UMATA

United Martial Arts Tournament Alliance

During a meeting of the tournament directors and the UMATA board of directors some updates were made to the rules. These updates were voted on in order to provide a better tournament experience for every competitor, instructor, and spectator. The changes became effective as of the first event on March 20, 2010. The changes are listed in red below.

Rules

Competitor:  Each competitor must present him/herself to the referee suitably attired with proper uniform and equipment and physically prepared to compete.  If he/she is not prepared to compete as deemed by the center referee, the competitor may be penalized for delay of time and/or disqualified.

 

Delay of time penalty:  Three calls will be made by the designated announcer for the age, experience, and division.  The competitors must report to the designated ring no later than one minute after the third call is made.  Failure to do this will result in disqualification.

 

 SPARRING:  an automatic warning will be issued to the competitor.  A penalty point will be issued for each minute the competitor is not properly ready to compete.  Upon 3 penalty points the offending competitor will be disqualified.  FORM:  .01 points will be deducted from the offending competitor’s final score.  Each minute the competitor is not ready to compete, .01 points will be deducted from his or her final score.  After three minutes of not being ready to compete, he or she will be disqualified.

 

Rank Rule:  A competitor must compete at the highest level of rank they have earned.  For the sake of keeping a level playing field, the tournament will recognize competitor’s years of active training as experience.  The categories of experience will be clearly marked on the entry forms for the tournament.  Each competitor will compete at the experience level they were on 12:01AM, January 1st of the year in which they are competing. Divisions are as follows: Beginner--1-12 months of active training, Intermediate—Over 12 months to 24 months of active training, Advanced—Over 24 months of active training, Black Belts (Except Juniors). Any competitor that competes in the wrong division will forfeit all points for that division and will be ineligible for the UMATA Grand Championship. Senior Adult Black Belts may compete in the Adult Black Belt 18-35 Year Division and points earned will count. If a competitor begins the season as an under black belt but earns black belt during the season, they must change to the black belt division from the time the earn black belt. However, points earned in the previous division will count toward the year end championship for the division they were earned in, not the new division.

 

Proof of age rule:  All competitors must have a proof of age.  If there is a legitimate reason to question a competitor’s age, he/she must present a proof of age (birth certificate, driver’s license, or other acceptable documents) to prove his/her age.  Each competitor will compete at the age they were at 12:01AM, January 1st of the year they are competing. 

 

Uniform:  All competitors and judges must wear a complete (top and bottom) traditional or professional sport karate (Kung Fu, Tao Kwon Do, etc.) uniform in a good state of repair.  The appropriate color belt or sash must be worn in competition. Form & Weapons:  Martial arts shoes may be worn during form competition but not in sparring divisions.

 

Competitor responsibilities:  It is the responsibility of the competitor to know the rules and be ready for competition when called to do so.  He/she must be suitably attired, weighed in and at the appropriate ring when competition begins.  Three calls will be made for competition at ringside.  If the competitor is not at his/her ring ready to compete when competition begins, he/she will be disqualified (see delay of time rule).  If a competitor leaves the ring after the competition begins and is not present when his/her name is called to compete, his/her name will be called two more times.  If he/she is still not present to compete, he/she will be disqualified.

 

Required safety equipment:  Approved head gear, hand and foot pads, mouthpieces, and groin cups are mandatory for all sparring divisions.  Hand pads must cover the fingers, wrist and any striking surface of the closed fist.  Foot pads or shin guards with instep protection is acceptable.  Head gear must cover the front, sides, and back of the head.  Shin pads must cover the shins.  A groin cup must be worn by male competitors.  A properly molded mouth guard must be worn by all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Head Judge/Center Referee:  This person is trained and versed on all the rules of the tournament.  He/she is chosen to act as head judge by the tournament promoter in advance of the tournament and trained on all the rules for every event.  The Head Judge promotes the safety of the competitors, enforces the rules and ensures fair play.  To this end, he/she starts and stops the match, awards points, makes penalty decisions, administrates the voting of corner judges, communicates clearly to the score keeper and time keeper, and announces the winner of each match.  Added Powers of the Head Judge:  1) Match starts and ends only with his/her command, not the time keeper, 2) has final decision on any disputes on score, 3) has the power to issue warnings, award penalty points, and disqualify a competitor with a majority decision, 4) can over rule a majority decision only to issue warning, award penalty points, or issue a disqualification, 5) has power to issue time outs.   It is important the head judge move along in a timely manner, making sure to call for points quickly and assertively.  This insures that both players get as much sparring time as possible in on the clock and that the judge does not waste a player’s time.  Head judges shall not act in the ring when a competitor is related to them (immediate or distant relative). If this occurs, the competitor will be disqualified. If it appears that no other judge is available, the tournament director shall be notified. Three requests will be made for a replacement judge over loud speaker, if none is found, then the family member may judge.  If this procedure is not followed, the competitor will be disqualified.

