IFS Regulations on Refereeing
Chapter 1 The Judges
Article 1 The judges of sumó matches shall be certified judges, selected by
the Organizing Committee of the International Sumó Federation.
Article 2 1. A team of judges shall consist of a head judge, a gyóji (referee), and four judges, making a total of six judges.
2. The head judge shall take full responsibility for all decisions made pertaining to a match.
3. The gyóji assumes control of the match from the time the athletes enter
the dohyó (ring) to the end of the match when they exit the dohyó.
4. The responsibilities of the judges are to assist the head judge and to ensure that there are no errors in the decision.
5. The judge in the shómen (front) shall also function as the timekeeper.
Article 3 The manager of judges is responsible for executing all matters
pertaining to general affairs in judging including assignment of judges and
referees.
Article 4. The dressing of the judges is as follows:
(1) The head judge and judges shall wear suits, white shirts and ties. (If
the International Sumó Federation designates a particular jacket, pants, or a tie, they shall be worn.)
(2) The gyóji shall wear white pants, white shirt and a black bow tie.
Article 5. When the head judge deems a judge or a referee to be unqualified he shall report the individual to the Competition Committee.
The Committee shall evaluate the individual and come to a decision which will be announced by the Committee's chairman.
Chapter 2 Refereeing Rules
Article 6 1. The gyóji shall start a match by calling out "Hakkeyoi" the
moment after each athlete simultaneously places his hands on the dohyó and takes a breath.
2. The hands of the athletes shall be placed behind the shikirisen (starting
lines).
3. When an athlete jumps off without waiting for the call, the gyóji shall call
out "Matta (Wait.)" and re-do the tachiai (initial charge).
Article 7 1. When the head judge observes a false tachiai, he shall raise
his right hand immediately and stop the match.
2. In the case of the above the tachiai shall be repeated immediately.
3. The decision on whether a tachiai was correctly or incorrectly carried out
shall be left to the judgment of the head judge.
Article 8 With the exception of special rules, the following determines who is the winner of a match:
(1) The athlete who pushes his opponent out of the shobu-dawara (rice-bale boundary circle).
(2) The athlete who forces any part of his opponent's body, other than the
soles of his feet, to touch the dohyó.
Article 9 1. When the opposing athlete is in shinitai (completely lost his
center of balance), it is not a loss even if the following applies:
(1) An athlete touches the dohyó with his hand slightly before the opposing athlete.
(2) An athlete steps out of the dohyó slightly before the opposing athlete.
2. Above items (1) and (2) are referred to as kabaite and kabaiashi respectively.
Article 10 It is okuriashi, which is not a loss, when an athlete steps out of
the dohyó while lifting his opponent out of the dohyó with his legs suspended in the air and puts him down outside of the shobu-dawara.
However, he loses the match if he carries out the move by stepping out of the dohyó backward.
Article II It is not a loss, if the orikomi (front fold) of a mawashi (loincloth
belt) touches the dohyó.
Article 12 When a match is won using a throwing technique, etc., it is not
a loss if the instep of the athlete who does the throwing curls in and touches
the dohyó.
Article 13 An athlete may be determined the loser of a match according to
deliberations by the judges, if the following apply:
(1) If it has been determined that the athlete is no longer able to continue
in the match due to injury.
(2) If it has been determined that the athlete has used kinjite (prohibited
moves).
(3) If the athlete arbitrarily ends a match.
(4) If the judges have determined the athlete did not jump-off deliberately.
(5) If the athlete does not abide by the judges' instructions.
(6) If the maebukuro (front pouch part) of a mawashi becomes loosened and comes off during the match.
(7) If the athlete does not appear in dohyó-damari (waiting area) after being called twice by the broadcasting staff.
Article 14 When an athlete is injured during a match, the gyóji shall immediately stop the match and the judges must consult the medical staff
to decide whether or not the match may go on.
Article 15 The following moves are kinjite:
(1) Punching an opponent with a 6st or poking an opponent with a finger.
(2) Kicking an opponent in the chest or abdominal area.
(3) Grabbing an opponent's hair.
