Kyokushin Kumite

A. Basic principles

  1. One bout shall last two minutes (both 1st and 2nd round). From the quarter-finals last three minutes, and one extension 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

  1. 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

  1. 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 half-point. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Two declarations of half-point constitute a full-point victory.

D. Victory by Decision (Hantei)

  1. When no clean one-point victory has been made, the victory is awarded by decision.

  2. The decision is valid when it is based on the judgement of at least three referees out of the one main referee and four assistant referees team.

E. Extensions (Enchosen)

  1. When a decision cannot be reached on the basis of the judgment of the one main referee and four assistant referees team, a draw is declared and extensions are granted.

  2. One bout will have up to two extensions in the 1st and 2nd rounds. After the second extension, a decision must be made.

  3. From the quarter-finals, if a decision cannot be reached after two extensions, the number of boards broken at breaking test (tameshiwari) becomes a criterion in awarding victory.

  4. If the number of broken boards are equal, there will be a final extension.

  5. Articles 10, 11, and 12 constitute the basic principles but the tournament Supreme Judge, the Head Judge and the Review Panel may make modifications when they consider them necessary.

F. Fouls (Hansoku)

  1. 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-teki)
    c) Head thrusts (zu-tsuki)
    d) Attacking an opponent who is already down
    e) Grabbing the opponent’s neck
    g) Grabbing and holding the opponent's uniform (dogi), arms and legs
    h) Pushing with open hands
    i) Such repeated actions as falling down and stepping out right after kicking or punching one’s opponent
    j) Stepping outside the area frequently
    k) Any other actions that the referees may regard as foul

  2. Excluding deliberate actions, fouls result in one warning

G. Penalties (Genten)

  1. The following situation result in one penalty:
    a) Two warnings
    b) Deliberate foul
    c) Other actions that main referee may consider as a bad attitude towards the contest

  2. Two penalties constitute disqualification

H. Disqualification (Shikkaku)

  1. The following situations result in disqualification:
    a) Two penalties
    b) Failing to obey the referee’s instructions during a bout.
    c) Actions considered as sheer violence, deliberate serious fouls and deliberate bad attitude towards the contest.
    d) Facing each other for more than one minute without engaging in fight. This shall be regarded as lacking
    the will to fight and both contestants shall be disqualified.
    e) Being late for bout or failing to appear.

I. Failing to take part in the bout (Shai Hoki)

  1. 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 Head Judge, Chairman of the Review panel and the tournament lawyer.


IKO Standard Actions of the Judges

Opening the bout

  1. The person in charge shall call the contestants out. The contestants shall enter the fighting area from opposite sides.

  2. The main judge shall stand in the middle, 3 meters from the center line.

  3. The bout starts after the main judge has given the command: “Hajime”.

  4. One bout shall last in the first and second round, two minutes

  5. If the uniforms of both or either of the contestants come undone during the bout, the judge will halt the action, have the men assume their original positions and allow them to sit with the backs to each other. The contestants shall then rearrange their uniform

During the bout

  1. During the bout if there is a full point victory, half point technique or foul made, or if a contestant steps outside the fighting area, etc., the assistant judge shall whistle and, at the same time, raise the flag. The main judge shall give the command “Yame” (stop), and make the contestants return to their positions which they had when the bout started.

  2. The flag signals are as follows:
    Full point victory - The judge raises the flag with the same colour as the winner, diagonally upwards.
    Half point - The judge raises the flag with the same colour as the contestant who took the half point horizontally to the side.
    Foul - The judge waves from side to side, with the flag with the same colour as the competitor who got the foul, diagonally downwards.
    Step outside the fighting area - The judge lowers either flag diagonally touching the floor.
    Draw, indecision - The judge crosses both flags in front of himself, lowering them so they point diagonally downwards.
    No count or no score - The judge crosses both flags in front of himself and waves.
    Unclear action - The judge crosses both flags at eye level.

