Section 5: Rules of Play
Bout duration is governed by Article 5: senior male and female categories are three minutes of effective time (Article 5.1).
Starting, suspending and ending of matches, including the commands used by the Referee, are governed by Article 7. A competitor who fails to appear at the tatami is dealt with under Kiken (Article 6).
The outcome of a bout — win by points difference, by decision, or by the opponent’s penalty or withdrawal — is determined under the criteria for decision (Article 12).
Kata performance requirements, including selection of Kata and the manner of performance, are governed by the WKF Kata Competition Rules rather than by the Kumite Articles.