COMPETITION RULES FOR KARATE MATCHES

USING THE KYOKUSHINKAI KNOCKDOWN SYSTEM

NOTES:
The f ol l owi ng ar e t he basi c r ul es f or Kar at e ' Ful l Cont act mat ches. Unl i ke
pr of essi onal and semi - pr of essi onal ' cont act ' Kar at e, hand mi t t s and f oot
pr ot ect or s ( i e. f l exi bl e f oamSaf e T Equi pment ) ar e not al l owed al t hough shi n and
i nst ep pr ot ect or s ar e per mi t t ed. ( See Gener al Rul es Not e 2) . One ot her maj or
di f f er ence i s t hat at t acks t o t he head and f ace usi ng open hands or any par t of
t he ar mar e pr ohi bi t ed f or obvi ous r easons. However , at t acks t o t hese ar eas wi t h
t he l egs and f eet ar e per mi t t ed.
Ther e i s a mi mi mumage of 18 year s. The maxi mumage wi l l be l ef t t o t he di scr et i on
of t he t our nament doct or s who wi l l exami ne al l compet i t or s bef or e t he el i mi nat i ons
begi n. I t wi l l al so be up t o t he di scr et i on of t he exami ni ng doct or s as t o t he
mi ni mumwei ght per mi t t ed i n t he - l i ght wei ght cat egor y. Member s of t he I KO ( GB)
must be at l east 6t h Kyu gr ade t o be el i gi bl e t o compet e. I f member s of ot her
Associ at i ons and st yl es wi sh t o compet e i n Kyokushi nkai Knockdown Tour nament s, any
gr ade wi l l be al l owed t o ent er . Pr ovi di ng t hey si gn a di scl ai mer st at i ng t hat t hey
have pr act i sed kar at e f or at l east t wo year s.
GENERAL RULES:
1. Each cont est ant must wear a cl ean whi t e kar at e gi wi t h t hei r own
Associ at i on or Count r y' s Badge. When compet i ng one cont est ant wi l l wear
a r ed i dent i f yi ng mar ker , t he ot her cont est ant a whi t e i dent i f yi ng
mar ker .
2. Fi nger and t oenai l s must be cut shor t , no pr ot ect i ve cl ot hi ng,
bandages or guar ds must be wor n ot her t han a gr ai n guar d and shi n / i nst ep
pr ot ect or s of a t ype appr oved by t he cont est r ef er ee. I n t he event of an
i nj ur y t o a compet i t or , t he wear i ng of bandages or ot her pr ot ect i ve
mat er i al s i s at t he absol ut e di scr et i on of t he head r ef er ee or head
ar bi t r at or of t he compet i t i on, whose deci si on shal l be f i nal and bi ndi ng
upon t he compet i t or s. I n pr i nci pl e no suppor t bandages or t ape shal l be
wor n i n t he f i r st r ound and t her eaf t er at t he di scr et i on of t he doct or .
3. Nei t her t he I KO ( GB) nor t he of f i cer s of t he Associ at i on wi l l be i n any way
r esponsi bl e f or any i nj ur y or acci dent whi ch may occur dur i ng t he t our nament . I f
i nsur ance i s wi shed, t hen i t i s up t o t he i ndi vi dual compet i t or t o secur e and make
hi s own ar r angement s f or t hat cover . Thi s i s t he t ot al r esponsi bi l i t y of t he
i ndi vi dual cont est ant .
MATCH AREA
1. The mat ch ar ea shal l be 8 met er s squar e, wi t h a 1 met r e saf et y per i met er .
2. The mar ki ng out and t he posi t i oni ng of t he cont est ant s, mat ch r ef er ee, j udges and
ar bi t r at or shal l be as per nor mal kar at e mat ch r equi r ement s. ( see appendi x 1) .
3. The cont est ar ea shoul d be cover ed wi t h semi har d mat t i ng ( as per Ol ympi c J udo
Mat s) .
