IBSSA International Sport Federation, Kata Competition Rules, Rules of Kata Match
By Dr. Rony KLUGER, KM, General Secretary of IBSSA

ARTICLE 1

Types of Match

1. The types of Match shall be as follows
   • Individual Match divided to styles
     • Shotokan,
     • Goju,
     • Shito,
     • Wado,
     • Shorin,
     • Kyukushin
     • KOBUDO Kata (traditional Okinawan weaponry).
2. The system of Individual Match shall be the following
• Point system
  • points shall be awarded to each participant and/or team separately and the winner will be the one with the highest total score.
3. The system may be changed by the IBSSA Board (i.e. Flag system)

ARTICLE 2

Judgement of a Match

1. The judgement of a Match shall be made by a Panel of Judges: one Referee and two or four or six Corner Judges.
2. All Matches shall be conducted exclusively upon the instructions of the Referee.

ARTICLE 3

Starting and ending of Matches

1. Starting
   1. Competitors must give to the Jury Table before each round the name of Kata that will be performed.
   2. When called upon by the announcer, the participant(s) will immediately proceed inside the Match area, bow to the Referee and will announce the name of the Kata to be performed clearly to the Judges.
   3. The Referee will clearly repeat the name of the Kata.
   4. The participant(s) then will commence their performance, and upon completion, will return to their original position(s) and await the Judge's decision.
2. Ending
   1. Upon completion of the Kata, the Referee shall call (Hantei) for the Corner Judge's decisions. Immediately the Referee and the Corner Judges will raise the Score Boards or flags (simultaneously) with their decisions. The Announcer shall call out the Referee and each Corner Judges scores clearly to the Recorder.
   2. The Recorder shall record the announced score in proper forms, and calculate the final score as follows: out of seven (five) scores received, the highest and lowest shall be deleted and the remaining five (three) scores shall be totalled.
   3. The Announcer shall clearly announce the total score.
   4. After the announcement of the decision, the participant(s) will bow to the Referee and leave the Match area.

ARTICLE 4

Types of Kata

Individual Match

1. Flag system will qualified 50% of the competitours
   1. First Round (Score: 5.0 - 7.0), with the 16 highest scoring competitors going through to the next round. The participant(s) must perform a scheduled Kata. The choice must be announced in advance in order to be recorded on the official sheet. If there are less than sixteen entries to the first round, then that round can be omitted, therefore the event becomes a two round event.
   2. Second Round (Score: 6.0 - 8.0): from the 16 competitors, 8 will go through to the final. The participant(s) must perform a scheduled Kata. The choice must be announced in order to be recorded on the official sheet.
   3. Third Round (Final) (Score: 7.0 - 9.0): The participant(s) can perform his/their Tokui Kata from the listed IBSSA Kata. The Kata in the Final must be different from the Kata performed in the 1st and 2nd Round. The choice must be announced in advance in order to be recorded on the official sheet.
   4. All scores from previous rounds will be not added up for the final result: each round will be considered and scored separately.
   5. In the event of a tie in any round the minimum score from the remaining 3 or 5 scores will be added to the total for that round. If the tie persists, the maximum score from the remaining 3 or 5 scores is added for the total scores for that round. In the event of a continuing tie, the contestants must perform a further Kata which was not performed by the competitors in this round. If there is still no winner, a decision must be taken by the Panel of Judges (based on the last Kata performed).

ARTICLE 5

Criteria for decision

In a Kata Match, each performance will not be deemed simply good or bad, but judged according in the essential elements of each basis of judgement based on two different criteria

1. Basic performance. The following basic points must appear in each performance of a Kata
   1. Kata sequence
   2. Control of power
   3. Control of tension and contraction
   4. Control of speed and rhythm
   5. Direction of movements
   6. Understanding Kata technique
   7. Show proper understanding of the Kata Bunkai
   8. Ceremony
   9. Embusen
   10. Vision
   11. Stances
   12. Coordination
   13. Stability and balance
   14. Perfection
   15. Harmony
   16. Pauses
   17. Kiai
   18. Breathing
   19. Concentration
   20. Spirit
2. Advanced performance. Judges will note the specific points and the degree of difficulty of the performed Kata. Judgement will be based on
   1. The mastery of techniques by the contestant
   2. The degree of difficulty and risk in the performance of the Kata
   3. The budo attitude of the contestant.

ARTICLE 6

Minus points and disqualification

1. Minus points. Points will be deducted in these cases

1. For a momentary hesitation in the smooth performance of the Kata quickly remedied, 0.1 should be deducted from the final score.
2. For a momentary but a discernible pause, 0.2 points should be deducted
3. For a momentary slight imbalance, and quickly remedied, 0.1 - 0.2 points should be deducted
1. Disqualification
   1. If the contestant performs the wrong Kata
   2. If the Kata is varied
   3. If the contestant stops the Kata
   4. If the contestant loses balance completely and/or falls
   5. If the contestant doesn't perform a Kata of its style

