Rules Analysis
If a player on the pulling team fails to maintain proper positioning before the pull, the receiving team may call “offsides” before gaining possession of the disc. If a player on the receiving team fails to maintain proper positioning before the pull, the pulling team may call “false start” before the receiving team gains possession of the disc. The offsides and false start calls do not stop play, and the Continuation Rule (17.C) does not apply.
A sideline player or coach who is leaving the playing field with urgency but is still on the playing field when the disc is released is not considered to be offsides or committing a false start. If a sideline player or coach on the playing field impedes a player from the other team, that is a separate violation.
In games where observers are used, these calls can only be made by the observers. In games without observers, each team may send a designated sideline player to either goal line who has the ability to call “offsides” or “false start” or to offer their perspective on such a call. A contested offsides call results in a stoppage of play and a re-pull.
To contest an offsides or false start call, a player on the contesting team must have perspective at least as good as the person making the call. If the call is made by a designated sideline player, only a similarly-positioned sideline player designated by the contesting team has equal or better perspective.
In the first instance of offsides, the receiving team may let the disc hit the ground untouched and then take the disc at the brick mark closest to the end zone the receiving team is defending (following the same signaling procedure described in 9.B.6.d.2), even if the disc initially hits in-bounds, in addition to any other applicable options per 9.B.6-7.
After the first uncontested instance of offsides, in every subsequent instance of offsides, the receiving team may let the disc hit the ground untouched and then take the disc at midfield (by fully extending one hand overhead and calling "midfield" before gaining possession of the disc) in addition to any other applicable options per 9.B.6-7.
In any instance of false start, the pulling team may call “false start” prior to the receiving team taking possession of the disc. Play stops after the outcome of the pull is decided. Play resumes in a similar manner as after a team timeout. The player with possession of the disc (or any player on the offensive team if no player has possession) takes the disc to the spot on the playing field where the disc is to be put into play (per 9.B.6-7). Ten seconds after the player in possession reaches that location, each offensive player must establish a stationary position. Movement after this time and before the disc is checked into play is a violation. The defense has twenty seconds after all offensive players have established their position to check the disc into play.
If either team fails to maintain proper positioning before the pull, the other team may call "offsides" before the receiving team gains possession of the disc. The offsides call does not stop play, and the Continuation Rule (17.C) does not apply. In games where observers are used, this call is made by the observers. In games without observers, each team may send a designated sideline player to either goal line who has the ability to call "offsides" or offer their perspective on such a call. A contested offsides call results in a stoppage of play and a re-pull.
To contest an offsides call, a player on the contesting team must have perspective at least as good as the person making the call. If the call is made by a designated sideline player, only a similarly-positioned sideline player designated by the contesting team has equal or better perspective.