Article by Ivan Trindade
The competition-Jiu-Jitsu calendar is taking a well-deserved recess after the thrilling year of 2011.
But that doesn't mean the IBJJF is slacking off; the sport's governing body took it upon itself to release the spanking new Jiu-Jitsu Rule Book before the turn of the year.
Nearly two years in the making, the rules underwent a complete overhaul, gaining photos, charts and illustrations that elucidate all the more clearly the guidelines to which competitors and event promoters alike will be expected to adhere.
New additions to the rules are the Overall Competitions Regulations and a Competition Format Manual.
The new book also includes, for the first time, specific rules and regulations for No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu competitions.
Thus the IBJJF hopes to create greater standardization between competitions held the world over, even those that do not fall under the organization's authority.
As for the competition rules, the big change comes in the penalty count for lack of combativeness, that notorious stalling.
While penalties for stalling used to count separately from the other disciplinary and technical penalties, now they shall adhere to a penalty order designated on the scoreboard.
Hence after the first, verbal, warning for lack of combativeness, the athlete will be penalized by an advantage or two points being added to his/her opponent's score or even by disqualification, depending on the number of penalties already counted.
The first official championship to test drive the new rules will be the January European Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
You can read or download the new rules in English at www.ibjjf.org/docs/rulesibjjf1stedition.pdf.
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