team in a world championship must have lived continuously in that country for at least two consecutive years immediately prior to the tournament.
  • 106.02 A national team may have a maximum of two "foreign" players as defined in 106.01.
  • 106.03 A player who has lived continuously in a country for at least five consecutive years immediately prior to the tournament is no longer considered a "foreign" player on that national team's roster.
  • 106.04 World championship organizers shall provide each national team with an official roster form on which to list each player's name and his nationality or "foreign" player status. This form is to be returned to the organizers prior to the tournament.
• 107 Discs Used in Play
  • 107.01 To be used in competition, discs must:
    • A. Have a saucer-like configuration with a flight plate unbroken by holes and an inner rim depth (that portion of the rim that is generally vertical to the flight plate), which is at least 5 percent of the outside diameter measurement;
    • B. be made of solid plastic material, without any inflatable components;
    • C. have not be less than 21 cm of outside diameter, nor exceed 40 cm of outside diameter;
    • D. achieve a rim configuration rating of 26 or greater (see section 108[D]);
    E have a leading edge radius that is greater than 1/16 in (1.6 mm) (see section 108[E]);
  • F. not exceed 12.3 kg (27 lbs.) of pressure as measured by the flexibility testing procedure (see section 108[F]) ;
  • G. weigh no more than 8.3 gm per cm of outside diameter and shall weigh no more than 200 gm regardless of size;
  • H. be essentially as produced, without any post-production modifications which affect weight or flight characteristics;
  • I. present no unreasonable danger to players or spectators;
  • J. be a production-type disc available commercially to the public in numbers of at least 1,500 and,
  • K. be specifically approved by the event director if questioned by any player in the contest, but in no case will the disc be approved if it is in violation of any of the above specifications.
  • 107.02 Additional disc specifications relative to a particular event may be found in the rules for that event.
• 108 Test Methods For Discs:

  Metric measurements shall be employed in characterizing the physical properties of flying discs. All linear measurements shall be rounded to the nearest millimeter; measurements ending in 0.5 mm shall be rounded up. Weight measurements will be rounded to the nearest decigram; measurements ending in 0.5 dg shall be rounded up. The methods to be employed in testing shall be:

  • A. Establish The Outside Disc Diameter - This attribute will be recorded using a pair of calipers with a 40 cm measuring capacity. Measurements will be taken from two transects at right angles to one another across the long axis of the disc. By taking two measurements, any potential effects due to warpage are factored out. These measurements will then be averaged.

  • B. Establish The Rim Depth - The disc shall be laid on its top with the rim up. If the disc is warped the measurements shall be taken where the measurement will be the smallest after the disc has been laid flat to remove the effect of warpage as much a possible. A straight edge shall be laid across from rim to rim and measurements taken at the point where the rim meets the flight plate to the straight edge. This measurement shall be established is multiplied by the allowable minimum percentage of rim depth. The measured depth must be greater than or equal to the calculated minimum allowable.

  • C. Establish The Disc Weight - Multiply the previously established outside rim diameter by the maximum allowed weight per cm of diameter. The measured weight must be less than or equal to the calculated maximum allowable.

  • D. Establish Rim Configuration - The rim of the disc shall be held perpendicular to a contour gauge having 13 probes per cm (such as the Valued ST142). The rim of the disc shall then be pressed into the gauge to a depth of 5 mm. The resulting movement of probes is to be evaluated with the movement of each probe being measured to the nearest 0.25 mm. The measurements for all affected probes are then totaled to produce the rim configuration rating. The ratings of three examples shall be determined with the median score used.

  • E. Establish Leading Edge Radius - This attribute will be evaluated through the use of a 1/16 in (1.6 mm) radius gauge. To pass this test, the leading edge of the disc must not contact the gauge (see Fig. 1.1)
    Fig. 1.1

  • F. Establish Disc Flexibility - The disc is to be held on its edge, in a vertical position,perpendicular to a weight scale with a measure plate placed on its inner rim (see Figure 1.2[A]). The scale shall have a precision of at least ± 2oz (56.7g) The height of the measure plate shall be 1/2 the outside disc diameter. The upper rim of the disc shall then be gradually pressed down within a period of 5 seconds. The flexibility rating is the maximum force measured prior to when the upper rim touches the measure plate (see Figure 1.2[B]). The temperature of the disc is to be no higher than 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) when the test is made. For approval of a specific model, the ratings of three examples shall be determined with the median score being used.

