Penalties in Kumite are designed to maintain safety, discipline, and fairness. They range from private warnings to full disqualification depending on the severity of the infraction.
🧾 Types of Penalties
| Penalty | Description |
|---|---|
| 🟡 Chukoku | Private warning |
| 🟠 Chui Ichi | First official warning |
| 🔴 Chui Ni / Genten Ichi | First penalty (Hansoku Chui) → Opponent awarded Waza-ari |
| 🔴 Genten Ni | Second penalty |
| ❌ Shikkaku | Disqualification |
📝 Genten is equivalent to two Chui warnings. It’s issued for serious rule violations and automatically awards the opponent a Waza-ari.
🚫 Important Notes
- If a competitor has a Genten at the end of the bout, they cannot win unless they’ve scored a Waza-ari or Ippon
- A contestant cannot avoid disqualification by the injured opponent withdrawing (“throwing in the towel”)
- The injured contestant is withdrawn from the tournament
- The offender is disqualified
🧠 Examples of Penalty Levels
| Action | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Deliberate attack to head/face/throat/neck causing serious impact | ❌ Shikkaku |
| Deliberate attack causing clear pain | 🔴 Genten |
| Accidental contact causing serious impact | 🟠 Chui |
| Accidental contact causing clear pain | 🟡 Chukoku |
🚷 Jogai (Exiting the Match Area)
- Jogai occurs when a contestant’s foot or body part moves outside the fighting area
- Exception: If the contestant is pushed or thrown out by the opponent
- Designed to prevent deliberate exits to avoid attacks
- Jogai warnings do not accumulate with other types of warnings
