ARTICLE 7: CRITERIA FOR DECISION
1. The result of a bout is determined by a Competitor obtaining a clear lead of eight points, or at time-up, having the highest number of points, first unopposed point advantage (SENSHU), obtaining a decision (HANTEI), or by a HANSOKU, SHIKKAKU, or KIKEN, imposed against a Competitor.
2. Individual bouts can normally not be declared a tie. Only in team competition, or in round robin competition, when a bout ends with equal scores, or no scores, and neither Competitor has obtained SENSHU, will the Referee announce a tie (HIKIWAKE).
3. In any bout, if after full time the scores are equal, but one Competitor has obtained ‘first unopposed score advantage’ (SENSHU), that Competitor will be declared the winner. In any individual bout, where no score has been obtained by either Competitor, or the score is equal without any Competitor has obtained ‘first unopposed score' advantage’, the decision will be made by a final vote of the four Judges and the Referee, each casting their vote. A decision in favour of one or the other Competitor is obligatory and is taken on the basis of the following criteria:
a) The attitude, fighting spirit, and strength demonstrated by the Competitors.
b) The superiority of tactics and techniques displayed.
c) Which of the Competitors has initiated the majority of the actions.
4. Should a Competitor that has been awarded SENSHU receive a Category 2 warning for avoiding combat for the following incidents: Jogai, running away, clinching, grabbing, wrestling, pushing or standing chest to chest when there is less than 15 seconds left of the bout – the Competitor will automatically forfeit this advantage. The Referee will then first show the type of infraction the Competitor did to solicit the support of the Judges. Once the Referee is supported by minimum two flags, he/she will show the sign for the applicable Category 2 warning followed by the sign for SENSHU, and finally the sign for annulment (TORIMASEN) At the same time announcing AKA/AO SENSHU TORIMASEN.
If SENSHU is withdrawn when it is less than 15 seconds left of the bout, no further SENSHU can be awarded to either Competitor.
In cases where SENSHU has been awarded, but a successful video protest determines that also the other opponent scored, and that a score in fact is not unopposed, the same procedure is used for nullification of SENSHU.
The winning team is the one with the most bout victories including those won by SENSHU. Should the two teams have the same number of bout victories, then the winning team will be the one with the most points, taking both winning and losing bouts into account. The bout stops the moment the point difference becomes eight or more.
5. If the two teams have the same number of bout victories and points, then a deciding bout will be held. Each team may nominate any one Competitor of their team for purpose of fighting the extra bout, regardless if that person already has fought in a previous bout between the two teams. If the extra bout does not produce a winner based on superiority on points, nor any of the Competitors receive SENSHU, the extra bout will be decided based on HANTEI according to the same procedure as for individual bouts. The result of the HANTEI for the extra bout will then also determine the result of the team match.
6. In team matches when a team has won sufficient bout victories or scored sufficient points as to be the established winner, then the match is declared over and no further bouts will take place.
7. In instances where both AKA and AO are disqualified in the same bout by Hansoku, the opponents scheduled for the next round will win by bye (and no result is announced), unless the double disqualification applies to a medal bout, in which case the winner will be declared by HANTEI, unless one of the Competitors has SENSHU.
EXPLANATION:
I. When deciding the outcome of a bout by vote (HANTEI) at the end of an inconclusive bout, the Referee will move to the bout area perimeter and call “HANTEI”, followed by a two-tone blast of the whistle. The Judges will indicate their opinions by means of their flags and the Referee will at the same time indicate his vote by hand signal. The Referee will then give a short blast on his whistle, return to his original position and announce the decision and will then indicate the winner in the normal way.
II. By ‘first unopposed score advantage’ (SENSHU) is understood that one Competitor has achieved the first instance of scoring on the opponent without having the opponent also score before the signal. In instances where both Competitors score before the signal, no ‘first unopposed score advantage’ is awarded and both Competitors retain the possibility of SENSHU later in the bout.