ICO Full Contact rules revised April 2014 Physical Examination All fighters must submit to a physical examination by the designated attending medical staff. At the examination, the fighter must fill in any relevant paperwork and answer any relevant questions giving true and acurate information to the medical staff. The attendance of a Doctor or Paramedics in Full Contact, Low Kick, Oriental, MMA and Thai Boxing is obligatory, a Standard First-Aid Team is not enough! The Official medical staff, who mandatory attends every match, is the final authority in questions of the safety of the Fighters. He or she may, at any time, stop or terminate a match at his or her discretion. Any match must be supervised by an approved medical staff. Any and all directions and/or orders from the attending medical staff must be immediately complied with. The attending medical staff must follow the rules and regulation of the National Health Board in question as well as be approved by the authorities where such rules apply. No match may start or proceed before the attending medical staff is in place, and the medical staff may not leave his/her place prior to the decision in the last match. The attending medical staff shall be ready to assist if a serious emergency arises, and to administer First Aid in the event of less serious injuries. The medical staff has the right, to interrupt or stop a contest by ringing the bell or calling “stop“ to the Referee, if he /she thinks a Fighter is in danger, and the Referee has not stopped the fight. He/she is also responsible to respond when a Referee calls him/her in case of an injured Fighter. Nobody may attempt to aid a Fighter during a round before the attending medical staff has had the opportunity to see the injured fighter. This includes Seconds. If the medical staff enters the ring or he/she must examine the presumed injury, the fight is over and the Judges have to finish the point sheets (point cards). Incomplete rounds must not be totaled. The result is “won by TKO” or “Disqualification” by unanimous or majority decision. Medical staff decisions are in any case final decisions, there is no protest possible. DIVISIONS AND ROUNDS The Fighters must be in good physical shape and have a good sportsmanlike attitude. The Fighters must be well groomed and presentable. The nails of hands and feet must be cut short. The hair must be clean. Male Fighters 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 that applies to female fighters. Full Contact Kicks above the waist = Long trousers with bare upper body.NO! shorts. Rounds In standard Full Contact contests, the Fight will be conducted over 3 rounds of 2 minutes. There is a break of 1 minute duration between rounds Amt or Pro. No match featuring Amateur Fighters may go over more than 5 rounds of 2 minutes inc. title fights. International elimination tournament style competition may use 2 x 2 min rounds. Pro title contests: Area = 5 x 2 min English = 7 x 2 min British = 9 x 2 min Five Nations = 8 x 2 min Intercontinental = 8 x 2 min European = 10 x 2 min World = 12 x 2 min All with 1 min rest periods between rounds Rules of conduct inside and outside of the ring. It is the duty of every Fighter to show fair play in the ring. Should a Fighter 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 an arm to request a pause in the time. Should a fighter 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 fighter receives a Warning or a reprimand from the Referee, he/she must acknowledge the Referee to indicate that he/she has understood the reason why. At the conclusion of the fight, the Fighters shall approach the Referee, standing in the centre of the ring. Each Fighter shall stand either side of the Referee (nearest to their own corner) and await the Speaker’s announcement of the verdict. The Referee then raises the arm of the winner. Violation of ICO 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. The Fighter All Fighters shall be clean and properly dressed and in a condition to fight. It is the sole prerogative of the 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 Fighters, or poses an obstacle to the unhindered observation of the match. The Referee can insist that such facial hair be removed, or in the case of long hair, be contained by a net or tied back. Excessive use of grease or similar substances is prohibited. The Referee can insist that Vaseline, grease or any other similar substances be removed before the fight can start or proceed. The Fighter’s Equipment All fighters must be equipped in all divisions with approved safety equipment in the form of padded protectors that fit correctly and in good condition. ICO Officials reserve the right to refuse the use of any equipment they deem inproper or unsuitable for use. 1. Individually fitted breast-protector for all Females eligible to fight Full Contact 2. Individually fitted groin-protector for all Male and Females eligible to fight Full Contact 3. Foot protectors which must cover all of the upper foot, and the heel. 4. Shin protectors (but not football type) 5. Individually fitted Head-Protector (Helmet). (Amt) The top of the head must be protected too. Open helmets are forbidden. No visors or faceguards are allowed. Pro level do not wear headguards. 