 

Corner Judges:  Each ring should have two to four corner judges, a time keeper, and a score keeper.  The corner judges call points and rule infractions as they see them.  They may also be asked to vote on disqualifications.  Corner judges are not in charge of the ring—The Head Judge is.  Corner Judges shall not be from the same school or system of schools as the Head Judge or the other Corner Judges as long as someone else is willing to act as Corner Judge and is available to do so. Head judges shall not act in the ring when a competitor is related to them (immediate or distant relative). If this occurs, the competitor will be disqualified. If it appears that no other judge is available, the tournament director should be notified. Three requests will be made for a replacement judge over loud speaker, if none is found, then the family member may judge.  If this procedure is not followed, the competitor will be disqualified.

 

Calls an official may make:  When the Head Judge believes there has been a significant exchange of techniques, or when signaled to do so by a corner judge, he or she shall call out in a loud voice, STOP.  The Head Judge shall then return the competitors to their starting marks and addresses the judges by saying, JUDGES CALL.  All judges and the Head Judge cast their votes simultaneously and assertively in the following manner.

 

 

 

The Ring—The size of the fighting ring and form ring shall be at least ’17 by ’17, but ’20 by ’20 is preferred.  Starting lines should be marked approximately six feet apart in the center of the ring.  Each ring should be posted with the ring number visible to competitors, officials, and medical personal across the floor.

 

 

 

Weighing In:  It is mandatory for all adult fighters—who are in weighed divisions—to weigh in before competition.  Only one official weigh in is required.  Competitors must fight in his or her weight division.  If a competitor is found to have falsified weight or fights in the wrong division, they will be disqualified.

There is only one weight class for adult black belt sparring female divisions.   There is only one weight class for black belt senior divisions.  Three weight classes exist for adult black belt men 18-35 divisions:    Light Weight is 165lbs or less.  Middle Weight is 166 to 185lbs.  Heavy Weight is 186lbs and above.  If a competitor competes in one UMATA tournament and earns points for a division and then shows up at another UMATA event at a different weight class, they may compete at their current weight only and earn points for that weight class only.  As of 2010 Season, the above rules about weighted divisions have been waved due to the number of competitors that compete. Therefore only one weight class will exist for black belt divisions until further notification.

 

 

 

Order of competition:  Form:  Once the final call is made for form and weapon divisions, the competition cards will be collected and shuffled thoroughly.  The competitor cards will then be drawn randomly for the order of competition.  The first three competitors will perform before any scores are given.  After the third competitor is finished, the first competitor will be called to come back for scoring followed by the second and the third competitors.  All competitors in the division will be judged in comparison to these first three competitors.  Sparring:  Once the final call for the sparring division has been made at ring side, the division is ready to be set up.  The competition cards should be collected and counted to see if byes are needed.  If byes are needed, they will be picked randomly using the bye chart that is provided at ring side.  Matches should always be selected by random, but certain allowances may be given to competitors from the same school or team—they may be separated from each other in the first round of competition only.

 

In Junior Divisions that have to be combined because of to few competitors, the competitors should be lined up by height (Shortest to Tallest) and split into tall and short divisions.  Determining this is for safety reasons, not just to make the divisions equal.  Once the tall and short divisions are determined, use the Order of Competition guidelines above to proceed.

 

Sparring Rules:

 

Length of Match:  Two minute running time unless eight points are scored before time has expired for all adult divisions.  2 minute running time unless eight points are scored for all under adult divisions.  If a match is tied at the end of the time limit, sudden victory (first person to score a point) overtime period will determine the match.  Black Belt Adults age 18-35 may use 3 minute match length.