  3. In case of a full point victory, half point, or foul, the main judge shall request the assistant judges’ decision and announce the final decision which must have three or more of the judge’s approval.

  4. Regarding the foul, there are situations when the main judge’s decision only might be accepted as valid.

Full-point victory

  1. When one of the opponents has been downed for more than three seconds or when one has given up, the Main Judge shall make a decision, return the contestants to the middle of the ring, and then have them assume their original positions.

  2. The Main Judge shall check the decisions of the assistant judges and shall decide victory on the basis of the flags of more than two of those assistant judges.

Victory by decision

  • At the signal to stop, the main judge shall call “yame” (halt) and shall return the contestants to their original positions.
  • The main judge shall make the competitors face “Shomen” (the front), and request the assistant judges’ decision. Each assistant judge shall raise his flag with the same colour as the person he considers to have won, diagonally upwards. In case of a draw, he shall cross the flags in front of himself. The valid decision will be the one which has three or more of the judges’ (including the main referee) approval. In case there are not 3 or more judges with the same decision, there shall be draw.
  • In case of a draw, there shall be an extension of the bout of 2 minutes.
  • Even if, after two extensions, it is not possible to make a decision, the decision shall be made after considering the weight difference between the competitors. The lighter one shall be in advantage. The Head Judge’s permission is necessary in this case.
  • In the case of a tie between men of equal weights, victory shall be awarded to the person who broke more boards in the tameshiwari.
  • If the numbers of boards broken by the two contestants are equal, victory shall be awarded on the basis of the decision of the Supreme Judge. In this case, another extension may be granted.

    Foul

  • In the case of a foul, the main judge shall separate the contestants and halt the action.
  • When the assistant judges are closer to the contestants, one of them may call a halt to the action and request the decision of the main judge. If more than two of the assistant judges agree in a decision, the main judge shall recognize it.
  • When deciding about fouls, it is necessary with 3 or more of the judges’ approval. However, there are situations when the main judge’s decision only might be accepted.
  • In the case of a foul, if it is not made on purpose, the contestant may get one warning. Two warnings result in a first penalty (Genten-ichi).
  • In case of deliberate fouls, deliberate bad attitude during the bout, a penalty shall be given.

    Disqualification

  • A contestant who has gained penalty/two minus points in succession shall be disqualified.
  • When the attitude and the actions of a contestant are considered disrespectful to the judges, the contestant shall be disqualified. Especially when the contestant make deliberate serious fouls has a deliberate bad attitude during the bout, he will be disqualified.
  • If both contestants are facing each other for more than one minute without engaging in fight, it shall be regarded as lacking the will to fight and both contestants shall be disqualified.
  • Being late for bout or failing to appear will result in disqualification.

    Concluding the bout

  • In case of a full-point victory, or disqualification, the main judge shall immediately stop the bout, face the contestants towards “Shomen”, announce the outcome of the bout, have the contestants bow towards “shomen”, “shushin” and each other, thereafter, he shall have the contestants leave the ring.
  • In case of no full point victory nor disqualification. At the same time as the signal for end of bout is made, the main judge shall stop the bout face the contestants towards “shomen”, request the assistant judges’ decision, and after deciding the winner he shall follow the same procedure as above.

    Tameshiwari

  • Tameshiwari requires more than three judges.
  • The main judge shall call out the contestants who shall bow to the front
  • Although he may not touch the boards, the contestant may place a towel or cloth on top of them.
  • The main judge gives the signal for the breaking. If the contestant does not manage to break the boards at on time it shall count as failure.
  • As a rule, the tameshiwari must be performed only once without a repeat. However, the Head Judge and the assistant judges may agree to grant permission for a repeat.
  • The judge orders the successful contestant to sit down, then he announces the number of contestant, the number of boards successfully broken, or failure if such is the case.
  • The contestants who fail shall try one more time to break the boards.
  • At the conclusion of the judge’s announcement, the contestants must stand, bow and leave the ring.