6. Individually fitted tooth-protector (gum shield) 7. Hand-bandages to a maximum of 2.5 meters 8. Boxing Gloves. 10 OZ in all weight categories The fighters have the responsibility of bringing their own personal equipment and that of their Seconds to all ICO matches and tournaments. The hands of the fighters must be protected by bandages, no more than 2 inches (5.08 cm) wide ICO recomend (Pro hand wrap) or simular. Zinc oxide Adhesive tape may be applied directly to the skin in such a manner that it protects the part of the hand closest to the wrist. Its direct application may not exceed 1 (one) unbroken winding on the hand, although it is permitted that the plaster cross the back of the hand 2 (two) times. It may not be placed higher on the hand than at a distance of 1 (one) inch ( 2.54 cm) from the knuckles when the hand is made into a fist. Over this a layer of elastic bandage is applied and held in place by self-adhesive plaster Zinc oxide tape only. The bandages must be approved by the Referee or by the Tournament Supervisor. All fighters with long hair may wear approved hair bands or metal free holders. They must do so if the hair is long enough to pose a safety hazard or could hinder the observation of the fight. Fighters and Seconds No Fighter may participate in any match without an up-to-date fight card. Officials shall verify that Fighters compete in their proper weight class. FIGHTERS CLASSIFICATION Fighters will be separated by class, N (novice) class to A class, Classification will be defined by the numbers of bouts a fighter wins not the number of bouts they have had. Fighters will be classified as follows: N class Up to an including 3 wins C class +3 wins B class +6 wins A class +12 wins After having signed a professional contract and having fought as a professional it is no longer possible to revert to amateur status. Seconds The Second may give up on behalf of his/her Fighter if he/she deems it irresponsible to let the fight continue. This is indicated by the second throwing a towel into the ring. Prior to every tournament the Head Referee shall call a meeting with all the Judges, Referees and Seconds to clear up any questions about rules, regulations and the general proceedings of the tournament. No rules can be changed during this meeting. Seconds shall support and advise their Fighters during the intermission between rounds. Each fighter may have 3 seconds and only one of these may enter the ring during the intermission. During the rounds neither of the Seconds may enter the ring, or in any other manner hinder or disturb the proper proceeding of the fight. Seconds shall comply with any and all directions by the Referee. Prior to each round the Seconds must remove buckets, stools, towels from the ring, and if necessary wipe the floor clean of spilt water. The Seconds shall have at their disposal a towel, a sponge, water and grease for the fighter cut and bruise managemant kit spare mouth guard. During the rounds the seconds may give advice (just in a proper manner), help or in any way encourage the Fighter. Should a Second violate this rule the Referee can issue a warning or expel the Second, or disqualify the Fighter. A second may not give advice to a Fighter that has been sent to a neutral corner. A Second who has been expelled may not function as Second 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 stop’s the fight in the last round. Only the Fighters and the Referee may be present in the ring during the match. If any other person enters the ring, the fight is immediately over and cannot continue again. Legal Techniques Full Contact 1. All forms of Boxing in combination with kicks above the waist to the body and the head to a legal target. 2. Rear (reverse) kicks to the body or the head, spinning back kicks to the body and to the head with full contact to knock out the opponent. Foot sweeps are permitted boot to boot but NO! drop sweeps of any kind are allowed. Warnings and Minus Points In case of a serious violation of the following points the Referee shall stop the fight with the command “Stop“, stop the Time by indicating a “T” sign to the Timekeeper, and issue a Warning to the Fighter in a clear and precise manner so that the fighter clearly understands the penalty isseud. 