Light Contact

lightWKC RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR LIGHT-CONTACT/SPARRING
Age Categories for Light Contact Fighting Kids:If a competitor qualified in the ‘Kids’ section at the National Championships, he/she is entitled to compete in that same section at the World Championships of that year, even
if he/she turns 13 years of age before the World Championships.
Cadets: If a competitor qualified in the ‘Cadets’ section at the National Championships, he/she is entitled to compete in that same section at the World Championships of that year,
even if he/she turns 16 years of age before the World Championships.
Juniors: If a competitor qualified in the ‘Junior’ section at the National Championships, he/she is entitled to compete in that same section at the World Championships of that year, even if he/she turns 18 years of age before the World Championships.
Adults:All competitors 18yrs of age and older are classed as adults.
Veterans:An adult aged 35 yrs or older is permitted to compete in both the Adult and Veteran sections if they so wish.
Fighting Areas for Light-Contact:
a) The fighting area has to be square. Each side must be 8m in length (8 x 8) maximum or (7 x7) minimum.
b) Around the fighting area, a safety zone strip of two meters has to be kept clear, only
referee tables are allowed to be placed within this safety zone. No spectat
ors are allowed to be within that zone. The safety strip zone can be marked.
c) The Timekeeper and Scorekeeper are located at the referee-table facing the Head Referee.
d) In case there is only one fighting area, sufficient space for the medics and/or emergency personnel has to be provided at the referee-table.
e) The referee-table must be equipped with the following items: Pool lists, Score displays, Table stop watch, Bean-Bag, papers and pencils.
Rounds
In light Contact division Eliminations for kids and juniors are 1 x 2 minute round and finals for kids and juniors are 2 x 2 minutes. For Adults 2 x 2 minutes round eliminations and finals as well.
The Competitor
The competitors must be in good physical shape and have a good sportsmanlike attitude. The competitors must be well groomed and presentable. The nails of hands and feet must be cut short. The hair must be short or freshly washed. Male competitors with hair of a length that could pose a problem during the fight (i.e. shoulder length or more) must follow the rules concerning long hair which apply to female competitors.
It is the sole prerogative of the WKC referee to decide whether facial hair (moustaches, sideburns, beards or a combination of these) or the length of the hair poses a safety hazard to the competitors or an obstacle to the unhindered observation of the match.
Excessive use of grease or similar substances is prohibited. The referee can insist that such facial hair be removed, or in the case of long hair, be contained by a net, and that
Vaseline, grease or any other similar substances be removed before the fight can start or proceed.
The Competitor’s Equipment
All competitors must be equipped in all divisions with approved safety equipment in the form of padded protectors: 10oz gloves for light contact.
Individually fitted breast-protector for junior, adults and veteran females is compulsory, for female kids is recommended.
Individually fitted groin-protector for all age male and female categories in all weight divisions.
Foot protectors
Shin protectors
Individually fitted head-protector (helmet); the top of the head must be protected too .
Individually fitted tooth-protector (gum shield)
Hand-bandages max. 3.5 meters optional for – 18yrs, compulsory for +18yrs.
Over this a layer of elasticated bandage is applied, held in place by self-adhesive plaster. The bandages must be approved by the referee or by the tournament director. All
competitors with long hair may wear approved hair bands or holders without any metal and must do so if the hair is long enough to pose a safety hazard or could hinder the observation of the fight.The wearing of a belt is compulsory.
Rules of Conduct On and Off the mats
It is the duty of every competitor to show fair play in the ring. Should a competitor not be ready to continue the match, because his/her safety equipment is not working properly or for other reasons, he shall retreat one step and raise one arm.
Should a competitor be sent down for the count or in any other way be incapacitated, his/her opponent shall immediately retreat to the nearest neutral corner and wait for the referee to signal that the match can proceed again. When a competitor receives a warning or a reprimand from the referee, he/she must bow in the direction of the referee to indicate that he/she has understood the reason why.
At the conclusion of the fight the competitors shall approach the referee, standing in the centre of the ring, and there, one on each side of the referee, await the speaker’s announcement of the verdict. The referee then raises the arm of the winner.
After the fight the competitors salute each other and the opponent’s seconds, after which both competitors bow to the referee in recognition of his/her efforts. Violation of WKC rules and regulations, or infringements of the unwritten laws of good sportsmanship and fair play may lead to a warning or disqualification for a shorter or longer duration of time, depending on the seriousness of the violation or infringement.
Attendance of physician
The attendance of a doctor (physician) in Light-Contact is obligatory, a first-aid team only is not enough! The official physician, who attends every match, is the final
authority in questions of the safety of the competitors, and he or she may at any time stop or terminate a match at his or her discretion.
Every match must be supervised by an approved doctor (physician). Any and all directions and/or orders from the attending physician must be immediately complied with.
The attending physician must be qualified as a general practitioner. The attendance of 1 doctor is compulsory by national and international tournament and 2 doctors at World
championships. A First-aid team is compulsory as well.
The attending physician must follow the rules and regulations of the national health board in question as well as is approved by the authorities where such rules apply. No match may start or proceed before the attending physician is in place, and the physician may not leave his/her place prior to the decision in the last match.
The attending physician shall be ready to assist if a serious emergency arises, and to administer first aid in the event of less serious injuries.
The doctor has the right, to interrupt or stop a contest by ringing the bell or calling “stop“ to the referee, if he/she thinks a competitor is in danger and the referee has not stopped the fight. He/she is also
responsible to decide when a referee calls him/her in case of an injured competitor.
