Florida Administrative Code
61 - DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
61K1 - Florida Athletic Commission
Chapter 61K1-3 - HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS FOR PROFESSIONAL BOXING, KICKBOXING, AND MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
Section 61K1-3.012 - Referee; License and Duties
Universal Citation: FL Admin Code R 61K1-3.012
Current through Reg. 50, No. 249, December 24, 2024
(1) License.
(a) No person shall act as a referee
in a match held in Florida without first having obtained a referee
license.
(b) If, during the course
of a match, the referee receives an injury or is unable to continue acting in
his capacity as referee, the commission representative shall:
1. Select another qualified person to act as
referee for the remainder of the match and program of matches; or
2. If no qualified person is available,
cancel the remainder of the match and program of matches.
(c) No person who has financial or pecuniary
interest in any participant shall be granted a referee license.
(d) No referee shall also be licensed as a
booking agent, manager, matchmaker, participant, representative of a booking
agent, second or trainer and shall not act as a booking agent, manager,
matchmaker, participant, representative of a booking agent, second or
trainer.
(e) No referee licensed in
this state shall act as a referee at any boxing, mixed martial arts or
kickboxing match in a state without a state boxing commission or similar
governmental authority unless the match is supervised by a state boxing
commission or similar governmental authority.
(f) No referee shall also serve as a
supervisor or serve on the ratings committee or recommend boxers to the ratings
committee for a sanctioning body. The applicant must have a demonstrated record
and evidence that he/she has the ability to perform the duties outlined below.
The executive director may issue a temporary certificate pending final action
by the Commission.
(2) Applicants for a professional referee's license will be reviewed, evaluated and processed in the following manner:
(a) Any
person desiring to become licensed for the first time as a professional boxing
referee, shall submit the appropriate application for license.
(b) At its first meeting after November 1 of
each year, and following the submittal of the application for license, the
commission shall render a decision as to whether or not the license will be
granted.
(c) Applicants for a
referee license will be permitted to officiate at the discretion of the
executive director for observation purposes. The executive director shall cause
to be issued a temporary certificate for this purpose by collecting a license
application and fee from the applicant. The executive director shall be
cognizant of the relative importance of the match, the number of scheduled
rounds and any other factors that may contribute to a difficult set of
circumstances for a referee early in his career.
(d) Applicants for a referee license will be
admitted free of charge to professional boxing venues for the purpose of
observing and interacting with licensed referees, provided however, that in the
case of television events and such other events which by their nature severely
limit ringside access, permission to sit at ringside will not be authorized. In
the case that an event is sold out, authorization will not be granted to attend
the event. Travel and other expenses will be borne solely by the
applicant.
(e) At it's first
meeting after November 1 of each year, the executive director shall recommend
to the commission a list of professional referees to be licensed or renewed as
officials in this state and the commission shall approve or disapprove the
recommendations.
(3) Duties.
(a) A referee shall submit to an
annual physical examination to establish physical fitness. The result of this
examination shall be filed with the commission. The executive director or
commission representative may require the referee to be examined by a physician
immediately prior to officiating a match at his discretion.
(b) Prior to the beginning of each match, and
periodically for the duration of the match, the referee shall examine the
participants' gloves, equipment, and person to ensure that no unsafe or
improper condition exists. In boxing and kickboxing, before allowing a match to
continue after a participant has been knocked down, the referee shall wipe
clean the surface of the gloves of the participant who was knocked
down.
(c) When a participant
receives an injury which the referee believes may incapacitate the participant,
the referee shall call time out and consult with the physician as to the
advisability of allowing the match to continue. No person shall attempt to
render aid to or move a participant other than what may be required to move the
participant inside the ropes or to remove the mouthpiece of a participant who
has been counted out during the course of a match before the physician has
examined the participant. However, the referee shall remove the participant's
mouthpiece.
(d) The referee shall
have the authority to:
1. Terminate a match at
any time when the referee determines that one of the participants has such
superior skills or ability as to make such match unreasonably dangerous to the
other participant and shall be recorded as a technical knockout;
2. Disqualify a participant who commits an
intentional foul and award the decision to the opponent;
3. Terminate a match and disqualify either or
both participants if the referee determines that either or both participants
are not competing in earnest;
4.
Terminate a match if either participant has been injured and is in such
condition that to continue the match might subject the participant to a
debilitating or life threatening injury;
5. Temporarily or permanently halt a match if
the referee believes that a significant health hazard exists, when such hazard
could reasonably be anticipated to create a significant danger to the
participants or the public; and,
6.
Enforce discipline and the rules, as set forth herein, pertaining to the
conduct and behavior of participants, managers, trainers, and
seconds.
Rulemaking Authority 548.003 FS. Law Implemented 548.003(2), 548.006, 548.011, 548.017, 548.056, 548.057, 548.058 FS.
New 2-7-85, Amended 11-24-85, Formerly 7F-1.19, Amended 4-6-89, 1-1-90, 1-9-91, Formerly 7F-1.019, Amended 9-10-95, 4-3-00, 6-1-04, Formerly 61K1-1.019.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Florida may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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