1st warning = Verbal 2nd warning = 1 minus point 3rd warning = 2nd minus point 4th warning = Disqualification Note: ICO Officials reserve the right to jump to any level of warning penalty should they deem it necessary. Warnings that result in a minus point will obviously have an effect on the score cards and the judges will make adjustments accordingly. A fighters coaching staff can also be included in the warning system and ultimately get their fighter disqualified as a result. Illegal Techniques (Fouls) Full Contact All forms of biting are prohibited. All strikes, blows and punches executed with the palm side of the gloves are prohibited. All kicks to the back and the back of the neck are prohibited. Any form of butting with the head is prohibited. All attacks (strikes, punches, kicks) against the joints are prohibited. Kicks to the groin are prohibited. Attacking a downed Opponent is prohibited. Also attacking an Opponent who touches the floor with his gloves is prohibited. Spitting out one’s tooth protector (gum-shield) is prohibited. Any kind of throwing Holding the ropes and attacking an opponent, Any form of clinching or holding the opponent is prohibited. All types of strikes with the elbows are prohibited. Any form of kicking with the knees is prohibited. Spinning Back Fist only allowed in five round Amt fights and all Pro fights. All kicks against the thighs or under the waistline are prohibited, excluding Foot Sweep. Punching to the back or top of the head is prohibited. Punching or Kicking after the Referee calls Stop, or after the bell. Back Fist. INTENTIONAL EVASION OF CONTEST A Fighter intentionally avoiding any physical contact with his opponent will receive a Warning from the Referee. If a Fighter continues to avoid a confrontation with his opponent after receiving a Warning during that round, he may be penalized by the Referee with a Minus Point. If the Fighter continues to evade action, either in the same round or in any round, the Referee may, at his discretion, award more penalties, or stop the bout and declare a TKO. In an instance where the Fighter is purposely going down without being hit, the Referee will automatically administer a Standing 8-count, as specified in the rule on Knockdowns. ICO Amateur Division Scoring Rules. The ICO use a 10 point must system Points are given for clean Full Contact hits to a legal target : The Judges shall base their evaluation of the fight on the following guidelines: 1. Best technique. 2. Effective defence and Counter attacks or evasion. 3. Best combinations KICK BOXING!. 4. Fighting spirit and initiative. 5. Good sportsmanship and fair play. 6. Number of clean hits scored. 7. No. of minus points and knock downs 8. Damage/ Dominance 9. Ring-Craft 10. Fitness The judges decision is final!!! To score points all effective legal kicks or punches must hit directly without being blocked or parried on any legal area. For punches and blows the technique must be delivered with the striking zone of the closed glove. KICKBOXING SCORING CRITERIA - The kicker will always have the advantage you can not win the bout using boxing alone. Scoring and points in Full Contact Decisions shall be made after the following guidelines: Victory on points (P) If no Fighter dominates and the round is even, the score for the round is 10:10. Following this, points are subtracted from each Fighter’s score according to the number of Minus points they have been awarded by the Referee. The winning Fighter of a round gets 10 Points, his/her opponent gets 9 points. If a Fighter offers no reply during the round, a score of 10:8 can be recorded by the Judges even if there are no Minus Points or Knockdowns. If an official warning was given because of a “foul”, the Judges shall immediately mark these warnings with the letter W (for warning) under “fouls” on the scorecard to indicate that the Fighter has received a Warning. If an official Minus Point was given because of a “foul” and not just a warning, each Judge must deduct 1 point from the scorecard of the involved fighter, immediately when the round is over. (i.e. 10:9 assuming neither Fighter dominated). The Judges shall always mark these points with the letter M (for Minus Point) under “fouls” on the scorecard to indicate that the Fighter has received a Minus Point. If a second official Minus Point was given in the same round, each Judge must deduct 2 points from the score of the involved fighter, immediately when the round is over.