Washington Administrative Code
Title 36 - Licensing, Department of (Professional Athletics)
Chapter 36-14 - Professional and amateur martial arts
Section 36-14-335 - Referee's responsibilities/authority

(1) The referee's primary responsibility shall be to maintain the safety and welfare of the participants at all times.

(2) Before starting a contest, the referee shall determine the name of the chief seconds for each participant. The chief second shall be responsible for the conduct of the participant's other seconds during the contest.

(3) The referee shall not allow any person other than the participant and the event physician to enter the ring during a round.

(4) The referee shall inspect the participants' bodies and gloves to make sure no substances have been applied to the detriment of an opponent.

(5) Referees who are event officials shall pass a physical examination by the event physician within twenty-four hours prior to an event for the purpose of determining their physical ability to referee the contest. If such examination indicates the referee is physically unable to referee the contest, such inability shall be noted on the prefight physical form and immediately be reported to the inspector or department representative.

(6) The referee shall have the authority to stop a contest any time he/she thinks it is too one-sided, or if either participant is in such condition that to continue might subject them to serious injury.

(7) The referee shall not make a disqualification decision based on one unintentional, low-blow foul. However, if two previous warnings for such fouls have resulted in point deductions, the third foul may be grounds for disqualification.

(8) The referee has authority to decide any matters that arise during a contest and are not covered by these rules.

(9) If a participant receives an injury that the referee thinks shall incapacitate the participant, the referee shall ask the event physician to examine the participant. The event physician shall provide the referee with an opinion as to the seriousness of the injury and either the event physician or the referee shall stop the contest if the injury is serious. When a referee calls the event physician into the ring, the referee shall direct the timekeeper to cease keeping time while the event physician examines the participant.

(10) The referee may penalize a participant who fouls an opponent during a contest, by charging such participant with the loss of points. The referee shall immediately notify the judges of the number of points to be deducted.

(11) The referee shall stop the contest if the participant's chief second determines that a contest should be stopped, and immediately signals the referee by stepping onto the ring apron, or top step of the cage.

(12) Prior to an event, each referee shall disclose to the department all considerations, including reimbursement for expenses that will be received from any source for participation in the event. The disclosure shall be made on a form supplied by the department.

(13) A decision rendered at the termination of any contest may be changed by the department if the department determines that one of the following occurred: