GENERAL RULES:
Uniform Requirements: All competitors are required to wear a clean, regulation karate, kung fu, or tae-kwon-do uniform, as defined by the PKC. This includes sleeves covering the elbows and pants covering the knees.
Spectator Restrictions: For the safety and order of the competition, spectators are strictly prohibited from entering the competition floor area at any time. Access is granted only to competitors actively participating in their divisions and authorized working personnel.
Communication with Judges and Referees: During the competition, individuals are prohibited from engaging in direct communication with judges or referees, except when lodging an official protest. Violation of this rule may result in the assessment of a penalty point.
Referee Certification: Center referees must possess current PKC certification. The referee certification chairperson will furnish a list of certified PKC referees at each tournament. Black belts are exclusively permitted to officiate in divisions featuring black belt competitors. Certified brown belts may judge (excluding center refereeing) in divisions involving brown belts but no black belts. Certified officials aged between 13 and 17 are eligible to judge divisions exclusively comprised of youth competitors.
Officiating for Family Members: It is strictly prohibited for an official to officiate any event in which their child, spouse, or significant other is competing.
Competing in Designated Divisions: Competitors must participate in the specific division designated for their skill level. Competing in an incorrect division will result in disqualification. To earn points in a division with only one competitor, said competitor must have registered before the registration deadline, be in uniform at the appropriate ring, and be prepared to compete when the division is called. Opting not to compete due to insufficient competition will warrant a refund, but no awards or points will be granted.
Age Verification: In the event of a challenge to a child's age, the parent or guardian must produce a birth certificate to substantiate the child's age.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Any display of unsportsmanlike conduct will lead to immediate disqualification. Disqualification entails receiving no points or awards, and the disqualified individual is prohibited from continuing in subsequent rounds. Competitors, parents, or coaches demonstrating disrespectful behavior may receive a warning from the center judge. Repeated disrespectful behavior may result in a one-tournament suspension imposed by an arbitrator or tournament promoter. Persistent misconduct upon return from suspension could lead to expulsion from the tournament circuit.
Enrollment Requirement: Only individuals enrolled in a recognized karate school are eligible to participate in any phase of PKC competition.
Points Allocation: PKC-sanctioned state tournaments receive national PKC points, with awards distributed as follows: 1st place – 15 points, 2nd place – 10 points, 3rd place – 5 points, 4th place – 3 points.
Ring Specifications: PKC-sanctioned tournaments employ square rings for competition. Ring dimensions range from no less than 16'x16' to no more than 22'x22', with a recommended size of 20'x20'. Elevated rings should not exceed three (3) feet in height above the floor surface and must maintain a minimum of four (4) feet between the out-of-bounds line and the edge of the elevated floor surface. This regulation does not apply to regulation-size boxing rings. Two parallel lines, each measuring two (2) feet in length and separated by nine (9) feet, serve as starting points in the center of the ring.
Protest Procedures: To lodge a protest, a player, parent, or instructor must respectfully seek the attention of the center referee and clearly state the rule violation being protested. Protests are permissible solely when a rule infraction has occurred; judgment calls are not subject to protest. Center referees are required to acknowledge and respect all protests, potentially involving an arbitrator if necessary.
Score Sheet Completion: The center referee bears the responsibility of ensuring that all score sheets are correctly filled out before presenting awards. Following this task, the official will be reassigned to another ring by the tournament coordinator. In cases where a volunteer scorekeeper is related to a competitor, this affiliation should be disclosed to the center referee.
Official Removal: Competitors have the option to request the removal of one official before their division commences.
Registration Deadline: The registration deadline is set at 1:30 pm, and participants are required to adhere to this timeline.
Uniform Requirement for Officiating: All martial artists below the rank of 5th-degree black belt must wear their uniform to serve as judges or referees. Brown and black belt ranks are obligated to officiate. Participants below the rank of 5th dan who attend a tournament without their uniform will be subject to the adult admission fee. Individuals who are 5th dan and above will have their names submitted to the coordinator for ring assignment. Failure to accept the ring assignment will necessitate the payment of the adult admission fee. In instances where an individual serves as an official without a uniform, the coordinator may request reimbursement of the admission fee.
