Section II. CONTESTANTS

Article 3. Age Groups of Contestants. Weight Categories. Contest Formula. Round Duration. Number of Contests

* For juniors, male and female adults
1. The age of contestants shall be established as of the date of the competition.
2. All-around championship shall be held only for adults.
3. The time limit of a contest shall always be the real contest time.
 
Article 4. Weigh-in of Contestants

1. The procedure of and the time limit for the weigh-in shall be specified in the Regulations.
2. The weigh-in shall take place once on the first day of the competition in a given weight category, or on the previous day, and shall continue for 1 hour.
In case the weigh-in takes place on the day of the competition, it shall end no less than 3 hours before the scheduled starting time for the competition.
Contestants shall be allowed to check their weight on the weigh-in scales that will be used for the official weigh-in during 1 hour before the commencement of the official weigh-in.
3. Contestants shall weigh-in naked or wearing only swimming trunks (bathing suits for females).
4. Each contestant shall bring to the weigh-in a document with a photograph proving his identity.
5. The weigh-in shall be carried out by a refereeing team appointed by the Chief Referee, which team shall consist of the Deputy Chief Referee, the Doctor, the Secretary and two Referees. The results of the weigh-in shall be recorded in the Record (see Appendix 6).
6. The contestant having been late or having failed to arrive at the weigh-in shall be withdrawn from the competition.

Article 5. Admission of Contestants to Competition

1. Terms of admission of contestants to the competition, their sports membership, qualification and age as well as the list of documents to be presented to the Credentials Committee shall be stipulated by the Regulations.
Obligatory documents shall include as follows:
    - competitor’s passport (see Appendix 11),
    - insurance policy against accidents and injuries received in the universal fight competition.
2. Application of an organization for participation of its members in the competition shall be executed in due form (see Appendix 5) and must contain certified by the seal signatures of the head of the organization sending a team to participate in the competition, of the coach and the doctor attesting proper preparation of the contestants. The note of the doctor shall contain as follows: “Admitted. Doctor: (signature)” and a stamp, and this note shall certify each entry regarding the admitted contestant. The seal of the health center for sportsmen shall be attached at the end of the application.
Note – paragraph 2 shall apply to holding national competitions, wherein it is required by corresponding legislative acts.
3. Contestants shall be admitted by the Credentials Committee (which composition shall be approved by the organization holding the competition) consisting of the Chairman of the organization, the Chief Referee, or the Deputy Chief Referee, the Chief Secretary, or the Deputy Chief Secretary, the Chief Doctor and members of the Committee, who will examine applications and documents of the contestants for compliance with the requirements of the Regulations. In controversial cases a representative of the hosting organization shall bear responsibility for admission of contestants to the competition.
4. A contestant shall have the right to compete only in the weight category in which he is entered during the weigh-in.
5. Admission of youths having attained the age of 17 to the junior competition shall require permission of the organization holding the competition. In such a case, an additional separate certificate, signed by a doctor, one of the parents and a coach, attesting that the level of training of the said sportsman allows him to participate in the said competition, shall be required.
6. Admission of sportsmen of a lower class to the competition for immediate higher class shall be provided for in the Regulations. In such cases Rules of the Competition for sportsmen of higher category shall apply. Adult first-class sportsmen shall be admitted to the competition for Masters of Sport.
7. Organizers of the competition shall bear no responsibility for injuries or accidents, which may occur in the course of the competition, subject to compliance with all requirements of these Rules.

Article 6. Rights and Obligations of Contestants

1. A contestant shall be obliged:
    a) to pass the Credentials Committee and the official weigh-in;
    b) to strictly observe the Rules and the competition program;
    c) to meet the requirements of the Referees;
    d) to have a cornerman;
    e) to immediately arrive at the competition area on call of the Refereeing Commission;
    f) to notify the Secretariat through a representative in case of inability to continue participation in the competition for some reason or other;
    g) to be civil towards other contestants, the refereeing officials, personnel holding and servicing the competition as well as towards the spectators;
    h) to shake hands with the opponent before and after the contest;
    i) to compete with nails cut short, wearing clean sports uniform, red or blue depending on the contestant’s number, wearing any foreign objects (rings, earrings, studs, etc.) shall not be permitted.
2. A contestant shall have the right:
    a) to check his weight on the official weigh-in scales during 1 hour before the commencement of the official weigh-in;
    b) to receive in due time information regarding the course of the competition, pairing off for the next round, changes in the competition program, etc. through the coach or the representative;
    c) to use services of a cornerman during the contact time (before the contest, after the contest and during a break between rounds);
    d) to have time available for receiving medical aid:
- no more than 2 min. while overcoming the obstacle course or during a pause before the contest on the tatami, totally no more than 3 min. in the course of the contest on the tatami (no more than 5 min. in case of 4 rounds);
    e) in the course of the contest, to spend totally no more than 2 min. for eliminating disorder in the uniform by himself or with the assistance of the cornerman without lengthening the time for the break (no more than 3 min. in case of 4 rounds);
    f) to refuse to continue the contest at any stage;
    g) to refer to the Refereeing Commission:
    - between contests via the team representative, and in person in the absence of the representative;
    - during breaks between rounds via the cornerman.

