a) The fighting area must be square, length (6 x 6) maximum or (5 x 5) minimum.

b) Around the fighting area, a safety zone of 6 feet must be kept clear, only referee tables are allowed to be placed within this safety zone. The zone can be marked. No spectators are allowed to be within that zone.

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 must be provided at the referee -table.

e) The referee-table must be equipped with the following items: The draw sheets, score displays, stopwatch, bean bag, paper, and pencils.

1.       Rounds: In point fighting, all elimination fights are one round lasting two minutes.

2.       Two-Point Victory Rule: (Grands only) If at the end of regulation time the match is tied or if one fighter is only ahead by one point, the match continues until one fighter achieves a two-point lead.

3.       Mercy Rule: If one fighter attains a lead of 7 points during the elimination, he is instantly declared the winner. In the gold medal match the mercy rule is 7-point spread.

4.       The Competitor: The competitor must be dressed in a clean and appropriate Team uniform. The competitor should be wearing a clean T-shirt with long pants. The pants must reach the feet and be open on the bottom. There should be no zip fasteners, pockets, or buttons. Traditional karate Gi or Tae Kwon Do uniforms must be worn. Competitors cannot wear any metal objects that may cause injuries to the opponent. Piercings, chains, watches, or earrings are not allowed. Eyeglasses are forbidden; soft contact lenses are allowed at the competitor’s own risk. Competitors may wear badges of their respective clubs, associations, or sponsors. Names and slogans are permitted if they do not offend public decency. Headbands, hairnets, and scarves are not allowed since they may slip. Long hair must be fastened by an elastic band.

5.       Competitor Equipment: The equipment must include helmet, elbow pads, mouth guard (gum shield), open hand gloves (foam gloves) that must have the fingers and thumbs enclosed, safety kicks, groin protector that must be worn under clothes (men and women), shin guards that must be worn under clothes, breast protector for female juniors, adults, and veterans. Competitors may additionally wear hand bandages, (though no tape on the first or knuckles), elbow and knee protectors, chest protectors and breast protector for females is recommended. Safety goggles are permitted for competitors who need prescription eye wear.

7.       Scoring Area: Front, back, side, and top of the head. Front and side of the body. Sweeps below mid calves. Every action must be controlled and well-timed. In the event of a downed opponent, the other competitor is allowed three seconds to score by punching. No kicks are allowed. The center referee will count to three in his head before calling stop.

8.       Prohibited Actions: Sweep and kick to knee and thigh (low kick). Kick and punch to the groin. Kick and punch to the back of the body. Scratching, biting, spitting, verbal attacks to the referees or opponent. Kick and punch after stop called. Uncontrolled actions. Leaving the fighting area or falling down to waste time. It is not usual to stop the time to give points, but the referee will stop time to give a warning or minus point. Only one coach is allowed, and he/she is to stay seated. If the coach feels there has been an infringement of the rules, he may indicate to the center referee using the sign “T” for time. At no time may the coach enter the fighting area. The referee may give a penalty point. In each fighting area, the referee acts as the “ring inspector.” He is responsible for his fighting area and all ASKL rules will be correctly applied.

9.       Permitted Techniques: Jab and reverse punch, back fist, ridge hand, front kick, side kick, spinning back kick, roundhouse kick, hook kick, crescent kick, axe kick, sweeps below calf. Any jump-kick. All techniques must display control, balance and focus.

10. Illegal Techniques: Spinning backfist, elbow strikes, throws, pushing with arms, low kicks, knees, head butts, using any kick or technique that requires one hand to touch the floor.

11. Points: The correct definition of a point is, “When a legal technique hits a legal target area.” Also, the competitor scoring must remain on their feet. The technique must be completed in order to score, it doesn’t count if the competitor is thrown or pushed to the floor. Every clean and well-controlled technique to a permitted target area and executed with light contact scores as follows (according to the degree of difficulty.

·         All punches to head or body: 1 point

·         All Kick to head or body: 2 points

12. Scoring: There referees upon scoring will now count opinions not flags. The scoring is done by the main referee following a majority system only. When the referee or judges see a score, they must indicate IMMEDIATELY. After each acknowledged technique, the fight has to be stopped and the score announced. Points are awarded only by unanimous or majority decision of the referee and the judges. The main referee must in any case show his own opinion; he cannot give a score without raising his own hand to show the point before he stops the competition if there is no majority. Judges can score for either fighter, indicate no call (i.e., did not see), or a clash.

·         Exit rule: Exit means the whole foot must be outside the competition area. In case of an exit, the attacking competitor must remain in the area to score. If the defender steps out of the area the score is valid. If the main referee is not sure about his judges, he must stop time and ask his judges again, afterwards command “score” and that score is final. This situation should not be very often. But, if the whole foot exits the fighting area and then immediately returns, the center referee may allow the match to continue to allow the fight to flow and not take advantage away from the attacker.

13. Judges Calls: Judges call a point(s) for one fighter by pointing at that fighter with appropriate numbers of fingers extended. A judge will place hand(s) in front of his eyes indicating that he did not see the point scored. A judge will cross hands down low indicating a clash, no points awarded.

Note: No double point calls allowed. If both fighters score at the same time a judge is to call a clash.

Note: If one judge calls for 1 point, and the other judge calls for 2 points then the fighter receives 1 point (regardless of what technique the judges saw). If a judge wants to show that the contact was too hard, he will punch his fist into the other hand. To give a warning or a penalty point (minus point) the main referee must inform the competitor why he was penalized.

Possible Situations: In the event of a strike that dazes an opponent, the center referee must stop the time, then ask his judges what they saw. If the majority decide on “foul” then the referee will penalize the offender. If they decide on “accident” there is no penalty. If one of the competitors is injured, it is only the decision of the medic, the competitor, or his coach to stop the fight. An injured fighter has 5 minutes to resume the match. If they cannot continue at that time the match is over. The referee cannot decide how seriously a competitor is injured. The referee must always call the doctor/ medic. If one of the competitors is injured and the fight is over because of a foul, the innocent competitor is declared winner. In case of an accident, the competitor with the highest number of points is declared winner.