IBK HUNGARIAN FEDERATION
KUMITE RULEBOOK
1. Rules for Knock Down Kumite for the adult age group
1.1 Match Duration
The match duration is 3 minutes of continuous fighting time. The clock does not stop between "yame" and "hajime" except when the head referee requests "jikan".
In case of a draw, 2 minutes of fighting time /new match/ follows. Scored points and penalties are deleted. If it is also a draw, another 2 minutes of fighting time /sai shiai/ follows, if it is also a draw, then the result of the post-match weigh-in will decide. There is no additional 2-minute extra time for the qualifiers, the decision must be made at the end of the 7th minute.
If weight does not decide, the number of broken boards is compared; the competitor who breaks more boards wins. If the match cannot be decided after this (in semifinals and finals), then a 2-minute extension ("encho sen") follows, after which a winner must be decided by referee decision.
Points and penalties cannot be carried over to the next extension; they are always reset. The fight only ends with the head referee's command "yame", and the hits scored until then are valid.
1.2 Attackable Areas
The entire body surface can be attacked with full force, except for the spine, groin, knees, and with hand techniques, the head and neck.
1.3 Forbidden Techniques ("Hansoku Waza"):
- Attacking the head, face, and neck with any hand technique is prohibited.
- Pushing or striking the opponent with open or closed hands is prohibited.
- Grabbing, pulling, or pushing the opponent's clothing is prohibited.
- Holding the opponent's hand, arm, or leg is prohibited.
- Attacking the groin is prohibited.
- Attacking the spine is prohibited.
- Attacking a fallen opponent with contact is prohibited.
- Headbutting in close combat, headbutting in wrestling, or head-to-head contact is prohibited.
- Approaching the opponent without striking, pushing, or hitting with hands or body, or pushing or pulling the opponent's hand or body without attacking the opponent with any defensive or offensive technique is prohibited.
- Initiating an attack from the ground is prohibited (except in a defensive posture).
- Intentionally attacking the knees in the opposite direction of bending is prohibited.
- Holding the neck and head is prohibited.
- Directly attacking the chest of women is prohibited.
- Attacking an opponent who is already on the ground is prohibited.
- Repeated or intentional stepping out is prohibited.
Note:
If a competitor and their assistants engage in defamation, the use of offensive language, or offensive gestures, disrespecting the opponent, referees, or members of the executive committee, the competitor will receive a warning ("Chui"). If this behavior persists from both the competitor andthe assistants, the competitor will receive a reprimand ("Genten"). In case of particularly malicious or offensive actions, the competitor will be disqualified ("Shikaku").
1.4 Weighing
If there is a draw after 3+2+2 minutes (or 3+2 in qualifiers), then the result is decided by post-match evaluation.
Aka is weighing first, then shiro.
Competitors must be weighing in competition gear.
In men's weight category competitions, in the heaviest weight category (e.g., +90 kg) or in the absolute category, a 10 kg weight difference is required for the lighter competitor to win. In all other weight categories, a 5 kg weight difference is required for victory.
In women's competitions, a 5 kg difference is required in the heaviest weight category, while a 3 kg difference is required in all other weight categories.
2. Rules for Knock Down Kumite for the U18 and U16 age groups
The competition rules correspond to those of the adult age group, with the following differences:
2.1 Match Duration
The match duration is 2 minutes of continuous fighting time. The clock does not stop between "yame" and "hajime" except when the head referee requests "jikan".
In case of a draw, there is 2 minutes (1 minute in the U16 category) of fighting time for a new match. If it is still a draw, the result is decided by post-match weighing.
If the match cannot be decided after this, then a 1-minute extension follows, after which a winner must be decided by referee decision.
2.2 Forbidden Techniques
In addition to the techniques listed in section 1.3:
- It is prohibited to attack the head with full force using leg techniques; the head can only be attacked from the side with controlled designated leg techniques (maximum skin contact allowed).
2.3 Weighing
Competitors must be weighing in competition gear.
For weight categories with a 5 kg classification, there must be a minimum difference of 3 kg, while for a 10 kg classification, there must be a minimum difference of 5 kg in each weight category. (Logically, the lighter competitor wins).
3. Rules for Knock Down Kumite for the U8-U10-U12-U14 age groups
The competition rules correspond to those of the adult age group, with the following differences:
3.1 Match Duration
The match duration is 1.5 minutes for U8-U10-U12 and 2 minutes for U14 of continuous fighting time. The clock does not stop between "yame" and "hajime" except when the head referee requests "jikan". In case of a draw, there is 1 minute of fighting time for a new match, after which a winner must be decided by referee decision.
3.2 Forbidden Techniques
In addition to the techniques listed in section 1.3:
- It is prohibited to attack the head with full force using leg techniques; the head can only be attacked from the side with controlled designated leg techniques (maximum skin contact allowed).
4. The resolution of the fight
Full-value (Ippon) Victory
If a competitor falls to the ground or remains standing due to one or more valid effective techniques and cannot continue the match within 3 seconds, the head referee announces Ippon. If the competitor stands up within 3 seconds but has suffered an injury that renders them unfit for further combat, the head referee announces Ippon.
If a competitor surrenders during the fight, their opponent wins by Ippon.
If a competitor injures their own arm or leg due to their own technique or defense and cannot continue the fight, the opponent wins by Ippon.