Dispute Resolution: If a dispute arises and cannot be resolved, the division may be rerun as a solution.
Medical Personnel: No tournament will commence without the presence of trained and certified medical personnel. Only certified medical personnel are authorized to administer first aid to injured competitors. Medical personnel are obligated to remain at the event until its conclusion.
Temporary Rule Amendments: In situations where the PKC promoters and director deem it necessary for the safety of competitors, these rules may be temporarily amended.
Kata, Weapons, and Demonstration Divisions:
Scoring Criteria: The minimum score for all divisions is set at 7.00, while the average score will be 8.50. In kata and weapons divisions, judges will evaluate performances based on specific criteria, including power, balance, focus, execution, concentration, and control. It is important to emphasize that kata will be assessed based on the competitor's performance, not individual judges' preferences or personal interpretations. In weapons divisions, judges will consider the degree of difficulty of the weapons used. In self-defense divisions, criteria include realism, balance, technique, power, and control.
Judging Panels: All adult black belt divisions will be assessed by five judges. The competitor's final score is calculated by eliminating the highest and lowest scores and adding the remaining scores. In cases where a shortage of judges necessitates expediency in the tournament, divisions below adult black belts may utilize three judges for kata, weapons, and demonstration divisions. However, no division will receive regional or national points unless judged by a minimum of three (3) judges in this scenario. In such cases, neither the highest nor lowest score is eliminated to determine the winners.
Kata Restart and Deduction: Competitors who forget their kata may request to restart one time. However, for each restart, they will incur a deduction of 0.300 (3/10) points from their score, as assessed by each official.
Tie-Breaking Procedures: In the event of a tie, where two or more competitors achieve identical scores, the low score is reintegrated into the total. If a tie persists, the high score is reintegrated. If a winner is still undetermined, the tied competitors will perform their chosen kata again. Judges will evaluate only the second performance for award purposes, and all competitors must be scored again.
Competitor Etiquette: All competitors within a division are required to bow in and bow out together in a line. The center referee will be positioned at the front center of the competition area, with the other judges at the corners. Competitors are expected to introduce themselves, stating at least their name and the name of the kata. While additional information is discouraged, providing it will not result in lower scores by the officials. After a division, competitors will be dismissed, and excessive handshaking or thanking of the judges will be discouraged.
Weapons Practice: Practicing weapons on the competition floor or in any crowded area before, during, or after the tournament is strictly prohibited.
Weapons Safety: In weapons kata, the center referee is responsible for checking the condition of weapons to ensure everyone's safety.
Weapon Drop and Restart: If a competitor drops their weapon, they may request to start over. However, they will incur a 0.300 (3/10) point deduction from their score, as assessed by each official.
Protective Gear: All competitors and attackers in self-defense divisions must wear approved protective headgear. If an attacker employs a weapon in a self-defense division, the competitor may not turn the weapon on the attacker.
Time Limit: A two (2) minute time limit will be enforced in self-defense, demonstration, and musical divisions, monitored by the timekeeper. If a performance exceeds the time limit, the scorekeeper will notify the center judge and deduct 3.00 (3/10) points from the total score.
Late Entries: Scorekeepers will indicate the start of a division by writing "closed" at the bottom of the score sheet. Competitors who arrive after a division has begun will be considered late and added to the bottom of the competitor list with the word "late" noted next to their name. Late entries will receive a 0.300 (3/10) point deduction from their total score.
Judging Diversity: Efforts should be made to ensure that a majority of judges on any judging board do not hail from a single school or dojo to maintain fairness and impartiality in the judging process.
Kumite (Sparring) Divisions:
Safety Equipment: Safety equipment is mandatory in all divisions. Competitors must wear approved soft foam headgear, footgear, and handgear, along with a mouthpiece. Male competitors are required to wear a groin cup. Ringstar shoes are approved safety equipment, and it is recommended to use soft shin pads and rib guards. Hand pads should cover the wrists and fingers as a single piece. Any equipment deemed unsafe by the center referee shall not be used.
