I. Judging Principles
The panel of judges and
the review panel shall have equal authority in judging the events, but the
final decision rests with the Supreme Judge. Kumite bouts shall be limited
to three minutes (the elimination bouts to two minutes) and extension rounds
(if any) to two minutes. When deemed necessary, the Supreme Judge may allow
for extra time. The Supreme Judge, after consultation with the Chairman and
Vice-Chairman of the Review panel and the assistant judges, has the ultimate
authority to change, alter or delay the tournament schedule if necessary.
II. Free-style Fight (Kumite)
A. Basic Principles
1)
One bout shall
last three minutes (elimination rounds two minutes) and extensions (if any)
last two minutes.
2)
Victory is awarded to the contestant:
-who has scored one full
point.
-who has scored two half
points, which make one full point.
-who won by decision.
-whose opponent was
disqualified or failed to take part in the bout without good reason.
B. Full-Point (Ippon)
Victory
3) Excluding the
techniques listed as fouls, a thrust (tsuki), kick (keri), elbow strike (hiji-uchi),
etc., which vigorously downs the opponent for more than three seconds or
results in the opponent's loss of his will to fight scores one full point.
C. Half-Point (Waza-ari)
Awarding
4) Excluding the
techniques listed as fouls, a thrust (tsuki), kick (keri), elbow strike (hiji-uchi),
etc., which downs the opponent or results in the opponent's loss of his will
to fight for less than three seconds after which he stands up and resumes
the fight scores one halfpoint. Similarly, when one opponent loses his
balance but does not fall down as a result of the other contestant's thrust
(tsuki), kick (keri), elbow strike (hiji-uchi), etc., one half-point is
declared.
5) When an opponent is
downed with any technique, including foot sweeps (ashi-kake), and a well
focused, but non-contact, downward punch (gedan tsuki) follows immediately
as part of a combination one half-point might be awarded on the basis of the
timing and other criteria.
6)
Two declarations of half-point constitute a full-point victory.
D. Victory by Decision (Hantei)
7)
When no clean one-point victory has been made, the victory is awarded by
decision.
8)
The decision is valid when at least three of the five member judging team
makes such a determination.
9)
The criteria for decision-making is prioritized as follows: [A] Damage. [B]
Effective techniques used. [C] Number of techniques used.
10) If one contestant
has two penalties (Genten Ni) and also scored one halfpoint (Waza-ari),
then the half-point shall be offset by the two penalties. If an opponent has
neither any penalties nor one half-point, the victory is awarded by
decision.
Genten Ichi < Wazaari.
Genten Ni = Wazaari
11) Victory by
disqualification or a contestant's withdrawal.
E. Extensions (Enchosen)
12) When a decision
cannot be reached on the basis of three of five of the judging team, a draw
is declared and extensions are granted.
13) if a decision cannot
be reached after two extensions, the victory is awarded to the contestant 10
kilograms lighter. If the winner cannot be decided on the basis of weight
difference, the number of boards broken at the breaking test (tameshiwari)
becomes a criterion in awarding victory.
For elimination rounds,
if a decision cannot be reached after one extension and the contestants'
weight difference is less than 10 kilograms, a single sudden-death extension
is granted.
14) If the winner cannot
be decided even on the basis of weight or number of broken boards, victory
is awarded by the Tournament Supreme Judge and the Judge Chairman on the
basis of the contestants' technique, fighting spirit and number of penalties
etc. In this case there may be a third extension.
15) Articles 13 and 14
constitute the basic principles but the Tournament Supreme Judge, the Judge
Chairman and the Review Panel may make modifications when deemed necessary.
F. Fouls (Hansoku)
16) The following
actions are considered fouls:
a)
Touching the opponent's face and neck even slightly with a hand or elbow
attack. However, making feints to the face is allowed.
b)
Groin kicks (Kin-geri)
c)
Head thrusts (zu-tsuki)
d)
Attacking an opponent who is already down.
e) Attacking the spine
or spinal cord.
f) Grabbing the
opponent's neck or body part.
g) Grabbing and holding
the opponent's uniform (dogi), arms and legs.
h) Pushing the
opponent.
i) Such repeated
actions as falling down and stepping out right after kicking or punching
one's opponent. (Kakenige)
j) Stepping outside
the area frequently. (Jogai)
k) Attacking directly
to the knee joint from front of it.
l) Any other
actions that the referees may regard as foul.
17) Excluding deliberate
actions, fouls result in one warning (Chui). Two warnings result in one
penalty (Genten Ichi). Three warnings result in two penalties (Genten Ni).
Four warnings result in three penalties (Genten San) and automatic
disqualification (Shikkaku).
G. Penalties (Genten)
18) The following
situations result in one penalty:
a)
Two warnings
b)
Deliberate foul
c)
Other actions that the main referee may consider as a bad attitude towards
the competition.
H. Disqualification
(Shikkaku)
19) The following
situations result in disqualification:
a)
Three
penalties. (Genten San = Shikkaku).
b) Failing to obey the
referee's instructions during a bout.
c)
Actions considered as sheer violence, deliberate serious fouls and
deliberate bad attitude.
d)
Facing each other for more than one minute without engaging in the fight.
This shall be regarded as lacking the will to fight and both contestants
shall be disqualified.
e)
Being late for a bout or failing to appear.
III. Failing to take part in the bout
(Shiai Hoki)
20) Anyone who fails to
take part in the bout as scheduled without good reason shall be fined no
more than 150,000 Japanese Yen. The following circumstances are exceptions:
a) Lack of the ability
to continue the tournament decided by the tournament main physician after a
medical examination.
b)
Unforeseen misfortune to anyone closely related to the contestants (such as
family members, etc.) which happens immediately before or during the bout.
Permission to leave the contest area will be given after consultation with
the Supreme Judge, the Chairman of the Review panel and the tournament
lawyer.
BREAKING TEST
IV. Breaking Test (Tameshiwari)
1) The materials used
for the breaking test shall be wooden boards 33 centimeters (13 inches)
long, 21 centimeters (8 inches) wide, and 24 millimeters (0.9 inches) thick.
The referees and the review panel shall check whether the materials
correspond to the standards set by the International Karate Organization.
2) Points are awarded on
the basis of the number of boards broken.
3) Each contestant shall
use four techniques in the breaking test: fore-fist (seiken), knife-foot
(sokuto), elbow (enpi) and knife hand (shuto). The total number of broken
boards constitutes the score of the breaking test.
4) Each contestant may
attempt to break any number of boards he chooses that meet or exceed the
minimum of 3 boards.
5) If, on the initial
attempt, all the boards that a contestant attempted to break do not break,
no points shall be awarded.
6) In case of failure,
the contestant is permitted to try again, but the number of boards shall be
limited to three.
7) If the contestant
fails to break the boards for the second time, his score is O.
8)
Boards for the breaking test must be placed across the top of two stable
blocks. Contestants are not allowed to move the blocks without the
permission of the referees, the Review panel and the persons responsible for
setting the blocks.
9) Contestants are not
allowed to touch the blocks and the boards. But they can examine the spacing
between the individual boards and may place a thin piece of cloth (which has
been examined by the referees and Review panel) on top of the boards.
10) The breaking test
will be held according to the referees' instructions. The breaking test time
is set at two minutes. Overtime is considered a failure to break the boards.
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