 

Point values and winner determination:  All legal hand techniques that score will be awarded (1) point.  All legal kicks that score to the body will be awarded (1) point.  All legal kicks to the head will be awarded (2) points.

 

Majority vote:  Points are awarded by majority vote of all judges.  The majority of judges do not have to agree on the same technique being scored, only that a point was scored.  A majority of the judges calling the point must call a (2) point kick before two points can be awarded—otherwise one point will be awarded.

 

What is a point:  A point is a controlled legal sport karate technique scored by a competitor inbounds without time being called that strikes a competitor with the allowable amount of focused touch contact to a legal area.  When a competitor is on the ground, either player may score, however they have 3 seconds to do so before being stood up and directed to the ring lines.

 

Legal target areas:  Sides of head--not the face--ribs, chest, abdomen, collarbone, and flank.  Adult black belts may attack the face but only with a maximum of skin touch/light touch penetration.  A strike to the top of head is not a point.

Illegal target areas:  Spine, back of neck, throat, sides of neck, groin, legs, knees, and back.  Non target areas:  Hips, shoulders, buttocks, arms, and feet.

 

Legal techniques:  Legal techniques are all controlled sport karate techniques, except those listed as illegal.  Illegal techniques:  Head butts, hair pulls, bites, scratches, elbows, knees, eye attacks of any kind, take downs, ground fighting, stomps, kicks to the head of a downed competitor, slapping, grabbing for more than one second, uncontrolled blind techniques, throws, sweeps.

 

Light touch contact:  Means there is little to no penetration or visible movement of the competitor as a result of contact.  Light touch to the headgear, not face mask area, is required in all divisions—No face contact is permitted in any division other than adult black belt.  In under adult black belt divisions, competitors may strike the head gear and score with light touch only; however zero contact is permitted to the face area.  In adult black belt divisions, competitors may strike with light touch to the face and head gear.  In all divisions if a competitor strikes another competitor and causes bleeding, severe redness, or swelling to that competitor, the offending competitor will be disqualified—no exceptions.  Tournament Director must be notified. 

Moderate touch:  Means slight penetration or slight target movement.  Moderate touch contact may be made to all legal target areas except headgear and face.

 

Warnings and penalties:  Upon the first violation of the rules, a warning will be issued to the violating competitor.  After this, a penalty point is awarded for each and every rules violation along with a warning.  If a competitor receives three warnings in any one match, he/she will be disqualified.  If the severity of any violation is deemed by the Head Judge, or by majority vote, to be severe enough, a disqualification can be issued immediately, without three warnings.

 

Other penalty rules:  A competitor cannot be penalized and still receive a point on the same call.  A competitor can receive a point for a proper technique and another point for a penalty call against his or her competitor (two points awarded).

 

Other cause for penalization:  Attacking illegal and non-target areas, using illegal techniques, running out of the ring to avoid fighting, continuing after being ordered to stop, excessive stalling, blind negligent, or reckless attacks, uncontrolled techniques, showing unsportsmanlike behavior by the competitor, his/her coaches, friends, etc., excessive contact and delay of time are examples of possible penalization/disqualification violations.

 

Disqualification:  Can be ordered by the head judge alone, however the head judge can elect to use majority vote.    Non-competing penalty:  If, in the majority opinion of the officials, it is considered that the competitors are not making an attempt to fight in the true spirit of competition, both competitors will be warned and if it continues will be disqualified.  Wrong division:  If any competitor competes in a division he/she does not qualify to compete in due to age, weight, rank, gender, style, etc., he/she will be disqualified.

 

Coaching:  The luxury of having a coach is something that most competitors do not have access to.  Therefore, it sometimes can become an unfair advantage over a competitor who does not have a coach.  The rules are made and enforced so no one competitor has an advantage or disadvantage over another competitor.  Therefore coaching is only allowed from the stands or the designated coaching box and not from the floor. Anyone found on the competitor area that is not actively judging or working in a ring is in violation of the coaching rule, whether they are talking or not. Competitors that have coaches on the floor will be disqualified if it is their family member, instructor, or acquaintance that is doing the coaching. Coaching may only be conducted from the stands; however any coaching from the stands must be respectful. Any disruptive coaching or behavior will cause the associated competitor to be disqualified immediately.