METHODS OF MATCH
The t ypes of mat ch shal l be as f ol l ows:
1. Teammat ch ( nor mal l y 5 cont est ant s pl us 2 r eser ves) .
2. I ndi vi dual Mat ch.
1a. The number of per sons compr i si ng a t eamshal l be an odd number .
1b. The f i ve man t eamshoul d be di vi ded i nt o t he f ol l owi ng wei ght .
1. LI GHTWEI GHT
2. MI DDLEWEI GHT
3. HEAVYWEI GHT
I f t hi s wei ght di vi si on i s i mpr act i cabl e t hen an agr eement must be r eached bet ween t he
t wo t eammanager s as t o what wei ght cat egor i es t he t eamwi l l compr i se of , bear i ng i n
mi nd t hat bot h t eams shoul d consi st of equal number of wei ght gr oups, of t he same
cat egor y.
The t wo r eser ves can be any wei ght , however , i f r equi r ed t o r epl ace an i nj ur ed member
of t he t eamt hey can onl y r epl ace cont est ant s i n t he same wei ght cat egor i es, whi ch ar e
above t hei r own par t i cul ar gr oup.
I e. A cat egor y 1 t eammember can r epl ace a cont est ant i n cat egor y 1, 2, 3.
A cat egor y 2 t eammember can r epl ace a cont est ant i n cat egor y 2, 3.
A cat egor y 3 t eammember can onl y r epl ace a cont est ant i n cat egor y 3 onl y.
c. The cont est ant of each t eamshal l f i ght i n a pr edet er mi ned or der . A t eamshal l be
di squal i f i ed i f any member or t he manager at hi s own di scr et i on changes t he f i ght i ng
or der of t he cont est ant s ent r y af t er he has handed t he ent r y f or mt o t he of f i ci al
t abl e.
d. Teamevent s wi l l be deci ded by t he number of wi ns. I f bot h t eams have equal
number of wi nni ng cont est ant s. The t eamwhose wi nner s have scar ed a gr eat er number
of i ppons shal l be decl ar ed t he wi nner . I f bot h t eams have an equal number of
wi nni ng i ppons t hen t he wi nni ng waza- ar i ' s must be t ot al l ed up. I f , however , bot h
t eams have scor ed an equal amount of wi nni ng waza- ar i ' s t hen a deci di ng mat ch must
be f ought by t he 6t h member of each t eam. I f t hi s mat ch i s a dr aw, t hen t he number
7 man wi l l compet e. I f af t er t he 7t h member of each t eamhas f ought and t he r esul t
i s st i l l a dr aw, t hen a chosen r epr esent at i ve f r omeach t eamwi l l compet e i n a
t ameshi war i cont est . Each man usi ng br eaki ng t echni ques of hi s own choi ce,
t oget her wi t h t he number of boar ds r equi r ed, gi ven i n wr i t i ng t o t he of f i ci al s
t abl e by t he t eammanager .
e. I n al l mat ches t he f ol l owi ng 3 wei ght cat egor i es shal l appl y: -
Cat egor y 1 - Li ght wei ght - under 70 ki l os
Cat egor y 2 - Mi ddl ewei ght - 70 ki l os - 80 ki l os
Cat egor y 3 - Heavywei ght - over 80 ki l os
I n t he Li ght wei ght cat egor y t he mi ni mumwei ght r equi r ement wi l l be at t he
di scr et i on of t he doct or when exami ni ng t he cont est ant s. I n al l cat egor i es t he
mi ni mumage shal l be 18 year s.
REFEREE. JUDGES AND ARBITRATORS:
1. Each cont est shal l have f our j udges, one r ef er ee ( who gi ves al l
commands) and one ar bi t r at or .
a. However , pr ovi si on maybe made f or t he mat ch t o be oper at ed by a Mat ch Ref er ee.
Mi r r or Ref er ee and an Ar bi t r at or .
2. I n a deci si on upon t he out come of a cont est each J udge shal l have
one vot e.
