World Karate-Do Federation

KARATE KUMITE RULES

Table of Contents

ARTICLE 13: STARTING, SUSPENDING AND ENDING OF MATCHES

1. The terms and gestures to be used by the Referee and Judges in the operation of a match shall be as specified in Appendices 1 and 2.
2. The Referee and Judges shall take up their prescribed positions and, following an exchange of bows between the contestants, the Referee will announce "SHOBU SANBON HAJIME!" and the bout will commence.
3. The Referee will stop the bout by announcing "YAME!" when a scoring technique is seen. The Referee will order the contestants to take up their original positions.
4. The Referee returns to his position and the Judges indicate their opinion by means of a signal. The Referee identifies the relevant score, awards WAZA-ARI or IPPON and supplements the announcement with the prescribed gesture. The Referee then restarts the bout by calling "TSUZUKETE HAJIME! ".
5. When a contestant has scored SANBON during a bout, the Referee shall call 'YAME!" and order the contestants back to their standing lines as he returns to his. The winner is then declared and indicated by the Referee raising a hand on the side of the winner and declaring "SHIRO (AKA) NO KACHI". The bout is ended at this point.
6. When time is up and the scoring situation tied, the Referee shall call "YAME!" and return to his position. The Referee will call "HANTEI" and following his signal (by whistle) the Judges will indicate their opinions. The majority decision will be taken. The Judges and Referee have one vote each at HANTEI.
7. The Referee will award the decision and announce the winner, or give a draw ("HIKIWAKE").
8. In the event of a tied individual bout, the Referee will announce "ENCHO-SEN" and start the extension with the command "SHOBU HAJIME!".
9. when faced with the following situations, the Referee shall announce "YAME!" and halt the bout temporarily. The bout will subsequently be restarted.

a. When both or either of the contestants are out of the area (or when a Judge signals a JOGAI). The Referee will order the two contestants to their initial positions.
b. When the Referee orders the contestant to adjust his Gi.
c. When the Referee notices that a contestant appears about to contravene the rules, or when a signal concerning same from a Judge is perceived.
d. When the Referee notices that a contestant has contravened the rules, or when the Referee perceives a signal from a Judge regarding same.
e. When the Referee considers that one or both of the contestants cannot continue with the bout owing to injuries, illness or other causes. Heeding the tournament doctor's opinion, the Referee will decide whether the bout should be continued.
f. When a contestant seizes his opponent and does not perform an immediate effective technique, the Referee will separate them.
g. When one or both contestants fall or are thrown and no effective techniques are immediately forthcoming.

When beginning a bout, the Referee the contestants to their starting lines. If a contestant enters the area prematurely, he/she must be motioned off. The contestants must bow properly to each other - a quick nod is both discourteous and insufficient. The Referee can call for a bow where none is volunteered by motioning with his forearms as shown in Appendix 2 of the rules.

When halting a bout, the Referee does not merely call "Yamei', he/she also makes the appropriate signal. The Referee must first identify the scoring opponent ( "Aka' or 'Shiro"), then the scoring area attacked (Chudan, Jodan'). This is followed by the general classification of scoring technique used ('Tsuki', 'Uchi' or "Keri ") and finally the score awarded ("Waza-Ari' or 'Ippon').

When re-starting the bout, the Referee should check that both contestants are on their lines and properly composed. Contestants jumping up and down or otherwise fidgeting must be stilled before combat can recommence. The Referee must re-start the bout with the minimum of delay.

ARTICLE 14: MODIFICATIONS

Only the WKF Referee Council and Technical Committee with the approval of the Directing Committee can alter or modify these rules.