ARTICLE 7

Kata list

GOJU RYU

SHITO RYU

SHOTOKAN

WADO RYU

Gekasai Dai Ichi

Pinan 1,2,3,4,5

Heian 1,2,3,4,5

Pinan 1,2,3,4,5

Gekasai Dai Ni

Naifanchi Shodan

Tekki Shodan

Saifa

Saifa

Seisan

Bassai Dai

Bassai Dai

Kushanku

Seipai

Kosokun Dai

Enpi

Niseishi

Seiinchin

Tomari No Wansyu

Kanku Dai

Jion

Shisochin

Seienshin

Jion

Passai

Jion

Hungetsu

Kururunfa

Kosokun Sho

Jitte

Chinto

Superimpei

Bassai Sho

Tekki Nidan

Naihanchi

Sanseiru

Sochin (Aragaki-Ha)

Tekki Sandan

Rohai

Jitte

Gankaku

Wanshu

Matsumura Bassai

Bassai Sho

Seishan

Tomari Bassai

Kanku Sho

Sanseiru

Sochin

Shisochin

Nijushiho

Chinte

Gojushiho Dai

Chinto

Gojushiho Sho

Gojushio Sho

Chinte

Unshu

Unsu

Ni Pai Po

Meikyo

Matsukaze

Wankan

Suparimpei

Kururunfa

Wanshu

Sepai

Seisan

Ni Sei Shi

APPENDIX 1

The Terminology. Term Meaning Method of signalling

• Shobu Ippon
• Hajime
  • Start the Match The Referee stands on the official line.
• Shobu Hajime
  • Start the extended Match The Referee stands on the official line.
• Atoshi Baraku
  • 30 seconds before the Match An audible signal will ends be given by the timekeeper 30 seconds before the actual end of the Match.
• Yame
  • Temporary halt of Match The Referee chops downwards with one hand. The timekeeper stops the clock.
• Tsuzukete
  • Fight on Resumption of fighting, ordered after an unauthorized interruption has occurred.
• Tsuzukete Hajime
  • Restarting the Match The Referee stands on the official line, steps back into Zenkutsu-Dachi and brings the palms of the hands towards each other.
• Soremade
  • End of the Match The Referee faces the palm of one hand between the contestants, with the arm outstretched.
• Motonoichi
  • Original position The Contestants, Referee and Judges return to their respective standing lines.
• Shugo Shugo
  • Judges called The Referee beckons with one arm to the Judges.
• Hantei
  • Judgment The Referee calls for judgment by blowing their whistle, and the Judges render their decision by flag signal.
• Ippon
  • One point The Referee extends their arm higher than their shoulders, towards the relevant contestant.
• Waza-ari
  • Half point The Referee extends their arm slightly downwards to the side towards the relevant contestant.
• Awasete Ippon
  • Two Waza-ari recognised As Waza-ari + Ippon. as one Ippon
• Aiuchi
  • Simultaneous scoring No point awarded. technique The Referee brings his fists together in front of the chest.
• Hikiwake
  • A draw The Referee extends both arms to the side and slightly downwards with palms facing up.
• Aka (Shiro) no Kachi
  • Victory of red (white) The Referee obliquely raises an arm on the side of the winner.
• Encho-sen
  • Extension Referee restarts the Match with the command "Shobu Hajime".
• Torimasen
  • Not acceptable as scoring As Hikiwake, but techniques culminating with the palms facing downwards.
• Atenai
  • Private warning The Referee raises one hand in a fist covered by the other hand, at chest level, and displays it to the offender.
• Chui
  • Official warning The Referee points with the index finger to the feet of the offender at an angle of 45 degrees.
• Hansoku
  • Foul/Disqualification The Referee points with the index finger to the face of the offender and announces a victory for the opponent.
• Jogai
  • Exit from fighting area The Referee points the index finger at a 45 degree angle to the area boundary on the side of the offender.
• Uke Imasu
  • Technique blocked An open hand touching the elbow of the opposite arm.
• Nukete Imasu
  • Technique missed A closed hand crossing in front of the body.
• Yowai
  • Technique too weak An open hand descending downwards.
• Hayai
  • Quickest/first to score An open hand touching the palm of the other hand, with the fingers.
• Maai
  • Bad distance, technique out of Both the hands are range open and parallel to the floor, and facing each other.
• Mubobi
  • Warning for lack of regard for The Referee points ones own safety one index finger in the air at a 60- degree angle on the side of the offender.
• Kiken
  • Renunciation The Referee points with the index finger towards the contestant.
• Shikkaku
  • Disqualification from the The Referee points tournament first with the index finger to the offender's face, then obliquely above and to the rear, outside the area.

Appendix II

The table for judgement

SHIRO (AKA) NO KACHI or HIKIWAKE

Mienai

In the case of two judges giving a point to Shiro (Aka), one judge giving no point and another showing Mienai, the referee must consult the two judges giving a point. After that he has to ask the judges again for decision. Then the referee gives the final decision.

Appendix IV

Equipment

• Mitts
  • Mitts must be covered with white cloth or smooth leather. The fingers must be uncovered. The maximum thickness is 2 cm.
• Gumshields
  • Gumshields must be clear.
• Shinprotectors
  • Shinprotectors must be made of a soft material inside and covered with white cloth,
  • Hard plastic is forbidden,
  • Maximum thickness is 2 cm,
  • They have to cover only the shin and not the knee or ankle.
• Groinprotectors
  • Groinprotectors must be made of plastic or leather. Metallic material is not allowed.
• Chestprotectors
  • Chestprotectors must protect the chest and side of the chest, not just the bosom.