(i.e.10:8 assuming neither Fighter dominated) In case of a third official Minus Point in that match, the fight is over immediately by Disqualification. If a Fighter gets counted, each Judge must deduct 1 point from the Scorecard, immediately when the round is over (i.e. 10:9 becomes 10:8 because of the Knockdown). The Judges shall always mark this knockdown with the letter K (for Knockdown) under “KD” in the Scorecard to indicate that the Fighter has received a Knockdown. At the conclusion of the match all rounds are added up to the final score (eg. 30:27) and the Fighter with more points on the Scorecards shall be declared the winner. Victory by attending medical staff stopping the contest or because of injury (DOD) The attending medical staff is the supreme authority in questions relating to the safety of the Fighters, and may demand that the match be stopped. If one of the Fighters is injured, it is only the medical staff decision to stop the fight, or the Fighter him/herself or his/her Coach wants to retire from the fight. The attending medical staff may stop any match regardless of it being a World or European Championship or any other important match. Should the attending medical staff wish to stop a match to examine a fighter, he/she must first inform the Referee. The Referee then stops the match until the medical staff has examined the Fighter, but only to decide that the fight can continue or not. This examination must take place in the ring and have a maximum duration of one minute. Any kind of treatment of the Fighter is explicitly forbidden and would finish the fight immediately. Should this time not be sufficient, the Referee shall stop the match and declare the opponent the winner. If one of the Fighters is injured and the fight is over because of a foul, the innocent Fighter is declared the winner. In case of an accident, the Judges have to finish their Scorecards, and the contestant with the highest number of points is declared the winner. If both Fighters are injured or knocked-out simultaneously, and neither is able to continue the match, the Judges shall add up each Fighter’s points, up to the time the fight was stopped, and the fighter leading on points shall be declared the winner. Should this situation occur in the first round the match shall be declared “No Contest” and no winner declared. Giving Up (SUR) In cases where a Fighter 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 Second shall throw a towel into the ring to signal that his/her Fighter gives up. Victory by Referee stopping contest (RSC) The Referee may stop a match if a Fighter is clearly outmatched or if he/she is a hazard to his/her own safety after the following guidelines: If a Fighter in the judgment of the Referee is clearly overmatched and will face unnecessary punishment in the ring, should the fight be allowed to continue. If a Fighter in the judgment of the Referee is unable to continue the match due to injuries or for any other physical reasons, the Referee must stop the match and call the official medical staff to the ring. No referee can decide how seriously a fighter is injured, He / She must call the medical staff ! No Contest (NC) A match may be stopped by the Referee before the prescribed time due tocircumstances beyond the control of the Fighters or the Referee: 1. The Referee has to stop the match before the first round has finished. 2. The safety equipment of the ring has been damaged. 3. The ring is unsafe for use. 4. The lighting over the ring is failing 5. Weather conditions force the referee to stop the match. Under such circumstances the match shall be stopped and a “no contest“, with no winner is declared. Victory by Walk-Over (WO) If one Fighter is present in the ring and ready to fight and his/her opponent fails to show after his/her name has been called over the loudspeaker or by the Fight Announcer verbally, the Referee shall signal the Referee’s Table to start with the running of 1 minute. If the opponent has not entered the ring within a time limit of 1 minute, the Timekeeper shall ring the bell to signal that the match has been stopped. The Referee shall then announce the Fighter who was first in the ring & declare him/her the winner by “Walk-Over“. The Judges shall note this on their cards, which are then collected. The Judges shall then summon the fighter who has won on Walk-Over to the centre of the ring, and thereafter the announcement of the decision, raise his/her hand and declare him/her the winner. The Three Knockdown Rule There will be a "Three Knockdown Rule" in effect in any bout. The Referee will in all circumstances have to stop the contest if the same fighter has recieved three knockdowns with a count in the same round or four knockdowns with a count in the entire contest as fighter safety is paramount and this is