3. The r ef er ee shal l al so have one vot e.
4. An ar bi t r at or shal l be appoi nt ed t o ensur e t he f ai r ness of t he
conduct of mat ches and j udgement s r ender ed t her eon. The ar bi t r at or wi l l not be
ent i t l ed t o vot e.
DURATION OF THE MATCH:
1 . Each kumi t e bout shal l l ast 2 mi nut es, however , t our nament s may use 3 mi nut es
bout s.
2. I f no deci si on i n f avour of ei t her opponent i s made by t he J udges or
i n t he event of a dr aw by t he r ef er ee not exer ci si ng hi s vot e i n f avour
of ei t her cont est ant , t hen t he r ef er ee wi l l aut hor i se an ext ensi on ( sai
shi a) , such ext ensi on t o be l i mi t ed t o 2 mi nut es dur at i on. ( I f or i gi nal
bout i s 3 mi nut es t hen al l ext ensi ons shal l be 3 mi nut es) .
3. I f t he j udges and r ef er ee ar e st i l l unabl e t o make a posi t i ve
deci si on af t er t he ext ensi on per i od, t he l i ght er of t he t wo cont est ant s
shal l be decl ar ed t he wi nner . Pr ovi di ng t her e i s a di f f er ence i n wei ght
bet ween t he t wo cont est ant s of not l ess t han 5 ki l os i n each cat egor y.
4. I n t he case of t hei r wei ght s bei ng appr oxi mat el y equal , t he
cont est ant who has br oken t he gr eat er amount of boar ds so f ar on
aggr egat e wi l l be decl ar ed t he wi nner .
5. I f t hey ar e of equal wei ght t hen t hey must f i ght one mor e r ound
( encho- sen) when a posi t i ve deci si on must be made.
6. I n t he case of t eamevent s par agr aphs 1 and 2 onl y wi l l appl y. I f af t er t he sai - shi a
t her e i s st i l l no posi t i ve deci si on, t hen t he mat ch shal l be decl ar ed a dr aw.
CRITERIA FOR DECISION:
The wi nner shal l be det er mi ned on f ul l poi nt ( i ppon) or at t i me one hal f poi nt
( waza- ar i ) . Two hal f poi nt s wi l l const i t ut e one f ul l pai nt .
1. Ful l poi nt ( i ppon) wi n: -
a. Wi t h t he except i on of t echni ques whi ch ar e f oul s and not al l owed by t he cont est
r ul es, any t echni ques t hat connect s and i nst ant aneousl y downs t he opponent f or l onger
t han 5 seconds, scar e a f ul l poi nt .
b. When a cont est ant i nf or ms t he r ef er ee or j udges t hat he i s beat en as t he r esul t of
t echni ques al l owed wi t hi n t he cont est r ul es, hi s oppponent shal l be awar ded a f ul l
poi nt .
c. A ser i ous f oul by or t he di squal i f i cat i on of a cont est ant wi l l aut omat i cal l y gi ve
t he ot her cont est ant t he wi n i n a cont est .
2. Hal f poi nt ( waza- ar i ) wi n: -
a. Wher e a cont est ant i s knocked down by a t echni que al l owed wi t hi n t he cont est
r ul es and r egai ns a st andi ng posi t i on wi t hi n 5 seconds a hal f poi nt can be awar ded
t o hi s opponent . The [ downed) opponent wi l l be al l owed t o cont i nue wi t h t he
cont est onl y i f i n t he opi ni on of t he r ef er ee he I s f i t t o do so. Thi s wi l l be
af t er consul t at i on wi t h t he doct or , at t he r ef er ees di scr et i on.
b. When an opponent i s downed wi t h any t echni que i ncl udi ng f oot sweeps and a wel l
f ocused but non- cont act t echni que i s f ol l owed t hr ough, waza~ar i i s awar ded.
3. Deci si on wi n: -
When no def i ni t e ' i ppon' or ' waza- ar i ' has been scor ed, t he j udges may awar d a wi n
by deci si on on t he basi s of super i or t echni que. t echni cal ski l l and f i ght i ng
spi r i t .
