Ma Yuehan Cup (马约翰杯) Ultimate Frisbee

Competition Purpose

To promote the development and prosperity of ultimate frisbee at our university, improve the ultimate frisbee skill level of our students, and better showcase the spirit and sportsmanship of Tsinghua students, the 2022–2023 Tsinghua University "Ma Yuehan Cup (马约翰杯)" Student Athletic Games Ultimate Frisbee Competition is hereby organized.

Competition Format

To popularize ultimate frisbee among general students and encourage more students to participate, the 2022–2023 "Ma Yuehan Cup (马约翰杯)" Ultimate Frisbee Competition is divided into Division A and Division B. The division of participating teams follows the 2022–2023 Ma Yuehan Cup Competition Guide (竞赛指南).

Registration

1. Registration period: October 5, 2022, 18:00 – October 9, 2022, 18:00 (Week 4, Wednesday to Sunday).
2. There is no limit on the number of teams that may register for this competition.
3. Registration form download: Department team captains or sports department representatives should visit the following link to download the registration form. https://cloud.tsinghua.edu.cn/f/5ccbd718b4174529bf07/?dl=1
4. Registration form submission: All participating teams must send the electronic version of the registration form to the following email by 18:00 on October 9, 2022: qingfeithu@163.com
5. The registration form must be filled out completely as required. The file should be named in the format "[Department Name + Ultimate Frisbee Ma Cup + Registration Form]", e.g., "School of Architecture Ultimate Frisbee Ma Cup Registration Form" or "Weyang Academy (未央书院) Ultimate Frisbee Ma Cup Registration Form."
6. After registration is confirmed, the association will reply with a QR code for the team captains' liaison group; subsequent notifications will be communicated through this group.

Player Eligibility and Rights

1. Each department may register at most one team for the "Ma Yuehan Cup (马约翰杯)" Ultimate Frisbee Competition. Each team is limited to 6–25 players (including one captain and one spirit captain), with at least 3 female and 3 male players.
2. Players must be currently registered students (including undergraduates, master's students, doctoral students, and exchange students) as well as faculty and staff of the department (relevant certification must be provided per the 2022–2023 Ma Yuehan Cup Competition Guide).
3. Team Leader: Each team must appoint one, who must be the department's Youth League secretary or deputy secretary. Athletes may not serve as team leader. The team leader is responsible for verifying player eligibility per the 2022–2023 Ma Yuehan Cup Competition Guide and this registration method, supervising athletes' compliance with Organizing Committee regulations, and encouraging athletes to demonstrate good sportsmanship.
4. Captain: Outside of the team's own matches, communication with the Tsinghua University Student Ultimate Frisbee Association is the captain's responsibility; the captain must keep their contact information valid. During matches, the captain must step in to communicate and resolve any special situations. If the captain cannot attend a match, they must designate another player as captain for that match.
5. Spirit Captain: Each team must appoint one; the captain may not also serve as spirit captain. The spirit captain is responsible for guiding all team members in scoring the opposing team's Spirit of the Game after each match, and submitting the score sheet to the organizer after the game. During training and matches, the spirit captain is responsible for teaching and monitoring the team's knowledge and use of rules, fouls and body contact, fair-mindedness, and related areas.
6. When the team leader is not present, the captain and spirit captain are obligated to maintain good spectator conduct among their team's supporters.
7. To ensure fair play, both teams have the right and responsibility to designate a scorekeeper to monitor score recording. The team leader or captain must confirm the match result after the game and sign in the designated area on the score sheet before leaving.
8. During matches, athletes must carry their student ID or student card, or faculty/staff ID for inspection by the on-site referee. Otherwise, they will be deemed unable to verify their identity and will be ineligible to play in that match.
9. All participating teams have the right to monitor the eligibility of all participating players.

