Why does the lacrosse referee throw a flag but let play go on?
A · Advanced · Fouls and penalties · 2 of 2When a defender fouls while the attack has the ball and a scoring chance is under way, the official throws a flag but holds the whistle until the chance is over. If the attack scores, the goal stands. For a loose-ball minor foul, the official calls "play-on" instead, and blows only if the team that fouled gets the ball.
How it works
- Slow whistle: when "a scoring play is imminent", the official "must throw a signal flag and withhold their whistle".
- Over when: the attack loses the ball, takes a shot that ends, loses the chance, takes the ball behind the goal and out again, or leaves the attack goal area.
- For any foul: whether or not it was against the player with the ball.
- A goal for a minor foul: "If a goal is scored during a slow whistle play for a Minor foul, then no penalty is applied."
- No goal: the time penalty is served and the attack gets the ball.
- The shot clock: it does not reset during the flag but resets to 80 seconds once the foul is dealt with.
- Play-on: for a loose-ball minor foul, when stopping play would hurt the team fouled.
- During play-on: if the team fouled gets the ball, the signal ends. If the other team gets it, the whistle goes and the ball is given to the team fouled.
- A second foul: a minor foul brings a further play-on. A major foul stops play at once.
- Inadvertent whistle: play stops at once and the team with the ball, or entitled to it, keeps it. Otherwise a face-off.
The glossary has the slow whistle, the play-on entry and the coincidental fouls entry. Its entries are written for sixes.
Tricky cases
A defender slashes an attacker who still scores. Is the slash forgotten?
No. The goal stands, and the penalty for a major foul is still served. Only a minor foul is wiped out by the goal.
The flag is down and the attack passes the ball behind the goal and back in front. Is the chance over?
Not yet, if the flag was thrown with the ball in front. It ends when the attack takes it behind the goal a second time.
An official blows the whistle by mistake while a shot is in the air. Does the goal count?
No. A goal does not count after a whistle, even an inadvertent one.
During a flag, an attacker also commits a foul. What happens?
The fouls are simultaneous, and the rules for those apply.
Why the rule exists
Stopping play the moment a defender fouls would often help the defence, by ending a good attack. The flag lets the attack finish the chance, and the penalty is still waiting if it fails. Play-on does the same for loose balls.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Goal during a flag for a minor foul | No penalty served | WL Men Rule 80.3 |
| Goal during a flag for a major foul | Penalty still served | WL Men Rule 79.6; AR 81 |
| No goal during a flag | Penalty served, attack keeps the ball | WL Men Rule 80.4 |
| Loose-ball minor foul | Play-on | WL Men Rule 83.1 |
From the rule book
World Lacrosse, 2025-2027 Men's Field Lacrosse Official Playing Rules (version 1.0), Rules 38.2, 43.9, 80, 81, 82 and 83. Checked 21 October 2026. Official document: Rules of Men's Field Lacrosse 2025-2027 (PDF).