(4) Grabbing an opponent's throat
(5) Grabbing at the maebukuro or maetatemitsu (front part) of an opponent's mawashi or sticking a finger in through the side and
pulling it down.
(6) Bending back one or more fingers of an opponent.
(7) Biting an opponent
(8) Slapping the opponent's face with an arm outstretched more than a shoulder width
2. The gyóji shall stop the match immediately when kinjite are used in a match.
Article 16 The gyóji shall determine the winner at the instant a match is
over no matter what unexpected way the match has &nished or even if it is
difficult to give a decision.
Article 17 1. If the head judge or judges have an objection to the gyóji's
decision, they shall raise their right hand immediately to lodge a formal objection.
2. A judge may lodge an objection when he has been unable to confirm the gyóji's decision, due to the poor view of the match from his viewing position.
3. The objections shall be made plainly and concisely and based on a clear
kimarite (winning move).
4. No further objections may be raised once the gyóji has given the kachinanori (announced the winner) and the decision has been passed.
Article 18 1. When an objection has been raised, the judges shall immediately stand in the center of the dohyó to carry out their
deliberations.
2. The gyóji shall clearly explain his reasons for the decision as a point of
reference for the deliberations .
3. A judge may exclude himself from the deliberations due to a poor viewing
location or for other legitimate reasons.
4. A judge shall be careful not to advocate his decision too strongly, so as not
to impede deliberations.
Article 19 1. The head judge shall make the final judgement on a decision
following the deliberations.
2. In principle, the deliberations shall be decided by a majority vote of the
judges (excluding the gyóji).
3. The head judge shall try to convince the minority vote of the validity of
the decision.
Article 20 When the head judge and judges believe that a match has been won, but the gyóji allows the match to continue without calling out a
decision, the following measures shall, be taken:
(1) In the event of a fumikoshi (stepping over the dohyó) where there is a
positive mark evidencing that a match has been won, a judge must raise their right hand to express his objection. In this case, the head
judge shall instruct the gyóji to stop the match and a decision shall be made through deliberations.
(2) If there is no positive mark on the janome (sand around the dohyó) etc.
indicating that a match has been won, an objection shall be lodged at the end of the match and a decision shall be reached through
deliberations.
Article 21 If a gyóji mistakenly calls out "Shóbu atta (The match is won.)"
during the match, the head judge and judges shall lodge an objection and a
tori-naoshi (rematch) shall be called following deliberations.
Article 22 1. If a match continues for three minutes and there is no winner,
it is stopped and a rematch shall be carried out.
2. At the signal of the judge keeping the time, the head judge shall instruct
the gyóji to stop the match.
Chapter 3 Judges' Duties
Article 23 Bearing in mind the great influence which their advice has on
athlete and the general audience, judges shall strive to be fair and neutral
in their decisions and they shall never show any sign of oscillation or
wavering.
Article 24 1. Judges shall also instruct athletes, in addition to judging and
passing decisions on matches.
2. If any inappropriate speech or behavior are exhibited on the dohyó or in
the dohyó-damari (waiting area), the judge shall immediately warn the
athlete.
Article 25 The judges are responsible for maintaining the condition of the
dohyó in order to ensure that matches are carried out safely and they shall
take immediate corrective measures when needed.
Article 26 The gyóji shall be responsible for bringing the spirit of the two
athletes and himself together at the tachiai.
Article 27 1. When a mawashi is loosened during the match, the referee
shall call out "Matta" and stop the match temporarily, having the athlete
maintain the kumite (their positions) as is until the match is restarted.
2. The temporary stopping of the match shall be ordered when the athlete's
offensive moves have stopped.
3. After tightening the mawashi and confirming with the judges that
neither athlete moved the kumite, the gyóji shall place his hands on the
backs of both athletes, call out "Hikimasuyo, Hikimasuyo," and resume the
match by lightly hitting their backs with the call "Hakkeyoi."
Article 28 When an athlete's move falls under either of the following, the
gyóji shall instruct the athlete to let go. However, if it is difficult to give
the instruction at that time, he may forgo it.
(1) When an athlete grabs a tatemawashi (vertical part of mawashi),
orikomi, a bandage or supporter,etc.