Judging for Own Students: An official is prohibited from judging or refereeing for their own student.
Attire and Accessories: Competitors may not wear jewelry or any objects that may endanger themselves or others. However, medical ID tags are permitted.
Medical Personnel: No Kumite match will commence without the presence of trained and certified medical personnel. Only certified medical personnel are authorized to administer first aid to injured competitors.
Match Duration: All matches will be two minutes of running time, with the center referee stopping time only when necessary.
Scoring Techniques: All scoring techniques will receive one (1) point.
Match Scoring: Tournament matches in all divisions will be played until one competitor reaches five points or until time is called.
Overtime (Sudden Victory): In case of a tie when time is called, a 'sudden victory' overtime will determine the winner. The first competitor to score a point wins.
Scoring Criteria: To score a point, techniques must be focused, snapped, controlled, and executed with proper balance. Open hand back fists will not score, and slapping techniques to the head or body will not score.
Referee Signals: Various referee signals include "NO SEE" (hand in front of the eyes), "NO POINT" (crossed arms), "CLASS" (both fists together), "POINT" (pointing to the person getting the point or raising a flag), "PENALTY POINT" (same as point), "CONTACT POINT" (fist in hand pointing toward the person who was hit or raising the flag of the person who was hit with fist in hand), and "EXCESSIVE CONTACT" (fist in hand pointing toward the person who was hit while circling or raising the flag of the person who was hit with fist in hand while circling).
Target Areas: Target areas include the head (light contact in all divisions), face (no contact allowed in divisions below adult brown and black belt), chest, ribcage, abdominal area, and kidney (light to moderate contact required to score). Groin (light to moderate contact allowed in all divisions, youth, and adult).
Center Referee's Authority: The center referee has the authority to call a penalty point for contact without verification from the corner judges.
Contact Levels: Contact is categorized as follows: "Light contact" implies no penetration or visible movement by the opponent struck. "Moderate contact" entails slight penetration or slight movement of the target, allowed on the body in all divisions. However, moderate contact with the face shield is not allowed and will result in a penalty point.
Excessive Contact: Excessive contact refers to an uncontrolled technique. Any technique to the head causing the head to snap in any direction or driving the opponent's head away through impact is considered excessive. The penalty for excessive contact is disqualification, overriding all other calls, regardless of the sequence of infractions.
Face Shield Contact: When a face shield is worn, contact will be called only when it is made to the front center of the shield. Competitors will not be penalized for contacting the headgear, and a point will be awarded when contact with the headgear occurs within the predefined parameters set by the Indiana PKC rules.
Injury and Knockouts: Swelling, redness, or bleeding caused by a punch, kick, or any aggressive act by a competitor will result in the disqualification of the responsible competitor. If a competitor is knocked unconscious, a medical technician must immediately assess them. A competitor who is knocked unconscious cannot continue to fight. If, in the opinion of officials and medical personnel, it may be unsafe for the competitor to continue, they will not be allowed to participate in any sparring for that day. The competitor who executed the technique will be disqualified for excessive contact in that match but may compete in subsequent matches. The final decision regarding a competitor's ability to continue lies with the medical technician. The referee should stop time for a minimum of twenty seconds in the event of potential excessive contact, observing the competitor for possible swelling or bleeding. Once a decision is made under these circumstances, it cannot be reversed later.
Grabbing and Ground Fighting: Grabbing the uniform or trapping a kick is allowed to facilitate scoring. Scoring must occur within three seconds. Ground fighting is permissible, and either competitor may score within three seconds. Stomps to the body are allowed as long as one foot remains solidly on the ground, but stomps to the head are not permitted.
Out of Bounds: Whenever a competitor touches the out-of-bounds line or steps out of bounds, a point will be awarded to the opponent, unless the competitor was pushed, shoved, propelled, or fighting out of the ring.