In the case of a legitimate jodan technique, if the competitor who received the jodan hit is allowed to continue by the competition doctor, they may continue the fight in team and nail-biting matches.
Procedure for Head KO
Head KO registration must be made when a competitor becomes dazed, loses memory, or loses consciousness due to either a legal or illegal technique. The fact of head KO must be recorded in the BUDO PASS with the signature of the competition head referee and the date indicated in the sports medical permits. With this, the sports medical permit loses its validity. Before the competitor can participate in the next competition where they intend to compete, they must undergo repeated medical examination. The doctor must be informed of the fact of head KO. If the doctor grants permission, the competitor can compete; if not, they cannot compete until the doctor permits it. (The same procedure applies in the case of an illegal technique).
Half-value (Wazaari) Victory
If a competitor falls to the ground due to one or more valid effective techniques but can continue the match within 3 seconds, the head referee can announce Wazaari based on the majority opinion with the corner referees.
If a competitor does not fall to the ground due to any technique but staggers, Wazaari can be awarded.
If a competitor falls to the ground due to a leg sweep and is followed by a hand technique executed with control on a valid surface in good time, Wazaari can be awarded. If a competitor injures their own arm or leg due to their own technique or defense but can continue the fight, their opponent can be awarded Wazaari.
If a competitor kicks with a domawashi kaiten geri technique, then falls to the ground, and their opponent executes a valid hand technique on a valid surface with control in good time, Wazaari can be awarded.
Two Wazaari means an Awazate Ippon victory.
Victory by Referee Decision
If there is no Ippon or disqualification when the fighting time expires, the referees may (and must in the case of the last extension) award victory to one of the competitors by referee decision.
Except for the last extension, referees can decide by referee decision only when one competitor clearly dominates the match.
If a competitor fails to appear for any reason, their opponent wins, which must be recorded in the protocol as a victory by referee decision.
Factors considered during the last extension:
If no Wazaari hits are achieved, then the severity of the injuries (damage) caused should be considered (e.g., if Wazaari was not obtained only due to the shortness of time, otherwise the half point would have been achieved).
If no injuries or damages are caused, then the number of executed techniques (strikes, kicks) can be the basis of the decision, including those significant techniques that were not sufficient for a Wazaari.
If the executed techniques - including the significant techniques - are balanced, then in the last extension, the winner is the one who fought more actively and wanted to win more.
Note: The head referee can announce victory within the fighting time if, based on the above, there is such a big difference between the two competitors that it seriously endangers the physical integrity of one of the competitors.
Victory by referee decision can only be made based on the majority opinion of the head referee and the side referees.
Incorporating warnings and penalties into the match result
If CHUI, GENTEN judgments are made during the fight, they must be considered in the final result of the match as follows:
If one competitor has one more CHUI, it does not affect the final result of the match. The referees must make their decision based on what they have seen. However, if there is no other difference between the competitors during the last extension, the competitor with more CHUI will lose.
f the difference is two CHUI, then normally the rule-breaking competitor loses the match. However, if they are clearly leading the match and are better than the other competitor, then a draw is also possible.
If there is a three-CHUI difference between the competitors, then the rule-breaking competitor will lose, regardless of whether they are better than the other competitor.
If one competitor has achieved a Wazaari and has received up to two CHUI penalties, then the Wazaari is stronger, so they win.
If alongside the Wazaari there are three penalties (CHUI), then the holder of the Wazaari wins, although if the opponent is leading the match very clearly or has received a serious penalty, then a draw is possible.
5. Determining Placements
Depending on how the competition draw was made from the options mentioned in section 2.3, placements must be determined in different ways.
In a direct knockout system, the competitor who wins the most matches without losing will win the bracket, meaning they will finish at the top of the table. The runner-up will be the loser of the final.
Third-place finishers are the losers of the semifinals.
In round-robin matches, the results are determined as follows:
- The number of won matches must be examined for each participant according to the score sheets. Based on this, the final result may be determined, with the competitor who won the most matches being the winner, and so on.
- If there are equal numbers of won matches, then the following cases must be considered:
Two competitors have the same points: the result of their match against each other decides.
If more than two competitors have the same points (a tiebreaker situation): then the number of IPPONs must be taken into account first. The competitor with more IPPONs moves forward. If these are also equal, then the number of WAZA-ARI must be considered (if they were not already counted with the IPPONs). The competitor with more points moves forward in the rankings. If there is still no decision based on these, then the number of GENTENs must be ranked, followed by the number of CHUIs. If there is still no result based on these, then the lightest competitor wins.
6. Protest
A protest can only be filed by the team leader or coach participating in the competition with the chief referee. The protest must be submitted in writing on behalf of the sports club.
Protests can only be submitted for the respective round from the registration deadline until the award ceremony.
The protest can only concern the organization, conduct, participants, and referee errors of the competition.
The fee for a protest is 10,000 Ft, which constitutes the income of the organizing entity/club.
Referees' professional decisions cannot be protested!
A protest can be filed until the start of the next round for any part of the competition, including the behavior of some competitors - that is, from the beginning to the end of the competition - to the main referee of the competition.
The chief referee is obliged to make a decision immediately on the protests submitted and inform the parties involved.
If the protest is upheld, the paid fee will be refunded to the protester.