Ultimate is unique in that it is played without officials or referees.  This means that Ultimate players are both competitors and officials.  The Spirit of the Game is a set of principles that guides players to mutual respect and trust, communication and conflict resolution, and self-confidence.  Responsibility is placed on each player to know the rules and make their own calls.

Please visit both the USAU and WFDF webpages for Spirit of the Game and read what they say about it.

"Highly competitive play is encouraged, but should never sacrifice the mutual respect between players, adherence to the agreed-upon rules of the game, or the basic joy of play."

The following is from the USAU Rulebook.

2.D. Players should be mindful of the fact that they are acting as officials in any arbitration between teams. Players must:

• 2.D.1. know and abide by the rules;

• 2.D.2. make calls only where an infraction is significant enough to make a difference to the outcome of the action or where a player’s safety is at risk;

• 2.D.3. be fair-minded and objective;

• 2.D.4. be truthful;

• 2.D.5. explain their viewpoint clearly and concisely;

• 2.D.6. allow opponents an opportunity to speak;

• 2.D.7. listen to and consider opponent’s viewpoint;

• 2.D.8. treat your opponents with consideration;

• 2.D.9. be conscious of the impact of your words and body language;

• 2.D.10. resolve disputes efficiently;

• 2.D.11. make calls in a consistent manner throughout the game and from player to player; and

• 2.D.12. acknowledge potential bias and preconceptions in order to treat every player equitably.