    
• 109 Disqualifications:

  A tournament director may disqualify a player from any event or from the entire tournament whenever that player exhibits violent, obscene, abusive, disruptive or illegal behavior; is continuously annoying to other players, cheats or otherwise attempts to create an unfair advantage for himself or disadvantage for others through a circumvention of the rules, or otherwise causes substantial hardship, inconvenience, or annoyance to spectators, officials, or other players. This rule shall not supercede, alter or in any way affect the rules of disqualification relating to specific events as set forth in Articles II through VIII herein, but shall be considered a supplement or addition to those specific rules.

• 110 Protests
  • 110.01 Whenever a disc player chooses to challenge a decision made by a tournament director or official or a result entered at a tournament, he shall file a written protest to WFDF, or an official designated by WFDF to handle protests, within 10 days of the occurrence giving rise to the dispute. The protest shall be reviewed and either upheld, dismissed or held in abeyance pending investigation, at the discretion of WFDF or its designated official. An investigation may include interviewing any or all individuals with personal knowledge of the circumstances involved in the dispute, or conducting a hearing, if deemed necessary. A decision shall be made without undue delay with the results of the decision being served upon the tournament director in question and the protesting player. All decisions are final and not appealable.
  • 110.02 Upholding Protest:

    The WFDF Board or designated official shall uphold a protest whenever it is established, by clear and convincing evidence, that the tournament director or other tournament official intentionally or knowingly:

    • A. falsified tournament results;
    • B. improperly aided or made calls or decisions for the purpose of giving unfair advantage or disadvantage to one or more players;
    • C. improperly impeded the play of a player, whether physically or by calls or decisions, to the benefit of one or more other players;
    • D. disqualified a player from play without cause;
    • E. otherwise performed any act designed to create an unfair advantage or disadvantage to one or more players;
    • F. accepted a bribe or other remuneration from a player or other person in exchange for performing any acts set forth in "A" through "E" herein.
  • 110.03 Denial of Protest:

    WFDF Board or other designated official shall deny any protest which has as its subject matter any of the following:

    • A. a call or decision made by a tournament director or other official when a call or decision was made in good faith, regardless of the outcome;
    • B. a call or decision made by a tournament director or other official when the call or decision resulted in an unfair advantage or disadvantage, being created when the advantage or disadvantage created was not the motivating reason for the call or decision;
    • C. any act committed by a player. Improper acts of a player shall be treated at the tournament level.
  • 110.04 Effect on Protesting Player:

    If a protest is upheld, the WFDF Board or other designated officials shall, if possible, attempt to put the protesting player in the position he would have been in were it not for the circumstances leading to the protest.

  • 110.05 Sanction:

    If a protest is upheld, the WFDF Board or other designated official may sanction the offending tournament director, tournament official or other persons in the manner and to the extent deemed appropriate. Possible sanctions may include, but are not limited to: disqualification of a player retroactive to the tournament in question; suspension of a player, tournament director or other official for a defined or indefinite period of time; barring of player from tournament play or affiliation, or the stripping of a title or record if the title or record was achieved as a result of improper conduct leading to the protest.

• 111 Suspension of Rules
  • 111.01 A tournament director shall have the discretion to suspend or change one or more of the rules set forth in Article II through VIII herein or an additional rule not set forth, if applying the rules as set forth would be impractical, cumbersome or impossible, or would unduly create a significant advantage or disadvantage for one or more players; providing the suspension, alteration or addition occurs prior to the start of the tournament, will not unduly prejudice other players and is made known to all players prior to the start of a tournament. The tournament director shall set forth in his report to WFDF any suspension, alteration or addition of rules and the reasons for said action.
  • 111.02 Effect on Potential Records:

    A suspension, alteration or addition of any rule as set forth in section 111.01 may be cause for the WFDF Board or other sanctioning body to refuse recognition of a record set or tied at a tournament, if the rule change was a factor to any degree in the record being set.

• 112 Rule Books
  • 112.01 Publication:

    The WFDF rules shall be published and appear in a book, pamphlet or other printed material. The effective date of the rules shall be conspicuously noted on the initial page or cover of said printed addition.

  • 112.02 Inspection:

    A copy of the WFDF rules, then in effect, shall be present for inspection by any player upon request at any WFDF sanctioned tournament. A player may request a copy of the rules for his own use and shall be provided with same upon receipt of the request by WFDF or its agent and upon payment of a nominal fee as set by WFDF.

The World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) has full copyright to this rulebook. Copies of the book are sold to cover the cost of producing it. Member associations of WFDF are allowed to translate the rules into their own language and to add national supplements as long as the WFDF rules are not altered or contradicted. The WFDF board must be notified of all such translations and receive a copy afterward.

Ninth Edition. Produced and printed courtesy of Mattel Sports Promotion. 1996.