PROHIBITED ACTS AND TECHNIQUES:
1 . The f ol l owi ng mat t er s may mer i t di squal i f i cat i on at t he ent i r e and absol ut e
di scr et i on of t he r ef er ee of t he cont est . The cont est ant di squal i f i ed may gi ve
not i ce t hr ough hi s manager t o t he cont est Ar bi t r at or , of hi s wi sh t o appeal t o t he
Chi ef Ref er ee whi ch, af t er consul t at i on wi t h t he J udges, may r ei nst at e t he
di squal i f i ed cont est ant or endor se and conf i r mt he mat ch r ef er ees deci si on. The
t our nament Chi ef Ref er ee' s deci si on wi l l be f i nal .
a, Any at t ack t o t he opponent s head, f ace, neck wi t h t he open hand, f i st or any
par t of t he ar m. Except i n except i onal ci r cumst ances, t hi s wi l l nor mal l y mer i t an
aut omat i c di squal i f i cat i on.
b. Ki cks t o t he gr oi n.
c. Head t hr ust or but t s.
d. Ki cks t o any par t of t he knee j oi nt .
e. Knee ki cks whi l e gr abbi ng t he head or neck.
f . El bow st r i kes t o any par t of t he opponent s back,
g. St r i ki ng or ki cki ng an opponent who has been downed, unl ess t he at t ack or
st r i ke i mmedi at el y f ol l ows t he sweep or downi ng t echni que, i n whi ch case cont act
i s not al l owed.
h. Maki ng an at t ack f r omt he f l oor af t er havi ng been downed by t he opponent , ( t hi s
shoul d not be conf used wi t h an opponent def endi ng hi msel f whi l st on t he f l oor ] .
i . Gr abbi ng or hol di ng an opponent or hi s gi .
J . Fai l i ng t o obey t he r ef er ee' s i nst r uct i ons dur i ng a bout .
k. Any ot her t echni ques or pr act i ces t hat t he r ef er ee of t he cont est shal l deci de
i s i mpr oper or unf ai r .
WARNINGS:
The f ol l owi ng mat t er may mer i t a war ni ng at t he di scr et i on of t he cont est r ef er ee.
a. Fr equent l y r et r eat i ng f r omor out of t he cont est ar ea or moves t hat wast e t i me.
b. Pushi ng t he opponent wi t h t he open hand.
c. Per si st ent bad behavi our or vi ol ence.
d. Chui i s a t er mused by t he r ef er ee at t he same t i me poi nt i ng t o t he of f ender s
f eet . [ Thi s i s a pr i vat e war ni ng] .
THE FOLLOWING CAN MERIT AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION:
a. Cont est ant s who ar r i ve l at e f or bout s or who f ai l t o appear at al l .
b. Cont est ant s who r ef use t o engage i n kumi t e dur i ng a mat ch af t er 3 cal l s by t he
r ef er ee. Physi cal di sabi l i t y ar i si ng dur i ng t he t our nament shal l al l ow a
cont est ant t o wi t hdr aw af t er exami nat i on and ver i f i cat i on of t he i nj ur y by t he
t our nament physi ci an. The deci si on i s f i nal .
c. Fai l i ng t o compl et e t he t ameshi war i t est s.
THE ORDER OF WARNI NGS WI LL BE AS FOLLOWS:
CHUI I TCH
CHUI NI - GENTEN I TCH
CHUI I TCH
CHUI NI - GEnTEN NI - SHI KKAKU
[ Al l t hese war ni ngs must be not ed by t he ar bi t r at or and t abl e of f i ci al s.
TAIMESH1WARI:
1. Nor mal l y t he t ameshi war i wi l l not commence unt i l af t er t he f i r st
r ound has been compl et ed.
2. Onl y per sons who successf ul l y compl et e t he br eaki ng t est s shal l be
al l owed t o compet e i n each r ound of t he t our nament .