(2) When an athlete has a hold on his opponent in gassho (both arms
wrapped around the opponent with hands gripped), the gyóji shall
instruct the athlete to unlock his hands.
Article 29 The responsibilities of the gyóji are as follows:
(1) When an athlete goes onto the dohyó and carries out the chirichózu
(water purification) ritual, the gyóji shall position himself inside the
toku-dawara (privilege bale) in the muko-jomen (back) of the dohyó
(henceforth referred to as the basic position).
(2) When the athletes move to the center of the dohyó, the gyóji shall
simultaneously move two steps forward from the basic position.
(3) When the athletes take the sonkyo (squatting) position, the gyóji shall
confirm that they have synchronized their breathing and call out
"Kamaete (On your mark.)" and move back one and a half steps to
stand with legs apart. He shall then call out "Te o tsuite.
Mattanashi (Hands down. Waiting time is over.)" and slightly bend
his knees, with both palms facing inward and slightly stretching the
arms, he shall urge on the tachiai and start the match with the call,
"Hakkeyoi."
(4) When the tachiai is not accomplished, the above procedure shall be
repeated.
(5) The gyóji shall call out "Madayo, Madayo (Not yet. Not yet.)" to an
athlete who places his hands on the dohyó before his opponent, to
insure he does not start the match unfairly. The gyóji shall indicate to
the other athlete to put his hands on the dohyó by calling out
"Hikimasuyo, Hikimasuyo (Get ready. Get ready.)" and starting the
match by calling "Hakkeyoi" after confirming that the athlete's hands
are on the dohyó.
(6) When both athletes begin the bout, the gyóji shall urge on the
performance with the call, "Nokotta" or "Hakkeyoi." "Nokotta" shall
be called out when an athlete puts a move on his opponent and
"Hakkeyoi" is called out when both athletes are not moving.
(7) When a match is won,, the gyóji shall call out "Shobu atta"and he
shall indicate the winner by pointing to the east or west side of the
dohyó with his hand.
(8) Prior to delivering the kachinanori, the gyóji shall return to the basic
position and after both athletes have bowed to each other, he shall
call out, "Higashi (or Nishi) no kachi (The winner is east (or west.))"
while pointing his hand at the winner who remains in the sonkyo
position. However, if a deliberation of judges is held, kachinanori
shall be given after each judge has taken his seat after the
deliberation.
Article 30 The gyóji shall observe the following when the match is in
progress:
(1) The gyóji shall ensure that he does not step on the shobu-dawara or
the janome.
(2) The gyóji shall see to it that he does not turn his back to the shómen.
(3) The actions of the gyóji shall be swift and nimble, in order not to
obstruct the movements of the athlete.
(4) The gyóji shall be in a position, angle, or form where a decision can be
clearly made.
Article 31 At the beginning and end of the team competition, the gyóji
shall line up the athlete of the east and west and the athlete shall bow at
the command, "Rei (Bow)." The gyóji shall stand in the basic position
during these standing courtesies.
Article 32 The judges shall line up in their designated places in the
dohyó-damari and bow standing at the command of the gyóji when they
enter or exit.
Article 33 The judges shall rotate their positions according to the
following rules:
(1) The judges for the first match shall stand and bow at their respective
seats at the command of the gyóji. They shall then move to their
designated places in the dohyó-damari and line up there.
(2) The judges for the next match shall line up at the designated place in
the dohyó-damari and shall stand and bow at the command of the
gyóji and move to their respective refereeing seat.
(3) When all judges have moved to their proper locations the gyóji for
the next match shall give the command for standing courtesies and
the rotation is completed.
(4) The gyóji shall stand in the basic position when he gives the
commands for standing courtesies as described in (1) and (3).
Chapter 4 Revisions to the Regulations of Refereeing
Article 34 Revisions to the refereeing regulations are made by the
Competitions Committee and their recommendations are sent to the Board
of Directors of the International Sumó Federation for further deliberation
and 6nal approval.
Supplementary Rules
These regulations shall take effect from April 1, 1997.
Supplementary Rules
These regulations shall take effect from October 22, 1998.