to stop any further damage to the fighter. Minimum Kicking Requirement In all matches there will be no Minimum Kicking Requirement. Kicking Judges will not be required. Continual Kicking Rule There is no Minimum Kick Count for Full Contact under ICO rules. Each Fighter must CONTINUALLY KICK throughout the round. If a Fighter kicks ten times in the first thirty seconds, and does not kick for the next ninety seconds, they haven’t continually kicked. A fair ratio of Kicks to Punches must be used throughout the whole round. If a Judge feels that one, or both, of the Fighters have not adhered to the Continual Kicking Rule, they must inform the Referee at the end of each round. The Referee should then speak to the Fighter before the next round to indicate the Judge’s concern. Continual refusal to regularly kick may result in a Warning from the Center Referee. This is at the discretion of the Center Referee, and may escalate to a Minus Point for repeated Warnings. A fighter who predominately punches cannot beat a fighter that uses a fair ratio of hands and feet. Knockdowns Method of counting over a Fighter who has been downed When a Fighter is knocked down, the Referee will send the standing fighter to the furthest neutral corner of the ring, pointing to that corner. He will audibly announce the passing of the seconds, and continue the count holding up fingers in front of the Fighter who was knocked down. If a Fighter is knocked down, the Referee will begin a mandatory eight count. If the Fighter then appears able to continue, he will allow the bout to resume. The Referee's count is the only official count. The Referee shall not count past eight if a Fighter has risen to his feet. A fighter may not be saved by the bell, even in the last round. However, if the bell sounds, ending a round, before a Fighter begins to fall, the Fighter will be allowed to return to his corner, being helped, if necessary, by only one of his Seconds. Should the opponent fail to stay in the furthest neutral corner, the Referee will cease counting until he has returned to it, and then resume the count at the point from which it was interrupted. If the Fighter does not rise before the count of ten, he will be declared Knocked Out and the bout will be awarded to his opponent. If, in the Referee's opinion, the downed Fighter will not be able to rise by the count of ten, and he believes the fighter requires more immediate attention, he may signal the end of the bout before the count of ten by waving his arms in front of his face and immediately summoning the Fighter's corner personnel and the medical staff to attend the downed Fighter. No referee can decide how seriously a fighter is injured, He / She must call the medical staff ! A Fighter will be declared Knocked Down if any portion of his body other than his feet, touch the floor. A Fighter will not be declared Knocked Down if he is pushed or accidentally slips to the floor. The decision as to whether a contestant as been pushed or slipped to the floor, rather than being knocked down, will be made by the Referee, they may consult their judges on this matter. If the fighter taking the count is still down when the Referee calls the count of ten, the Referee will wave both arms to indicate that he has been Knocked Out, and will signal that the opponent is the winner. A round's ending before the Referee reaches the count of ten, will have no bearing on the count. There is no saving by the bell. In all bouts, the fallen Fighter must rise before the count of ten to avoid being knocked out. The Referee may determine during the rest period between rounds, that a Fighter is unable to continue the bout safely and is thus the loser of the bout by Technical Knockout. The Referee may, at his discretion, request that the medical staff examine a Fighter during the bout. Should the examination occur during the course of a round, the clock shall be stopped until the examination is complete. If both Fighters go down simultaneously, counting will be continued as long as one of them is down. If both Fighters remain down until the count of ten, the bout will be stopped, and the decision will be a Technical Draw. If one Fighter rises before the count of ten and the other Fighter remains down, the first Fighter to rise shall be declared the winner by Knockout. If both Fighters rise before the count of ten, the round will continue if the referee deems they are fit to continue. If a Fighter gets counted, each Judge must deduct 1 point from the scorecard, immediately when the round is over. The Judges shall always mark this knockdown with the letter K (for knockdown) under “KD” in the Score-Card to indicate that the Fighter has received a knockdown.