COMPONENTS OF THE MISCONDUCT SYSTEM

1. Technical Foul

   A. A Technical Foul can be assessed against a team for minor conduct violations that do not affect the game's competitiveness.

   B. The first two Technical Fouls issued to a team are warnings without associated penalty.

   C. A third or subsequent Technical Foul for a team in a single game result in a Misconduct Penalty against that team.

   D. There is no limit to the number of Technical Fouls or Misconduct Penalties a team can accrue during a game.

   E. Technical Fouls do not carry over beyond the game in which they are issued.

2. Team Misconduct Foul (Blue Card)

   A. A Team Misconduct Foul (TMF, blue card) can be assessed against a team for conduct that violates the Spirit of the Game by any team member or spectators considered partisans.

   B. The TMF can be assessed regardless of whether the infracted team makes any call. However, teams are encouraged to make violation calls to directly communicate about issues and minimize the need for observers to issue TMFs without a call.

   C. The first two TMFs issued to a team are warnings with no associated penalty.

   D. A third or subsequent TMF for a team in a single game result in a Misconduct Penalty against that team.

   E. There is no limit to the number of TMFs or Misconduct Penalties a team can accrue during a game.

   F. TMFs do not carry over beyond the game in which they are issued.

3. Personal Misconduct Foul (Yellow Card)

   A. A Personal Misconduct Foul (PMF, yellow card) can be assessed against a specific team member for particularly egregious conduct or a pattern of such behavior.

   B. A PMF is a formal warning for unacceptable behavior and informs the team member that any further such actions will result in ejection from the game.

   C. A team member who receives a second PMF during a single game is ejected for the remainder of that game. See Ejection section (1.D).

   D. Assessment of a PMF is non-reviewable for the game's duration, although it may be appealed to the Commissioner and Rules Committee after the game.

   E. One TMF is automatically assessed against a team whenever one of its members receives a PMF.

4. Ejection (Red Card): PUL does NOT anticipate player ejections occurring but feels that this is a component of the Misconduct System that is in place to help prevent incidents.

   A. Observers in the game must convene and unanimously agree on the ejection.

   B. A team member may be ejected from a game for particularly egregious conduct.

   C. No formal or informal warning is necessary before a team member is ejected, and a TMF or PMF need not precede an ejection.

   D. If an ejection occurs during the second half of the game, the team may not play that team member during the first half of the next game’s active roster.

   E. Suppose a team member receives more than one ejection in the season. In that case, that team member is suspended for the rest of the season, and a formal complaint may be filed with PUL.

   F. An ejection perceived as being based on Observer bias during the first half of a game can be discussed/appealed at halftime. Each team’s spirit captain and the Observers of the game must convene at halftime to discuss. The player may return to play in the second half if they unanimously agree that the ejection should not have been applied. If the ejection is not overturned, and the player still feels it was a bias-related incident, they can appeal to the Commissioner and Rules Committee. If this occurs in the second half, the two spirit captains and Observers will convene after the game is completed to discuss whether the ejection should be overturned. If they unanimously agree that the ejection should not have been applied, the player may play in the first half of their next game. If the ejection is not overturned and the player believes it was a bias-related incident, the player may submit an appeal to the Commissioner and Rules Committee.

   G. One TMF is automatically assessed against a team whenever one of its members is ejected.

5. Game Forfeiture

   A. If five PMFs are assessed against team members on a single team during a game, that team forfeits the game. For this purpose, an ejection is equivalent to two PMFs. For example, if three or more players on a single team are ejected, that team forfeits the game.

   B. If both teams would be required to forfeit the game due to multiple player ejections, the Commissioner and Rules Committee determine the appropriate outcome based on competition considerations.

6. Behavior Warranting Sanctions

   A. A TMF will be issued when a team demonstrates a pattern of disregard for the rules by committing intentional, repeated, or flagrant infractions.

   1. If a single team member demonstrates such a pattern, a PMF will be issued to that team member.

   B. Behavior warranting such sanctions includes deliberate fouling, dangerous play, taunting, fighting, swearing directed at an official or opponent, repeated marking fouls, deliberate marking violations, making unwarranted calls or contests, or another blatant disregard of the rules. (See table below for guidance.)

   C. Any flagrant foul does not require a pattern to result in a TMF or PMF.

   D. A particularly egregious demonstration of disregard for the rules, such as an intentional infraction or unfounded call, can be grounds for a TMF.