 

Out of bounds:  A competitor is out of bounds when he/she has one or both feet outside the boundary lines.  When any part of the foot is on the line and the other foot is in bounds or at least touching the line, the competitor is considered in bounds.  An out of bounds competitor can not score a point.  An in bound competitor can score on an out of bounds competitor as long as the judges have not called stop—in other words the out of bounds competitor was forced out by an attack and was scored on before the judges called stop.

 

FORM RULES:

 

Time limit:  Each form or weapon routine must be three minutes or less.  The time starts once the competitor enters the ring.

 

Scoring ranges of Form and Weapons:  The scoring range will be 7.0 to 8.0 for beginner, 8.0 to 9.0 for intermediate, 9.0 to 10 for advanced and black belt.  The first three competitors will perform before any scores are given.  After the third competitor is finished, the first competitor will be called to come back for scoring followed by the second and the third.  All competitors in the division will be judged in comparison to these first three competitors.

 

Ties:  If there is a tie for 1st through 3rd place, the highest and the lowest scores given by the three judges will determine the winner.  If five judges are used, the highest and lowest scores will be thrown out; the remaining scores will determine the winner.  If with these scores a tie still exists, the competitors will be asked to perform the form again and with their backs to the judges the winner will be determined by a show of hands.

 

Dropping the weapon:  If an Under Black Belt or Jr. Black Belt competitor drops a weapon during a form and does not start over, the judges should score the form as if the infraction did not occur, but the head judge will instruct the scorekeeper to subtract 1 point from the competitor’s final score. Any Adult Black Belt that drops the weapon should be scored, however their scores would not count and they would be disqualified.  If this would mean that the top three spots could not be filled with winners, the competitor that dropped the weapon would be placed in the lowest position available (1st, 2nd, or 3rd). If two or more competitors drop the weapon, and the top three positions could not filled by other competitors, then the competitor with the highest point total of the disqualified competitors would fill the lowest position (1st, 2nd., or 3rd).

 

Grounding the weapon:  To protect the gym floors and insure tournament promoters have a place to host tournaments, anyone that drives or slams a weapon to the ground will be disqualified.

 

Weapon divisions:  Safety rule:  The head judge should make sure that the competitors are clear of the ring during forms presentations and ensure that the performing competitor has enough room to complete their form by asking all to sit two or more feet away from the boundary line.  The purpose of this rule is to ensure the safety of all competitors, spectators, and judges.   

 

Starting a form over:  If an Under Black Belt  or a Jr. Black Belt competitor starts his/her form over because of a memory lapse or any other reason due to his/her own negligence, he/she may perform the form again.  The officials will score as though there was not a mistake, but the Head Judge will instruct the score keeper to subtract 1 point from the competitor’s final score.  If a competitor has to start a form over a second time, they will be disqualified. Any Adult Black Belt that requests to start a form over may do so and should be scored, however their scores would not count and they would be disqualified.  If this would mean that the top three spots could not be filled with winners, the competitor that started over would be placed in the lowest position available (1st, 2nd, or 3rd). If two or more competitors start over, and the top three positions could not filled by other competitors, then the competitor with the highest point total of the disqualified competitors would fill the lowest position (1st, 2nd., or 3rd).

 

Safety:  For the safety of competitors and spectators, only active competitors, ring officials, and tournament staff are permitted on the gym floor area.  No one shall be permitted to cross the floor or step on the floor other than these people—NO EXCEPTIONS.

 

Keeping track of records and point values:  UMATA events are a series of tournaments that keep records of each competitor’s results each year so that Grand Champion Awards may be given to the players that performed the best for the entire season.  Hence those that finish in first place in a division shall be awarded 15 points, those that finish 2nd shall be awarded 10 points, those that finish 3rd shall be awarded five points, and those that finish 4th shall be awarded 2 points.  The team form competitors do not accumulate points that are recorded or recognized, the above mentioned scores only apply to sparring, form, and weapon divisions.

 

 

In the event that a division in a tournament must be combined due to a small number of participants, the participants that do not get to compete in their correct categories are still awarded first place for the division that they were originally supposed to compete in.  Careful record keeping is required in this situation.  If there is at least more than one competitor in a division, the division must be played out for the sake of UMATA record keeping.