Amateur Muay Thai Rules
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Amateur Muay Thai Rules is from 6yrs old upwards.
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Gala bouts are three or five rounds in duration, with each round lasting Two minutes.
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Open Tournaments will be:
Under 13yrs 3 x 60 Seconds Round 30 Seconds Rest
14yrs to 17yrs old 3 x 90 Seconds Round 45 Seconds Rest
18yrs+ 3 x 120 Seconds Round 60 Seconds Rest -
Head shots are only allowed for 16yrs+
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Use of the elbow is also allowed from 18yrs+
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
The following equipment is mandatory:
Clothing:
The boxer must wear boxing shorts.
For Gala events They must wear the sacred headband (Mong-Kon) for praying homage before the bout. A Krueng-Wrang (arm band) with an amulet or charm may be put on around the upper arm, biceps or waist but must be neatly covered. (not applicable for open tournaments, due to volume of fights to be completed in the course of the event)
HEAD-GEAR All amateurs must wear HEAD-GEAR. Only Adults may opt out of wearing head gear and both sides must either wear or not wear head gear.
Top Ten Head-guards aren't mandatory but are the recommend brand to wear.
GUM-SHIELDS are required at all levels.
BODY-SHIELDS are required for all juniors 15yrs old and under.
BREAST PROTECTORS are optional but recommended for all ladies.
COMPETITION QUALITY GLOVES:
8yrs & under 8oz gloves are required
9yrs+ 10oz gloves are required
18yrs+ Elbow pads are requied
All protective equipment MUST be in an acceptable and safe condition for competitive bouts. Referees may request gloves to be changed if not correct size or in an unsuitable or safe condition as required.
WRAPS Hands may only be wrapped with bandage or cotton hand wraps. And only taped with Zinc Oxide tape, The tape MUST NOT cover the knuckles.
The use of GAFFA style tapes is NOT ALLOWED.
SHORTS Thai shorts are required.
GROIN-GUARD for males is mandatory. (Females is optional)
SHIN-INSTEP protectors are also required but must not be ones with metal inserts within them.
ANKLE-SUPPORTS are optional
AUTHORISED FIGHTING TECHNIQUES
The following techniques are authorised:
17yrs and below punches: Straight punches, hooks, uppercuts.
18yrs+ punches: Straight punches, hooks, uppercuts & use of Elbow
Kicks: Front kicks, low kicks, middle kicks, high kicks, side kicks, back kicks, inner thigh kicks, jumping kicks.
Knee strikes are only permitted to the body.
Continual clinch while striking is also allowed, if neither fighter is attempting to strike in the clinch they shall be instructed to break.
The following restrictions apply to the usage of the backspin blow.
When it is evident that the attack was made by an elbow, forearm or glove, the attack is considered as a foul In case the referee cannot determine whether the backspin blow was made by the any none authorized area or not, the match shall be stopped, and the rules director, supervisor, supervisory staff, and the referee and the judges shall review the fight by reviewing the Video Replay, if necessary. When it is determined that the attack was made by the unauthorized blow, the backspin blow is considered as a foul, and the fighter shall be penalized or disqualified at referee discretion.
FOUL TECHNIQUES
1. A fighter who executes a foul technique shall be penalized with a “caution”, “warning”, or a “point deduction”. The referee announces a “caution” and “warning” verbally. (2) cautions shall lead to one (1) warning; any warning then on shall be given instead of cautions thereafter. Two (2) warnings shall lead to a one (1) point deduction, and three (3) point deductions in one (1) round shall be grounds for disqualification.
However, this clause shall not apply in cases where the referee rules that the foul technique as unintentional. If the referee judges that the foul technique is malicious or causes significant damages on the opponent, the fighter might be given point reduction immediately, skipping order of foul calls.
The following behaviour is considered as foul techniques.
1. Using the head to deliver a blow.
2. Attacking the opponent in the groin (knee kicking or punching the opponent in the area under the navel shall be considered as low-blows and will be ruled as fouls).
3. Delivering wrestling or judo throwing or submission techniques.
4. Thumbing the opponent
5. Choking and punching the throat of the opponent.
6. Biting the opponent.
7. Attacking the opponent while he is down or in the process of getting up.
8. Attacking the opponent after the referee calling a break.
9. Holding the ropes to whether offensively or defensively.
10. Using offensive or insulting language to the referee.
11. Attacking the back of the head with a punch (the side of the head and the area around the ears are not considered as the back of the head and are valid target areas).
12. Attempting to cause the opponent to fall out of the ring.
13. Voluntarily exiting the ring during the course of a match.
14. Attacking the opponent who turned around and showed his back. However, the referee may give a caution, warning or point reduction to the fighter who showed his back as loosing his will to fight.
15. Delivering a backspin blow with elbows, forearms or glove.
16, Knee strikes to the head.
