SPARRING COMPETITION.

PERSONAL HEALTH & SAFETY PROTECTIVE MEASURES
DUE TO THE INCREASED INCIDENCE OF MRSA INFECTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO USE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT THAT IS NOT YOUR OWN.

IN CONSIDERATION OF EACH COMPETITOR’S HEALTH AND SAFETY, COMPETITORS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO SHARE OTHER COMPETITOR’S GEAR, EVEN IF IT IS WITH A FAMILY MEMBER. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ALL OF THE MANDATORY SAFETY EQUIPMENT LISTED ABOVE, YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO COMPETE IN SPARRING DIVISIONS.

IF YOU ENTER A SPARRING DIVISION AND YOU DO NOT HAVE ALL OF THE MANDATORY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED AND NO REFUND WILL BE ISSUED.

SPARRING RULES
Point Targets –

Head/Helmet (forehead, top, back and sides)
Face
Chest
Ribs
Stomach
Kidneys
Groin (Adult Black Belt Division ONLY)

1. THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT.
The first competitor to accumulate three (3) points shall be declared the winner. No point margin is necessary.

2. ONE POINT FOR EACH VALID HAND OR FOOT TECHNIQUE.
Both hand and foot techniques are permitted to the face/head targets.

3. FACE, HEAD & BODY CONTACT RULES

4. NON-PERMISSIBLE ACTIONS – ALL DIVISIONS:

• Contact to any Non-Target area, not being used as a defensive technique by the opponent (Incidental contact does not apply).
• Attacks to the Back, Spine, Collarbones, Neck, Throat and Legs are STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
• Any blind technique, whether it makes contact or not.
• Any sweep attempt, leg check, pushing, wrestling and/or attempting to throw the opponent.
• Any ax kick to a target other than the opponents chest. ONLY the BALL OF THE FOOT (Toe Area) may be used as a slapping technique for permissible ax kicks.
• Any open hand technique (i.e., poking, clawing, gouging, scratching). A Ridge Hand is a permissible technique.
• Attacking and/or making contact after the Referee has called “BREAK”!
• Stalling, turning your back to the opponent to avoid fighting and/or running out of the ring.
• Inappropriate comments and/or behavior (i.e., BAD ATTITUDE, DISRESPECT, ANGER, MALICE, SHOWBOATING).

5. WARNINGS:
An OFFICIAL WARNING shall be issued by the Referee for each and every NON-FLAGRANT, NON-PERMISSIBLE ACTION listed in [4.] above.

6. PENALTY POINTS:
+1 Penalty point shall be awarded to the violator’s opponent each time any of the following occurs :

• The 2nd OFFICIAL WARNING and for EVERY OFFICIAL WARNING thereafter. The 1st official warning is free.
• FLAGRANT violation of any of the NON-PERMISSIBLE ACTIONS listed in [4.] above, which is determined at the sole discretion and authority of the Referee.
• FACE CONTACT upon appropriate vote by the Referee and Judges.
• HEAVY CONTACT (Not Excessive) to any target area, which is determined at the sole discretion and authority of the Referee.

7. A competitor must be in the ring to score a point. Any competitor out of the ring can not score, but may be scored upon as long as the scoring competitor is in the ring. If ANY part of your body is touching the ring and/or ring line, you are considered in the ring.

8. Grabbing and hooking is permissible, but only with an immediate follow up attack.

9. Attacking a fallen opponent is permissible, but only within one second (a count of one-thousand-one by the Referee) after the opponent has fallen.

10. DISQUALIFICATION shall be the result of any of the following :

• Two (2) FACE CONTACT violations within the same match.
• Any excessive blow, which is defined as any visible mark, redness, swelling and/or bleeding OR incapacitation of a competitor due to loss of air or damage to a body part, either of which was the result of a blow.
• Any vulgarity OR unacceptable behavior by a competitor, parent, relative, friend or instructor.
• Absence or failure to report to the designated ring within two (2) minutes after the competitor’s name has been announced on the public address system.
• Fraud (misrepresentation of age, rank and/or experience level (skill), which includes competitors who have achieved rank and/or expertise in arts other than they currently represent).

REFEREEING & JUDGING POLICY FOR SPARRING

1. Disqualifications due to excessive contact shall be a majority rule by the Referee and the Judges.

2. Two (2) Officials out of five (5) OR one (1) Official out of three (3) minimum, in agreement, are required for the valid awarding of a FACE CONTACT penalty point.

3. FACE CONTACT penalty point votes take precedence over point votes. Example: Three Officials vote for Red point and two Officials vote for Red contact penalty point. The proper result is that White is awarded one point because Red made FACE CONTACT. The two votes for FACE CONTACT overruled the three votes for point.

REFEREE (Chief Center Official)
1. Is solely responsible for his/her ring and all occurrences within and has sole authority to disqualify a competitor for unacceptable behavior by the competitor, parent, relative, friend or instructor.

2. Shall vote simultaneously with the Judges for all points, but ONLY he/she may make the NON-PERMISSIBLE ACTION calls (listed in [4. NON-PERMISSIBLE ACTIONS] above).

3. Shall shout “BREAK”! to stop the action.

4. Has the authority to overrule the Judges.

5. Is responsible for management of the Officiating Crew, will be the only person to communicate with the scorekeeper and will consult with the Chief Referee if a question or dispute cannot be resolved within the ring.

JUDGES (Corner Officials)
1. Shall vote ONLY for Point, No Point, Face Contact Penalty Point and No See. A No See call disqualifies the respective Official from that vote and the majority is adjusted accordingly.

2. Are expected to move (float) parallel to the ring lines, from corner to corner in a 180 degree arc, to establish the best view possible.

3. When appropriate, are expected to shout “POINT”! to inform the Referee of intent to vote. The action then stops ONLY when the Referee shouts “BREAK”!

OFFICIALS
Based on the availability of Black Belts, there will be either three (3) or five (5) Judges in each ring, one of which will be the Referee. BE CONSISTENT IN YOUR STANDARDS, HONORABLE, FAIR and SET THE RIGHT EXAMPLE.