3. Each cont est ant must br eak a mi ni mumof 2 boar ds i n al l cat egor i es
wi t h each of 3 di f f er ent t echni ques: -
2nd Round - For ef i st
3r d Round - Kni f e hand
4t h Round - El bow
A cont est ant may at t empt t o br eak i n excess of hi s mi ni mumup t o any number but i f
he f ai l s t o br eak al l he shal l have one mor e at t empt at t he mi ni mumr equi r ement
f or hi s cat egor y. I f af t er t hi s second st r i ke t he cont est ant f ai l s t o br eak hi s
mi ni mumr equi r ement s he wi l l t hen be gi ven SHI KKAKU [ di squal i f i cat i on] . I n each
r ound of Tameshi war i t he cont est ant wi l l be al l owed t wo at t empt s t o br eak t he
wood.
4. The si ze of t he mat er i al s f or br eaki ng and t he t ype of wood t o be
br oken shal l be at t he di scr et i on of t he Chi ef Tour nament Ref er ee, but
unl ess not i f i ed t o t he cont est ant s on t he day of t he t our nament as bei ng
ot her wi se t he boar ds shal l be of par ana pi ne, 12" l ong, 8 wi de and 1"
t hi ck.
5. Cont est ant s ar e not al l owed t o t ouch or move t he boar ds or t he
suppor t i ng bl ocks wi t hout pr i or per mi ssi on.
6. Towel s or ot her mat er i al s may be pl aced on t he t op of t he boar ds f or
pr ot ect i on, subj ect t o t he per mi ssi on of t he t ameshi war i of f i ci al s.
7. The t i me al l owed t o compl et e each br eak i n t he t ameshi war i event i s
one mi nut e, al l cont est ant s wi l l be war ned 30 seconds bef or e t he
expi r at i on of t he t i me l i mi t .
8. Poi nt s ar e awar ded on t he basi s of t he number of boar ds br oken. The
wi nner of t he t ameshi war i compet i t i on need not be t he same as t he
t our nament wi nner , but shal l be t he per son compl et i ng al l t hr ee r equi r ed
br eaki ng t est s who has gai ned t he hi ghest number of poi nt s.
TERMINOLOGY USED BY REFEREES AT KARATE TOURNAMENTS
OPENI NG THE BOUT
REI Cr oss ar ms i n f r ont of chest , ' say ' OSU'
SHOMEN NI REI Face t he of f i ci al seat s.
SHUSHI N NI REI Face t he mai n J udge.
OTAGAI NI REI Face each ot her .
KAMAETE Take f i ght i ng st ance.
HAJ I ME St ar t t he bout .
DURI NG THE BOUT
YAME St op t he bout i mmedi at el y
KAMAETE Af t er st oppi ng t he bout , t ake f i ght i ng
st ance agai n.
ZOKO Cont i nue.
SHI RO [ WHI TE] Fi r st compet i t or ent er i ng ar ena.
AKA [ RED] Second compet i t or ent er i ng ar ena.
FOULS
CHUI - I CHI Fi r st war ni ng. Poi nt t o of f ender chest .
CHUI - NI GENTEN- I TCH Second war ni ng. Poi nt t o chest , t hen t o
f ace.
CHUI - I TCH Penul t i mat e Poi nt t o chest
war ni ng.
CHUI - NI GENTEN- NI SHI KKAKU Fi nal war ni ng. Poi nt t o chest t hen t o
wi t h di squal i - f ace t hen obl i quel y
f i cat i on. behi nd.
DECLARATI ON OF FOULS
The r ef er ee desi gnat es t he compet i t or who made t he f oul as AKA or SHI RO and. 1he
decl ar es t he f oul , and i t s nat ur e: - e. g. ,
' AKA, hol di ng chui - i chi '
The compet i t or who commi t ed- t he f oul has t o say ' OSU' when hear i ng t he r ef er ees
decl ar at i on.
FULL POI NT AND HALF POI NT
I PPON Ful l poi nt and vi ct or y.
The r ef er ee desi gnat es t he compet i t or as
AKA or SHI RO and decl ar es ' I PPON and i t s
nat ur e; e. g. AKA, MAI - GERI , I PPON.
