Referees - WKF Kumite Rules
ARTICLE 8: PROHIBITED BEHAVIOUR
There are two categories of prohibited behaviour, Category 1 and Category 2.
CATEGORY 1.
1. Techniques which make excessive contact, having regard to the scoring area attacked, and techniques which make contact with the throat.
2. Attacks to the arms or legs, groin, joints, or instep.
3. Attacks to the face with open hand techniques.
4. Dangerous or forbidden throwing techniques.
CATEGORY 2.
1. Feigning, or exaggerating injury.
2. Repeated exits from the competition area (JOGAI).
3. Self-endangerment by indulging in behaviour, which exposes the contestant to injury by the opponent, or failing to take adequate measures for self-protection, (MUBOBI).
4. Avoiding combat as a means of preventing the opponent having the opportunity to score.
5. Clinching, wrestling, pushing, or seizing, without attempting a throw or other technique.
6. Techniques, which by their nature, cannot be controlled for the safety of the opponent and dangerous and uncontrolled attacks.
7. Attacks with the head, knees, or elbows.
8. Talking to, or goading the opponent, failing to obey the orders of the referee, discourteous behaviour towards the refereeing officials, or other breaches of etiquette.
EXPLANATION:
I. Karate competition is a sport, and for that reason some of the most dangerous techniques are banned and all techniques must be controlled. Trained competitors can absorb relatively powerful blows on muscled areas such as the abdomen, but the fact remains that the head, face, neck, groin and joints are particularly susceptible to injury. Therefore any technique, which results in injury, may be penalised unless caused by the recipient. The contestants must perform all techniques with control and good form. If they cannot, then regardless of the technique misused, a warning or penalty must be imposed.
FACE CONTACT — SENIORS AND JUNIORS
II. For Senior and Junior competitors, non-injurious, light, controlled “touch” contact to the face, head, and neck is allowed (but not to the throat). Where contact is deemed by the referee to be too strong, but does not diminish the competitor’s chances of winning, a warning (CHUKOKU) may be given. A second contact under the same circumstances will be penalised by KEIKOKU and IPPON (one point), given to the opponent. A third offence will be given HANSOKU CHUI and NIHON (two points), to the injured competitor. A further offence will result in disqualification by HANSOKU.
FACE CONTACT — CADETS
III. For Cadets, all hand techniques to the head, face, and neck must have absolute control. Should the glove touch the target the Referee Panel will not award a score. Kicking techniques to the head, face and neck, are allowed to make a light “skin touch” only. In the case of techniques, which make contact considered to be more than a “glove” or “skin” touch, the Referee Panel will give a warning or penalty. Any technique to the head, face or neck, which causes injury no matter how slight, will be warned or penalised unless caused by the recipient.
IV. The Referee must constantly observe the injured contestant. A short delay in giving a judgment allows injury symptoms such as a nosebleed to develop. Observation will also reveal any efforts by the contestant to aggravate slight injury for tactical advantage. Examples of this are blowing violently through an injured nose, or rubbing the face roughly.
V. Pre-existing injury can produce symptoms out of all proportion to the degree of contact used and referees must take this into account when considering penalties for seemingly excessive contact. For example, what appears to be a relatively light contact could result in a competitor being unable to continue due to the cumulative effect of injury sustained in an earlier bout. Before the start of a match or bout, the Match Area Controller must examine the medical cards and ensure that the contestants are fit to fight. The Referee must be informed if a contestant has been treated for injury.
VI. Contestants who over-react to light contact, in an effort to have the referee penalise their opponent, such as holding the face and staggering about, or falling unnecessarily, will be immediately warned or penalised themselves.
VII. Feigning of an injury, which does not exist, is a serious infraction of the rules. SHIKKAKU will be imposed on the contestant feigning injury i.e., when such things as collapse and rolling about on the floor are not supported by evidence of commensurate injury as reported by a neutral doctor. Exaggerating an injury, which does exist is less serious. A warning or penalty should be imposed for exaggerating injury.
VIII. Competitors, who receive SHIKKAKU for feigning injury will be taken from the competition area and put directly into the hands of the W.K.F. Medical Commission, who will carry out an immediate examination of the competitor. The Medical Commission will submit its report before the end of the Championship, for the consideration of the Referee Commission. Competitors who feign injury will be subject to the strongest penalties, up to and including suspension for life for repeated offences.
IX. The throat is a particularly vulnerable area and even the slightest contact will be warned or penalised, unless it is the recipient’s own fault.
X. Throwing techniques are divided into two types. The established “conventional” karate leg sweeping techniques such as de ashi barai, ko uchi gari, etc., where the opponent is swept off-balance or thrown without being grabbed first — and those throws requiring that the opponent be grabbed or held as the throw is executed. The pivotal point of the throw must not be above the hip and the opponent must be held onto throughout, so that a safe landing can be made. Over the shoulder throws such as seio nage, kata garuma etc., are expressly forbidden, as are so-called “sacrifice” throws such as tomoe nage, sumi gaeshi etc. If an opponent is injured as a result of a throwing technique, the Referee Panel will decide whether a penalty is called for.
XI. Open hand techniques to the face are forbidden due to the danger to the contestant’s sight.
XII. JOGAI relates to a situation where a contestant's foot, or any other part of the body, touches the floor outside of the match area. An exception is when the contestant is physically pushed or thrown from the area by the opponent.
XIII. A contestant who delivers a scoring technique then exits the area before the Referee calls “Yame” will be given the value of the score and Jogai will not be imposed. If the contestant’s attempt to score is unsuccessful the exit will be recorded as a Jogai.
XIV. If AO exits just after Aka scores with a successful attack, then “Yame” will occur immediately on the score and AO's exit will not be recorded. If AO exits, or has exited as Aka's score is made (with Aka remaining within the area), then both Aka's score will be awarded and AO's Jogai penalty will be imposed.
XV. The contestant who constantly retreats without effective counter, who clinches unnecessarily, or who deliberately exits the area rather than allow the opponent an opportunity to score must be warned or penalised. This often occurs during the closing seconds of a bout. If the offence occurs with ten seconds or more of the bout time remaining the referee will warn the offender. If there has been a previous Category 2 offence or offences, this will result in a penalty being imposed.
If however, there is less than ten seconds to go, the referee will penalise the offender with Keikoku (whether there has been a previous Category 2 Chukoku or not) and award an Ippon to the opponent. If there has been a previous Category 2 Keikoku the Referee will penalise the offender with Hansoku Chui and award Nihon to the opponent. If there has been a previous Category 2 Hansoku Chui the Referee will penalise the offender with Hansoku and award the bout to the opponent. However, the referee must ensure that the contestant’s behaviour is not a defensive measure due to the opponent acting in a reckless or dangerous manner, in which case the attacker should be warned or penalised.
XVI. An example of MUBOBI is the instance in which the contestant launches a committed attack without regard for personal safety. Some contestants throw themselves into a long reverse-punch, and are unable to block a counter. Such open attacks constitute an act of Mubobi and cannot score. As a tactical theatrical move, some fighters turn away immediately in a mock display of dominance to demonstrate a scored point. They drop their guard and lapse awareness of the opponent. The purpose of the turn-away is to draw the Referee's attention to their technique. This is also a clear act of Mubobi. Should the offender receive an excessive contact and/or sustain an injury and the fault is considered to be the recipient’s, the referee will issue a Category 2 warning or penalty and may decline to give a penalty to the opponent.
XVII. Any discourteous behaviour from a member of an official delegation can earn the disqualification of a competitor, the entire team, or delegation from the tournament.
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