Approved by: IKU President/General Secretary/T.C.
The international referee is one of the most important roles in IKU, decisive for the development of its activities. ALL federation members must make every effort in order to train and provide, during the official IKU competitions (Continental and/or World championships), with one or more referees to ensure the interest of their own federation, as well as that of IKU.
These rules want to be a clear guideline for ALL (in the different federations), on how to operate in IKU referring sector.
1) IKU international referees are divided into 5 classes:
a) Continental Judge
b) Continental Referee
c) World Judge
d) World Referee
e) IKU Chief Referee
2) In order to be admitted to the training courses for international referee, the candidates have to own the following prerequisites:
a) aged between 21-65 years old
b) black belt 3° dan, at least
c) certificate of good health
All training courses, as well as exams (and certificates) are free, but ALWAYS MANDATORY!!
3) IKU (official) language is English; the second (accepted) language is Spanish.
4) During the Continental Championships only Continental Judge or Referee qualifications can be obtained!! During the World Championships, all the referring qualifications can be obtained.
5) In order to be admitted to the next qualification, a referee MUST have operated in the previous ones, for at least 2 IKU OFFICIAL championships (Continental and/or World Championships).
If an IKU international referee does not take part in TWO IKU official events (Continental and/or World), he will automatically be relegated to the lower category and his seniority will restart from this latter.
6) The qualification of Chief Referee is subject to a CAREFUL EVALUATION by IKU R.C. that shall take into account, in addition to the technical skill in the role, also the international political-territorial evaluation by IKU political Board and cannot be automatically acquired by seniority nor exam.
7) The recognition of referring qualifications from other world organizations, will be subject to evaluation by IKU R.C. and will in any case be bound to the participation in IKU courses and exams and subject to the rules and seniority valid for all IKU referees.
8) Referees (mainly in kumite) MAY NOT BE from the same country as the competitors involved in a match. In the (rare) case in which this IS NOT materially be possible, the Chief Referees must balance the judgment by any means available to them!!
9) Chief Referees ARE RESPONSIBLE of the good performance of their tatami; they must referee the most delicate matches and must intervene before or at the moment they notice an irregularity or an evident mistake in judgment. Chief Referees have not to wait for the END of a match to explain, train, intervene on a mistake; this is NOT their role, but IKU T.C.’s one.
10) IKU referees MUST wear regulatory IKU uniform, tie and badge; NO exception nor modification are allowed to ANYONE!!
11) It is strictly forbidden to IKU referees, to speak with athletes, coaches and managers from the federations present; if a coach (only an official coach) makes a WRITTEN PROTEST, he will speak with the Chief Referee!!!
12) The THREE IKU R.C. members stay (hotel, meals and transportation) shall be FREE and to the charge of the federation hosting the official championship (continental and/or world). The flight shall be to the charge of the federations they belong to.
13) It would be suitable to appoint a CONTINENTAL REFEREE RESPONSIBLE in each existing continental Committee (Asia, Africa, Europe, America) who can cooperate with IKU World Referee Commission.
14) IKU official referees list will be published on IKU WEB SITE and will be updated after each IKU continental and/or World championship.
15) For a referee to have his qualification recognized by IKU, the candidate must provide his international referee certification previously obtained at IKUor at any OTHER international federation; being this document lacking , NO PREVIOUS QUALIFICATION CAN BE RECOGNIZED and the candidate will obtain the status of Continental Judge, if deemed to be suitable!!
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IMPORTANT NOTICE : it is understood that, in the same official IKU championship , a candidate can not play more than one role !! for example : he can not be a referee and an athlete , or athlete and referee, ….