Sweeps and Leg Checks: Sweeps are allowed to the back of the front leg (boot to boot contact). Takedowns, rear leg sweeps, and leg checking are not allowed, except for black belt adults.
Rules Infractions: Every verified rules infraction will result in a point being awarded to the opponent, excluding flagrant rule infractions that lead to disqualification, such as excessive contact.
Illegal Techniques: The following techniques are illegal: head butts, swinging techniques, hair pulling, biting, scratching, knees, elbows, throws, base leg sweeps (except for black belt adults), stomps to the head, jumping on a downed opponent, kicks to the legs, blind techniques, open hand techniques to the eyes, striking to the spine, back of the neck or throat, falling to the floor to avoid contact, pushing, running out of bounds, and faking an injury.
Second Punching: Executing a technique after the center referee has said "stop" will result in a point being awarded to the opponent, whether the infraction occurs in or out of bounds.
Coaching: Coaching during a match is considered a rules infraction and may result in a point being given to the offending competitor's opponent. Coaching is defined as verbal or non-verbal instructions to a competitor during a match.
Pairings and Byes: Pairings and byes will be randomly determined before the first round of competition. The center referee, coordinator, or scorekeeper will randomly pair competitor cards. In the event that members of the same school are paired, cards will be switched with the last match of that round whenever possible.
Late Entry: Late entries are not allowed once a division has started.
"Louisiana Bye" System: In Kumite divisions with only three competitors, the "Louisiana Bye" system will be employed. A bye is determined, and the two remaining competitors fight. The loser of that fight then faces the competitor assigned the bye. If the first loser also loses the second match, they will receive third place. If they win, they will receive second place. The competitor assigned the bye will only fight for first and second if they win their match against the first loser. Otherwise, they are the third-place winner. Care will be taken to ensure that competitors from the same school are not matched whenever possible.
Center Referee Responsibilities: The center referee has several critical responsibilities, including issuing penalty points for rule infractions or disqualification for excessive contact or unsportsmanlike conduct without the need for verification from the corner judges. The center referee's position should allow clear visibility of the timekeeper and scorekeeper. They must also be aware of the medical technicians' location and must be loud and clear when making calls to ensure accurate scorekeeping.
Exhibition Matches: Exhibition matches are not permitted.
Weigh-In Requirement: Competitors may be required to weigh in, and disqualification will occur if a competitor is found competing in the wrong division.
Chanbara (Padded Weapon Sparring) Divisions:
Match Duration: All Chanbara matches will have a duration of two minutes of running time, or the first competitor to score five (5) points, whichever comes first.
Padded Weapons: Both competitors are required to use the same size padded weapon, provided it is manufactured by an approved manufacturer and of sufficient quality for use. Alternatively, competitors may use the padded weapons provided by the promoter.
Safety Equipment: Mandatory safety equipment includes head protection that offers eye, ear, and face protection, such as a face shield, and protective groin cups for male competitors. Additional approved protective equipment may be worn at the discretion of competitors.
Target Areas: Target areas in Chanbara include the head and face, the neck and shoulders, the area from the shoulders to the fingers, the trunk of the body encompassing the chest and stomach, and the area from the hips to the feet.
Scoring Requirements: To score a point, a technique must demonstrate proper form, control, speed, attitude, correct distance, and proper timing. All proper scoring techniques shall receive one point.
Stabbing Motions: For a stabbing motion to be awarded a point, the padded weapon must bend.
Prohibited Acts: Prohibited acts that result in a penalty point being awarded to the opponent include any deliberate attempt to hit an opponent with excessive contact, any disregard for competitor safety, such as striking with the handle of the weapon, grabbing an opponent's weapon to prevent them from making an attack, and going out of bounds without being pushed, shoved, or propelled out.
Dropped Weapons: If a competitor drops their weapon during the match, their opponent will be awarded one point.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Unsportsmanlike conduct will lead to disqualification, as in all other phases of competition.
Other PKC Tournament Rules: All other PKC tournament rules apply to Chanbara divisions.