A point reduction may be given immediately to a fighter if the referee finds that the foul technique was inflicted with malicious intent.
A caution shall be given to a fighter who repeatedly charges inside the opponent’s arms, with his head held low (i.e. to avoid attack). This shall be considered as inducing a head-butt. In case that either of the fighters gets a cut from a head-butt and is bleeding, the fighter who has caused the cut shall receive a one (1) point deduction. However, if the referee finds the head-butt to have been obviously intentional or malicious, a deduction of two (2) points shall be given. If the referee judges the head-butt as accidental, there may not be any point reduction.
A caution, warning, and a point reduction shall be given to a fighter who repeatedly uses holding and clinches that are not accompanied by attacks, and are judged as being defensive/passive in nature (ie. to avoid attack). Two (2) cautions will sum up to one (1) warning, and the next caution shall be a deduction of one (1) point. Furthermore, the same applies to when grasping and holding the opponent immediately after launching an attack (ie. to avoid a counter-attack.), or falling on the matt intentionally.
A caution, warning, and a reduction of point may be given to the fighter when a fighter is only waiting for a counter blow and is delivering few attacks, and is considered to be passive.
Holding the kicking leg of an opponent is not a foul, but only a single attack, whether a punch or a kick while holding the leg is authorized. Continuous attack while holding a leg is a foul. If a fighter does not take any action while holding the kicking leg, the referee shall call a break. Holding the kicking leg and using a throwing technique is also a foul.
When a fighter is holding a neck of his opponent with both hands, the fighter is limited to kick or knee kick his opponent to only one time. Therefore, continuous attack is judged as a foul. Attacking the opponent continuously while holding the neck with one hand is authorized. However, referee may call a break if judges the attack does not give any damage to the opponent.
Passive holding or clinching is prohibited. However, the referee can permit it only when it is accompanied by an authorized attack. A fighter can be penalized if he resorts to holding or clinching after an authorized attack or in order to avoid attacks.
Scoring criteria:
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The match can end by Knockout, Technical Knockout, Decision, Disqualification, Draw or No Contest.
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In bouts consisting of children a level of control is expected and NO child where can be avoided shall be inflicted with blows to the head, which result in KO or potential KO.
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Both the referee and the ring doctor have full authority to stop the fight.
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The fight is scored by three judges on a ten-point must system (The winner of each round receives ten points, and the loser receives nine or less. If the round is even, both competitors receive ten points).
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If there is a draw after three rounds, the judges’ scores are thrown out and one or two rounds are contested. The judges’ decision will then come from the scoring of each extra round only. If, after the extra round(s), there is still a draw, the judges will decide a winner based on the flow of the entire match, considering even the slightest difference. A fight can only end in a draw if both fighters go down at the same time and cannot get up, or in the case of accidental injury in the late stages of the contest.
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The three-knockdown rule is in effect (three knockdowns in a round results in a technical knockout).
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The mandatory eight count is in effect (the referee must count to at least “eight” on all knockdowns).
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The standing eight count is in effect (the referee has the right to declare a knockdown on a fighter who appears to be in a dangerous condition to continue in the match).
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A fighter can be saved by the bell only in the last round.
Scoring guidelines what the judges are looking for:
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The winner of a bout is the competitor who successfully delivers more effective techniques than their opponent whether moving forwards, backwards, sideways or against the ropes.
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If the number of strikes scored by each competitor is equal, and one competitor was clearly more proactive in attempting to attack during the bout, they should win the bout.
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If the number of strikes scored by each competitor is equal and no contestant has clearly attacked more, the contestant who shows better offensive skills, defensive skills, elusive skills, or counterattacking skills using Muaythai arts and techniques wins the bout.
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If contestants are otherwise equal and one contestant clearly fouls consistently, that contestant who violates the rules loses the bout.
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If neither competitor delivers any effective strikes the boxer who lands more ineffective strikes should be awarded the bout.
Scoring systems for the contest:
Full ten (10) points are given to the winner of the round and his opponent may be given 9- 8-7 points in proportion.
For an even round, both boxers score full ten (10) points (10: 10).
The winner scores ten (10) points and the loser scores nine (9) points (10: 9).
The winner of a round with the opponent having been counted once in that round scores ten (10) points and the loser scores eight (8) points (10 : 8).
The winner of a round with the opponent having been counted twice in that round scores ten (10) points and the loser scores seven (7) points (10 : 7).
The referee‟s point deduction warning can cost one (1) point each.
Notes:
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The judges are attempting to award the contest to the contestant who has won the whole fight using the scoring principles and criteria highlighted and award points that reflect that.
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If a round is considered too close to award the round clearly by one point (10:9), the judge may make a mental note or mark as a reminder of the contestant who edged the round, so it can be considered in scoring the contest.