Article 7. Contestant’s Uniform

1. The contestant’s uniform shall consist of the following: the sports costume and personal protective equipment.
2. The contestant’s costume shall consist of the loose sports jacket (kimono-type) with a belt, trousers of a special cut and the special footwear.
The contestant’s costume and the belt shall be made of a strong self-coloured red or blue cotton fabric in compliance with the universal fight rules. 
The jacket sleeves should reach the fist, the sleeve width should allow for an opening no less than 10 cm between the arm and the fabric along  the entire length of the sleeve.
The belt should be long enough to go twice round and tightly fit the body, and be tied in front with a square reef knot fastening both belt loops. Ends of the tied belt should be no longer than 20-25 cm. The length of flaps of the jacket below the belt should not exceed 20-25 cm.
Footwear shall be made from soft skin with a soft sole without any stiff protruding parts. All seams shall be stitched inward. The ankle and the sole of the foot in the area of the big toe joint shall be protected by small felt inserts covered in leather.
Contestants may wear sneakers while overcoming the obstacle course.
3. The costume and personal protective equipment shall correspond with the samples specified in Appendix 7.
During competitions for female youths, juniors and adults, a strong, white, long T-shirt with short sleeves, which should be contained within the trousers, or a strong white or off-white durable with short sleeves must be worn.
4. For team competition, all members of a team shall have identical contestant’s uniform, which may bear a team, a municipal or national emblem.
5. A contestant shall be prohibited to wear, rings, bracelets, earrings, studs, chains or other items that may cause an injury.

Article 8. Rights and Obligations of Team Representative

1. The official team representative shall be an intermediary between the Refereeing Commission and the contestants having been entered by the said organization. The team representative shall direct the team and shall be responsible for the behaviour and discipline of the team members. In case a team has no official representative, the coach or the team captain shall perform these duties.
2. The team representative shall be obliged:
    a) to have good knowledge of these Rules, the Regulations and the program of the particular competition;
    b) to submit in due time an application for participation in the competition and other documents provided for in the Regulations to the Credentials Committee;
    c) to be present at the joint meetings of the Refereeing Commission with the team representatives;
    d) to inform the team members about the decisions of the Refereeing Commission;
    e) to ensure timely appearance of the contestants to the competition venue;
    f) to stay at the area designated for the team representatives throughout the time the members of the team are competing, and to leave the said area only with consent of the Chief Referee of the competition.
    g) to be civil to the utmost and to bear responsibility for the behaviour of the members of the team which he represents.
3. The team representative shall have the right:
    a) to submit alterations to the application in compliance with the Regulations, but not later than 1 hour prior to the start of the competition;
    b) to attend the weigh-in and the draw;
    c) to have information available on all issues regarding holding and the results of the competition;
    d) to make remarks during summarizing the results of the competition day and to participate in discussions at the joint meetings of the Refereeing Commission and the team representatives;
    e) to submit applications (appeals) substantiated by these Rules containing obligatory reference to the paragraphs of these Rules which have been violated.
4. The team representative shall be prohibited:
    a) to interfere with the work of the refereeing officials and organizers of the competition;
    b) to be simultaneously the Referee or the Judge of the competition;
    c) to give instructions to contestants during the contest being in the area close to the tatami.
5. The team doctor shall be its representative on medical issues and shall bear responsibility for providing medical support to members of the team. He shall have the right to petition the Chief Doctor for withdrawal of the members of his team from the competition on medical indications.
6. The team representative may be removed from the management of the team for violation of the Rules and failure to perform duties. The organization (team) he represents shall be notified to that effect.
7. The team representative (coach, captain or doctor) having showed disrespect to any member of the Refereeing Commission, may be disqualified and excluded from the competition.

Article 9. Cornermen

1. The cornerman (1-2 persons) must stay near the tatami without leaving his place throughout the contest, and to assist the contestant during breaks between rounds.
2. The cornerman must render necessary assistance to the contestant during a round:
- by order of the Doctor of the competition, in case of an injury of the contestant;
- by order of the Referee for eliminating disorder in the contestant’s uniform.
3. The cornerman shall have the right to stay on the edge of the tatami during breaks between rounds till the Timekeeper announces “Cornermen, out of the tatami!”.
4. The cornerman shall have the right to withdraw from the fight on behalf of the contestant at any time of the contest.
5. The cornermen shall be prohibited to give advice, assist or encourage the contestant during the contest.
The cornerman may be given a verbal warning for infringement of these Rules, and a warning may be announced to the contestant for repeated violation. Assistance of 2 cornermen is allowed during breaks between rounds. The cornerman shall be of age and shall be attired in a sports costume.

Section III ⇒