Adjudication System

1. Ultimate frisbee matches of all levels use a "no referee" system. All match disputes are resolved through consultation between the on-field players and captains/spirit captains of both teams.
2. To ensure smooth and efficient competition, this tournament uses an "Observer system." Each match will have at least one "Observer," appointed by the organizer — the Tsinghua University Student Ultimate Frisbee Association — from active university frisbee team members. Observers are only responsible for interpreting frisbee rules and providing opinions and suggestions when actively asked by on-field players; their determinations do not have binding authority.
3. The Tsinghua University Student Ultimate Frisbee Association will conduct training on frisbee rules and Spirit of the Game at the preparation meeting. To ensure smooth competition, each team's spirit captain must attend the training. All players are also welcome to attend and learn.

Preparation Meeting

Tentatively scheduled for mid-Week 4; the exact time and location will be announced. The preparation meeting includes rule explanations, bracket drawing, and Spirit scoring training. Frisbee rules differ from other sports, so all captains must bring their team's spirit captain to attend the preparation meeting.

Schedule

Group Round-Robin

If a division (Division A or B) has fewer than 12 participating teams, the plan is to divide them into 2 groups for a round-robin, with the top 4 from each group advancing to the ranking stage (specific groupings and advancement rules will be adjusted based on the number of teams). If a division has 12 or more participating teams, they will be divided into 4 groups for a round-robin, with the top 2 from each group advancing to the ranking stage. Group placement is determined by drawing lots. Based on the 2021–2022 "Ma Yuehan Cup (马约翰杯)" Ultimate Frisbee results, 4 seed teams are identified for each division (A and B); no group will contain two seed teams. In the group stage, a win earns 3 points, a draw earns 1 point, and a loss earns 0 points. If one team forfeits, the other team wins 11:0 and earns 3 points; the forfeiting team earns -3 points. If both teams forfeit, the result is 0:0 and both teams earn -3 points. In the group stage, teams with more points rank higher.

If two or more teams are tied on points, rankings are determined in the following order:

1. Fewer forfeits ranks higher;
2. Head-to-head record (more points in mutual matches ranks higher);
3. Overall goal difference (higher net score ranks higher);
4. Total goals scored (more goals ranks higher);
5. A distance throw determines the final ranking.

Top 8 Ranking Stage

In the ranking stage, the 8 qualifying teams from each division participate. If one team forfeits, the other team advances directly. If both teams forfeit, both are eliminated and placed at the bottom.

1. Quarterfinals:
2. Semifinals:
3. 5th–8th Place Ranking:

Schedule Plan

Time	Schedule
Week 5 Saturday	Division A & B group matches, 6 each (~6 hours)
Week 5 Sunday	Division A & B group matches, 6 each (~6 hours)
Week 6 Saturday	Division A & B group matches, 6 each (~6 hours)
Week 6 Sunday	Division A & B group matches, 6 each (~6 hours)
Week 9 Saturday	Division A & B quarterfinals, 4 each (~4 hours)
Week 9 Sunday	Division A & B 5th–8th place ranking, 4 each (~4 hours)
Week 10 Saturday	Division A & B semifinals, 4 each (~4 hours)
Week 10 Sunday	Contingency overflow

The competition is expected to begin on October 15, 2022. The detailed schedule will be finalized based on the number of registered teams and announced on the Tsinghua University Student Ultimate Frisbee Association WeChat Official Account THUultimate (清华飞盘THUultimate) as soon as possible after the preparation meeting.

About the Venue

1. The 5-a-side ultimate frisbee field is 75 meters long and 25 meters wide, with 15-meter-deep end zones on each side.
2. Matches are held at the East Baseball Field, which can accommodate two simultaneous 5-a-side ultimate frisbee matches.

