This document discusses the rules around fouls in women's lacrosse. It outlines the different types of fouls - minor fouls, major fouls, and misconduct/warning cards. Minor fouls are less serious infractions that result in the ball being awarded to the other team. Major fouls and misconduct are more serious and can result in cards being issued. The document also covers restarting play after fouls and the advantage rule for situations where the fouled team maintains possession.

1. Introduction
Minor Fouls
Misconduct and warning cards
This section is about fouls in general.
The World Lacrosse rulebook covers this topic in
Rules 19 – 23 (pages 34 – 48)
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
FOULS
Major Fouls
section

2. Introduction
Minor Fouls
Misconduct and warning cards
In this section:
• Types of fouls
• Advantage rule
• Restarting play after a foul
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
FOULS
Major Fouls
section

3. Introduction
Minor Fouls
Misconduct and warning cards
Types of fouls
• There are two kinds of fouls:
• Minor fouls
• Major fouls
• Some major fouls mandate an inmediate yellow card
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
FOULS
Major Fouls
section

4. Introduction
Minor Fouls
Misconduct and warning cards
Minor fouls
• Less serious in nature
• Usually someone trying to gain a small advantage by the breach of
a rule
• There are 21 types of minor fouls
• Penalty:
• Ball awarded to the other team
• The offender moves 4 meter next to the ball
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
FOULS
Major Fouls
section

5. Introduction
Minor Fouls
Misconduct and warning cards
Major fouls
• More serious in nature
• Dangerous situations, unnecessarily or intentionally rough
• There are 25 types of major fouls
• Penalty:
• Ball awarded to the other team
• The offender moves 4 meter behind the ball
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
FOULS
Major Fouls
section

6. Introduction
Minor Fouls
Misconduct and warning cards
Misconduct and warning cards
• Most serious in nature
• 4 mandatory yellow cards OR
• Used on anyone who is disregarding all normal behavior or
sportsmanship
• Penalty:
• Yellow card: Player is expelled from the game for 2 minutes
• Yellow/red or straight red card: player is expelled from the
remainder of the game; team plays 5 min man-down
• Ball awarded to the other team
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
FOULS
Major Fouls
section

7. Introduction
Advantage Rule outside the Advantage Flag Area
(held whistle)
• Used when the team in possession is fouled, but the player can
maintain quality possession of the ball and in the opinion of the
umpire stopping play would penalize the non-offending team
• The umpire will shout “advantage” and hold up a straight arm in
the direction of play
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
FOULS
section
Minor Fouls
Misconduct and warning cards
Major Fouls

8. Introduction
Advantage Rule inside the Advantage Flag Area
• The Advantage Flag is a held whistle for a major foul committed by
the defense when the attacking team is on a ‘scoring play’ in
within the Advantage Flag Area (AFA)
• The AFA includes the 15 m area (MA) and the 12 m playing area
behind goal starting from the ends of the Goal Line Extended
• A yellow flag is raised to signify the held whistle untill the scoring
play ends
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
FOULS
section
Minor Fouls
Misconduct and warning cards
Major Fouls

9. Introduction
Advantage Rule inside the Advantage Flag Area
• Scoring play is when the attacking team is making a continuous
attempt to go to the goal and score
• Scoring play is over when
• A shot is taken
• The attack fails or stops their continuous attempt to score a
goal
• The attack makes a foul
• The attack loses possession of the ball
• The defense commits another foul that requires the play to
be stopped, such as ‘shooting space’.
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
FOULS
section
Minor Fouls
Misconduct and warning cards
Major Fouls

10. Introduction
Following an Advantage Flag
• If the attack makes a shot on goal, the advantage is ‘complete’ and
the umpire lowers the flag
• If a shot on goal is successful, the goal counts
• If a shot is wide, saved or deflected, play continues
• If the scoring play ends without a shot on goal and no advantage
was gained, a free position will be awared to the player who was
fouled. The offender will move 4 m behind the fouled player
• If scoring play ends because of a foul by the attack, a throw will be
set up
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
FOULS
section
Minor Fouls
Misconduct and warning cards
Major Fouls

11. Introduction
Restarting play after a foul
• Restarting play:
• 15 meter away from goal
• 2 meter away from end and side lines
• All players must be 4 meter away from player with the ball
Women’s Lacrosse Basic Rules
FOULS
section
Minor Fouls
Misconduct and warning cards
Major Fouls