Nobody, even Coaches, may attempt to aid a competitor during a round before the attending physician has had the opportunity to see the injured competitor. If the doctor enters the fighting area to examine the presumed injury, he has to decide if the fight can continue or not. According to the doctors’ and consecutively referees’ decision the fight will continue or the result is “won by TKO” or “Disqualification” by unanimous or majority decision. Doctors’ decisions are in any case final decisions, but t
hey can be protested if the second doctor is present at the event. The second doctor will make decision about the protest.
Coaches
The Coach may give up on behalf of his/her competitor if he/she deems it irresponsible to let the fight continue. This is indicated by the Coach throwing a towel on to the mat.
Prior to every tournament the head referee shall call a meeting with all the Judges, Referees and Coaches to clear up any questions about rules, regulations and the general proceedings of the tournament. No rules can be changed during this meeting. Coaches shall support and advise their competitors during the intermission between rounds.
Each competitor may have 2 Coaches and only one of these may be in the fighting area at any time. During the rounds neither of the Coaches may approach the mats or in any other manner hinder or disturb the proper proceeding of the fight. Coaches shall comply with any and all directions by the Referee.
During the rounds the Coaches may give advice (only in a proper manner) help or in any way encourage the competitor. Should a Coach violate this rule the Referee can issue a warning or expel the second or disqualify the competitor.
A Coach who has been expelled may not function as Coach in the remaining part of the tournament. A match starts when the Referee gives the command “fight” to begin the first round, and it finishes when the Referee stops the fight in the last round. Only the competitors and the referee may be present on the mat during the match. If any other person steps onto the mat, the Referee can decide that the fight is immediately over and cannot continue again.
Scores and Points in Light Contact.
In Light-Contact deliberate knock-outs are not allowed. Decisions shall be made after the following guidelines:
Victory on points When neither competitor dominates the other and a round is even: 10:10 points. Following this, points are added to or subtracted from each competitor’s score according to the number of points they have been noted for by the referee.
The winning competitor of a round gets 10 points, his/her opponent 9 points. If an official warning was given because of a “foul”, the judges shall immediately award this competitor with “one warning”. If a competitor breaches the rules again because of a foul, one point is to be deducted. The judges shall always mark their warning with the letter W (for warning) under “fouls” on the scorecard to indicate that the competitor has received a warning.
If an official minus point was given because of a “foul” by clear and brutal strike and not just a warning, each judge must deduct 1 point from the scorecard of the involved competitor, immediately when the round is over. (i.e. 10:9). The judges shall always mark these points with the letter M (for minus point) under “fouls” on the scorecard to indicate that the competitor has received a minus point.
If a second official minus point was given in the same round, then the fighter is disqualified. In case of bad physical condition a standing count is allowed to give the competitor time to recover, but each judge must deduct 1 point from the score, immediately when the round is over. (i.e. 10:9). The judges shall always mark this counting with the letter C (for counting) under “KD” in the scorecard to indicate that the competitor has received a standing count.
On the third official minus point, ie warning, foul etc, the fighter is disqualified. In case of bad physical condition a standing count is allowed to give the competitor time to recover, but each judge must deduct 1 point from the score immediately when the round is over. (i.e. 10:9). The Judges shall always mark this counting with the letter C
(for counting) under ‘KD’ in the scorecard to indicate that the competitor has received a standing count.
If he/she gets counted because of a foul, (i.e. strong-hit), no point is to be deducted, but i
n that case the opponent must be penalised with a minus point. In the event of a strike
that dazes an opponent, the referee first of all has to stop the time, than he has
to ask his judges “Was there a foul or not?”. If the majority of judges decide for “foul”, the referee will penalise the offender. If they decide on “accident” then there is
no penalisation and no count.
A score with less than 8 points can only happen, if the judges give a 10:8 score for the round and points were deducted too. At the conclusion of the match all rounds are added up to the final score (i.e. 30:27) and the competitor with more points on the scorecards shall be declared the winner. Should a judge observe a violation that has apparently escaped the notice of the referee, and if he/she subsequently imposes a reasonable sanction upon the competitor committing the violation, he/she shall indicate that he/she has done just that by marking the points of the violating competitor with the letter J (for judges minus) and in writing state his/her reasons for the sanction.
Victory by attending physician stopping contest or injury
The attending physician is the supreme authority in questions relating to the safety of the competitors’, and may demand that the match be stopped. If one of the competitors is
injured, it requires only the doctor’s decision to stop the fight. Also the competitor him/herself or his/her coach may retire from the fight. The attending physician may stop
any match regardless of it being a World or European Championship or any other important match. Should the attending physician wish to stop a match to examine a competitor, he/she must first inform the referee. The referee then stops the match until the physician has examined the competitor but only to decide if the fight can continue or not. This examination must take place on the fighting area and have duration of  not more than one minute and any kind of treatment of the competitor is explicitly forbidden. Should this time not be sufficient, the referee shall stop the match and declare the opponent the winner.
If one of the competitors is injured and the fight is over because of a foul the innocent competitor is declared the winner. In case of an accident the judges have to finish their scorecards and the competitor with the highest number of points is declared the winner. If both competitors are injured simultaneously, and neither is able to continue the match, fight is over by draw. Should this situation occur in the first round the match shall be declared “no contest” and no winner is declared.
Giving up
In cases where a competitor voluntarily gives up because of injuries or for any other reason, or if he or she does not resume fighting immediately after the intermission between rounds, the opponent shall be declared the winner. In these cases the Coach shall throw a towel onto the mat to signal that his/her competitor gives up.