WKF Rules Explained

I must admit that I am very impressed with the new WKF tournament rules that came into effect January 2001.
These rules are "user" friendly and easy to understand and implement. The rules in conjunction with the new mitts have the result of hardly any injury.

Kumite

Scoring
Ippon - All punches
Nihon - Double punch, Kicks.
Sanbon - Controlled takedown. This you can do only if initiated with an attack (from either side). No throwing down. The takedown movement cannot be higher than the hips. Jordan kicks.

A bout will last for three minutes or 8 points difference between the contestants.

Offences
Their are only two categories now.
Category one - Serious offences; face contact (see the rules regarding this- Children None,cadets slight,etc.)
                                              Attacks to joints, Uncontrolled and dangerous takedowns. Open hand techniques                                               to the face.

Category two - Less serious offences; Jogai, mubobi, etc. ow falls under one umbrella. If you jogai, Warning no. one, then jogai again warning no two - keikoku (ippon against you), then a mubobi - hansoku chui (nihon against you), etc. There is no more 3 jogai and 3 mubobi etc. allowed they now are all in one category.

Kata

If you want to take part in the kata competition you will have to know 5 katas.
The 2 shitei (compulsory) kata from your style and 3 Tokui (free) kata from the kata list on the last page of the rules.
The Shitei katas have to be done in the WKF version. The tokui kata can be interpreted "your club way"
For 32 contestants and more, 5 kata . The 32 contestants are the actual competition. If for instance their are 33 or more contestants, preliminary rounds will be held. Then only shitei katas will be done, they will be repeated until the last 32 contestants.

From there on, no repeats of kata.
32 Contestants, 1st Shitei kata.
16 Contestants, 2nd shitei kata.
8 Contestants, 1st free kata
4 Contestants, 2nd free kata.
2 Contestants, (final) Last free kata.

If there is only between 9 and 16 participants they will start with a compulsory kata, thereafter they do free kata. In their free kata choice they can then do the second shitei kata, (the one they did not do, as kata cannot be repeated here).