Competition Rules

Unless otherwise specified, all other rules follow the 2021 WFDF (World Flying Disc Federation) Rules of Ultimate. Download link: https://cloud.tsinghua.edu.cn/d/a15f128ea6074ff8a49b/

Special Rules and Clarifications:

1. Each team fields 5 players, with at least 1 male and 1 female. The gender ratio is determined by the offensive team. (Recommended ratios: 4:1, 3:2, or 2:3.) If both teams have unequal gender numbers on the field, the match may proceed with both teams' agreement.
2. Each match is played to 11 points with a 60-minute time limit and a 50-minute hard time cap (when the hard time cap is reached, after the current point ends, the leading team's score plus one becomes the game-ending target). The first team to reach 11 points, or the team with more points at 60 minutes, wins. In the group stage, if the scores are tied at 60 minutes, it is a draw. In the ranking stage, if scores are tied at 60 minutes, the current score plus one becomes the game-ending target, and the team that wins the current point wins the match.
3. Halftime occurs at 6 points, lasting 1.5 minutes. After halftime, teams swap sides and offensive/defensive roles.
4. Each team has 2 timeouts per match — one at the start and one after halftime — each lasting 1 minute.
5. Players may be substituted before each point. After a point begins, substitutions are only allowed for special circumstances such as injury. There is no limit on the number of substitutions between points.
6. If within 15 minutes of the match start, one team cannot field 5 registered players, the match is considered a forfeit.

Announcement Methods

1. Competition regulations are published and amended solely by the "Ma Yuehan Cup (马约翰杯)" Competition Committee. Email: tybqtz@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
2. Important matters affecting teams (schedules, results, etc.) will be communicated to team captains via WeChat. The Tsinghua University Student Ultimate Frisbee Association WeChat Official Account THUultimate (清华飞盘THUultimate) and the department team captains' liaison group are the only official channels for publishing and updating schedules, match details, interim results, and all temporary notices. Those who miss notifications due to personal reasons bear the consequences. Below is the QR code for the association's WeChat Official Account.

Rewards and Penalties

Per the 2022–2023 Ma Yuehan Cup Competition Guide (竞赛指南), after consultation with the second-tier Arbitration Committee and the Sports Department, the following reward and penalty provisions are established:

1. The Tsinghua University "Ma Yuehan Cup (马约翰杯)" Ultimate Frisbee Competition will award a Best Spirit Award to the teams in Division A and Division B that achieve the highest spirit scores (not affecting Ma Yuehan Cup points).
2. If any team has an ineligible player on the field during a match, and this is reported and verified, the Arbitration Committee will disqualify the team and issue a public criticism notice.
3. Teams may not abandon a match in progress. Otherwise, the Arbitration Committee reserves the right to disqualify the team from all remaining matches in the current tournament, void all results, and depending on the severity, may ban the team from the next "Ma Yuehan Cup (马约翰杯)" Ultimate Frisbee Competition.
4. If both teams have differing interpretations of the same rule during a match, the team captains should raise the issue with the on-field observer, and the observer's interpretation shall prevail. If significant disagreement remains, the on-field observer shall escalate the issue to the Arbitration Committee for a final ruling.

Arbitration Committee and Appeals

Hosting unit and Arbitration Committee lead: Leng Tingxuan Phone: 18201106233

If there is a dispute about a match result, a factual written report must be submitted to the Tsinghua University Student Ultimate Frisbee Association. After the Arbitration Committee reviews and rules based on the rules and regulations, if there is still disagreement, an appeal may be filed with the "Ma Yuehan Cup (马约翰杯)" Arbitration Committee. All arbitration bodies only accept written appeals. Please carefully refer to the arbitration provisions in the 2022–2023 Ma Yuehan Cup Competition Guide. Expired or incomplete submissions will not be accepted. Final interpretation authority for all disputes arising during this competition belongs to the "Ma Yuehan Cup (马约翰杯)" Arbitration Committee.

Contact Information

Overall Lead: Tang Chenxi Email: tangcx20@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn Phone: 17701726907 (same for WeChat)

Arbitration Lead: Leng Tingxuan Email: lengtx20@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn Phone: 18201106233 (same for WeChat)