WAZA- ARI Hal f poi nt , ef f ect i ve at t ack whi ch downs
t he opponent f or l ess t han f i ve seconds.
Two decl ar at i ons of waza- ar i const i t ut e a
f ul l poi nt . Waza- ar i i s decl ar ed i n t he
same way as i ppon, e. g. ' AKA, MAI - GERI ,
WAZA~ARI ' .
AWASE- I PPON I ppon by t wo Waza- ar i i s decl ar ed i n t he
same way as I ppon, e. g. ' AKA, J ODAN- MAWASHI
WAZA- ARI , AWASETE~I PPON.
DECI SI ON
When no cl ear f ul l poi nt has been scor ed, t he vi ct or y i s awar ded by deci si on. The
pr ocedur e i s as f ol l ows.
SHOMEN- MUI TE Fi ght er s f ace t o f ace.
HANTEI - O- ONEGASHI MASU The r ef er ee asks t he deci si on of t he j udges
t hen bl ows hi s whi st l e.
SHI RO [ WHI TE] The j udge r ai ses t he same col our of f l ag as
AKA [ RED) t he compet i t or who t hey consi der t o be t he
wi nner .
HI KI WAKE Dr aw
I CHI One f l ag
NI Two f l ags
SAN Thr ee f l ags
SHI Four f l ags
SHUSHI N, AKA The deci si on of t he r ef er ee. The r ef er ee
count s t he number of f l ags and says hi s
deci si on, e. g. 1, Hi ki wake i chi , Shi r o,
i chi , ni san. Shushi n. Shi r o' . I n t hi s case
' Shi r o' wi ns by 4 t o 0. e. g. 2 ' Hi ki waki
l chi , ni Shi r o, i chi , ni , Shushi n. Shi r o .
I n t hi s case ' Shi r o' wi ns 3 t o 0. e. g. 3,
' Shi r o. i chi , ni , Hi ki wake, i chi , ni ,
Shushi n, Hi ki wake' . Thi s woul d be a dr aw.
DECLARATION OF DECISION
The r ef er ee count s t he number of f l ags, and says hi s own deci si on. At t he same
t i me, he poi nt s obl i quel y wi t h hi s hand t o t he wi nner . I n t he case of a dr aw, he
cr osses hi s ar ms obl i quel y downwar ds.
END OF THE BOUT
The r ef er ee decl ar es t he wi nner . Thi s at t he end of t he bout .
SHOMEN~NI - REI
SHUSHI N- NI - REI The same as t he openi ng of t he bout .
OTAGAI - NI - REI
Af t er bowi ng t o each ot her , t he compet i t or s shake hands and l eave t he
ar ena f r omt hei r cor ner s.
TAMESHI WARI
SHOMEN- NI - REI The same as t he openi ng of t he bout .
MAWATTE- REI Tur n ar ound and say ' OSU' .
I CHI NI - TSUI TE St and by.
HAJ I ME Br eak t he boar ds.
DECLARATI ON OF RESULTS
KANSUI Al l t he boar ds have been br oken.
SHI PPAI The br eaki ng t est f ai l ed.
I n t he case of ' KANSUI ' , compet i t or s number , and t he number of br oken boar ds. I n
t he case of ' SHI PPI ' , f or hi s second br eak he must r et ur n t o t he mi ni mumof t wo
boar ds. I f he f ai l s agai n t he decl ar at i on i s. SHI PPI SHI KKAKU' , - di squal i f i cat i on.
COMPLETE CHANGE OF OFFI CI ALS [ 6]
FUCHUSHI N SHUGO Cal l i ng t he J udges t oget her
MAWARE MI GI Tur n t o t he r i ght
Of f i ci al s t hen move t o t he r i ght si de, f ace r epl acement of f i ci al s acr oss t he
sai j o, Ref er ee t hen gi ves t he command:
SHI MPAN NI REI
MAWARE NI GI
and move of f as t he r epl acement of f i ci al s t ake up t hei r posi t i ons.