   E. Any other violent, aggressive, threatening, or otherwise unacceptable behavior may warrant a penalty at the discretion of the observers.

7. Implementation

   A. Observers may assess a Technical Foul, TMF, PMF, or ejection.

   1. At least one observer must have witnessed the infraction.

   2. Within 48 hours of game end, a team representative can request a review of any specific play or occurrence they believe did or did not warrant a card issued. These appeals would be reviewed and ruled on by the Commissioner and Rules Committee.

   B. For PMFs and ejections, play stops as soon as possible.

   1. For the Continuation Rule (17.C.), the situation should be treated like an injury called at the time of the infraction.

   C. For Technical Fouls and TMFs, active play should not be stopped; the foul should be assessed at the next stoppage of play.

   D. Personal Misconduct Fouls and Ejections

   1. An ejected team member must immediately leave the general area where their

      game is being played.

      a. In practice, this means the team member must remove themselves at least 100 yards from their team's current playing field and refrain from interacting with any team members, spectators, or officials involved in that game.

      b. Failure to do so results in a forfeit for that team member's team.

   2. If a team member participates in a game from which they have been ejected, they are suspended for the entire season, and their team forfeits that game. Harsher sanctions may also result, depending on the event.

   3. A team whose player is ejected may not substitute another player to their active game roster during the game in which the player is ejected.

   4. All players must remain in the positions they occupied when play stopped unless the ejection also triggers a Team Misconduct Penalty, as described in the following sections.

   5. Should a team member receive a total of 4 PMFs (an ejection being equivalent to 2 PMFs) over the course of the season, they would be ineligible to participate in games indefinitely, pending review and ruling from the Commissioner and Rules Committee.

   6. Should a team member be ejected more than once over the course of the season, they would be ineligible to participate in games indefinitely, pending review and ruling from the Commissioner and Rules Committee.

   E. Team Misconduct Penalty Against the Offense (3rd and subsequent TMFs accrued in a

   game by the team)

   1. Two options are available to the defense to continue play after a Team Misconduct Penalty against the offense assessed during a stoppage of play.

      a. The disc is moved to the reverse brick mark, away from the end zone of attack. The offense is given 30 seconds to set up anywhere on the playing field. After all offensive players have assumed stationary positions, the defense has an additional 20 seconds to match up and check the disc in with a stall count of one.

      b. The disc and players stay where they were when play stopped. Once players are ready, the count resumes at the stall count reached plus one or at nine if over eight.

   F. Team Misconduct Penalty Against the Defense (3rd and subsequent TMFs accrued in a game by the team)

   1. There are three options available to the offense to continue play after a Team Misconduct Penalty against the defense assessed during a stoppage of play.

      a. The disc is moved to the brick mark closest to the end zone of attack. The offense has 30 seconds to set up anywhere on the playing field. After all offensive players have assumed stationary positions, the defense has an additional 20 seconds to match up and check the disc in with a stall count of one.

      b. The disc is centered on the long axis of the field. The offense has 30 seconds to set up anywhere on the playing field. After all offensive players have assumed stationary positions, the defense has an additional 20 seconds to match up and check the disc in with a stall count of one.

      c. The disc and players stay where they were when play stopped. Once players are ready, the count resumes at the stall count reached plus one.

   G. Team Misconduct Penalty Assessed Between Points (3rd and subsequent TMFs accrued

   in a game by the team)

   1. If a Team Misconduct Penalty is assessed after the completion of a point, there is no pull.

   2. If the penalty is against the receiving team, the disc is put into play at the brick mark in the end zone they are defending (refer to TMF against offense above).

   3. If the penalty is against the pulling team, the receiving team puts the disc into play at the brick mark closest to the end zone they are attacking (refer to TMF against defense above, B3.F).

   4. Each team may substitute players as per 8.A.1.

   5. Each offensive player must establish a stationary position by 50 seconds after the previous goal was scored.

   6. The defense has 70 seconds after the previous goal was scored or up to 20 seconds after all offensive players have established their position (whichever is longer) to check the disc into play.

   H. Declined Team Misconduct Penalties

   1. A captain can decline a misconduct penalty and leave the disc as is.

   2. In exceptional circumstances, observers may deny the declination if they feel the teams try to circumvent mandatory rules, guidelines, or player safety.