Rule 85-1-.07 - Officials (Referees, Judges, and Timekeepers)(1)General Provisions.(a) Each official must be licensed by the Commission prior to working in any professional boxing match.(b) Each official will be assigned or appointed by the Commission.(c) Each official assigned to serve in a boxing match is a contract employee of the promoter of such match.(d) A referee and three judges shall officiate all boxing bouts. A majority vote of the judges will determine the outcome of the contest.(e) No active manager, promoter, trainer, or contestant shall be allowed to officiate at any contest.(f) Any referee or judge assigned to a match who becomes unable to officiate shall notify the Commission assigned supervisor before 2:00 p.m. on the day of the contest.(2)Compensation for boxing referees and judges.(a) All payments of fees, including travel expenses when required, to boxing referees and judges shall be paid by the promoter conducting the show and shall be on the following basis: 1. Payment shall be made to the Commission appointed supervisor no later than at the weigh-in, and shall be by cashiers check or money order.2. When assigned by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission or the Commission Secretary, the fee for a chief official who will perform the duties of the Commission representative shall be $300.00.3. When the gross aggregate purse of the show does not exceed $50,000, the fee for each referee shall be $150.00 and the fee for each judge shall be $150.00.4. When the gross aggregate purse of the show is between $50,000 and $100,000, the fee for each chief official shall be $400.00.5. When the gross aggregate purse of the show is between $50,000 and $100,000, the fee for each referee shall be $200.00 and the fee for each judge shall be $200.00.6. When the gross aggregate purse of the show is between $100,000 and $300,000, the fee for each chief official shall be $500.00.7. When the gross aggregate purse of the show is between $100,000 and $300,000, the fee for each referee shall be $250.00 and the fee for each judge shall be $250.00.8. When the gross aggregate purse of the show exceeds $300,000, the fee for each chief official, referees and judges shall be set by the Commission.9. Except as provided in the (7)(c) below, [sanctioned championship bouts], payment for the timekeeper and countdown person shall be the same as payment for each assigned judge.10. Travel expenses for officials required to travel over a distance set by the Commission appointed supervisor, provided that such amount shall not exceed the usual and customary amount allowed by state guidelines for state employees. Hotel rooms may be required at the discretion of the Commission.(b) In the event one [or more] of the referees assigned to a boxing show become incapacitated, or in an emergency situation where he or she become unavailable, the remaining referee[s] shall referee the remaining contests of the program and, at the discretion of the Commission assigned supervisor, may be compensated in a greater amount to exceed the total amount originally intended for the unavailable referee[s]. In such a situation, the compensation to be paid to the incapacitated or unavailable referee shall be reduced accordingly.(c) The compensation schedule set forth in (a) above shall not apply in a sanctioned championship bout. The Commission shall set compensation to be paid to the boxing referees and judges officiating at sanctioned championship bouts. In making this determination, the Commission may consider any standards or recommendations made by a recognized boxing association. Nevertheless, the Commission shall retain full authority to set the compensation schedule for boxing referees and judges in championship bouts regardless of a recommendation by such association.(3)Referees and Judges.(a)General Provisions for Referees.1. The referee is the chief official of the contest and has general supervision over the bout.2. Before the contest, the referee shall ask the name of each contestant's chief second and shall hold that chief second responsible for the conduct of the contestant during the contest.3. Before each bout the referee shall call the contestants and their chief second together for final instructions. Referees must then instruct boxing contestants that wrestling and rough tactics will not be tolerated and instruct the boxers to protect themselves at all times. The contestants, after receiving final instructions, shall shake hands and retire to their corners.(b)Referee's Power.1. The referee is the only person empowered to stop a fight during or between rounds.2. The referee may stop a bout by disqualifying both contestants if he or she reasonably believes the contestants are not boxing in earnest.(c)Referee's Duties.1.Pre-Show Instructions. Referees shall meet with the contestants and with each chief second appointed by the contestants prior to the beginning of the show and during that meeting shall inform each party of the rules applicable to each fight as well as the in-ring conduct expected from each contestant and second assisting in the corner of each contestant.2.Pre-Bout Confirmation of Officials and Physician. Prior to calling for the sounding of the bell to begin each bout, the referee in the ring will confirm that the ringside physician as well as each judge assigned to the bout is in place at ringside.3.Touching Contestants. The referee shall not touch the competing boxers except when one or both fails to obey the break command.4.Count: How to Proceed. The referee's count is the official count. When a contestant is knocked down, the referee shall order the opponent to retire to the furthest corner of the ring, pointing to that corner. Once the opponent has so retired to the farthest neutral corner the referee will immediately pick up the timekeeper's count. The referee shall then audibly announce the passing of each second, accompanying the count upward with motions of his or her arm, indicating the count with visual finger counts at the end of each second. The referee may cease counting if the opponent fails to remain in the neutral corner until the count is complete. No contestant who is knocked down shall be allowed to resume boxing until the referee has finished counting eight. The contestant may take the count either on the floor or standing.5.Count: Continue for Dazed Contestant. Should a contestant who is down rise before the count of 10 and again go down without being struck then the referee shall resume the count where he or she stopped.6.Saved by the Bell. A boxer cannot be saved by the bell in any round including the final round of any boxing contest. (i) When any round ends before a contestant who was knocked down rises, the bell shall not ring and count shall continue. If the contestant rises before the count of ten, the bell shall ring ending the round.(ii) The one-minute rest period, delayed by the count in (i) above, shall not begin until the bell has sounded ending the round.(iii) A knockdown will not be awarded or scored if the blow was struck after the bell ending the round has sounded.7.Boxers Knocked Out of the Ring.(i) Any boxer knocked out of the ring shall receive a twenty (20) second count.(ii) During the time that any such boxer is outside the ring, he or she shall not be assisted by any member of their corner and such assistance, if offered shall end the match with that boxer losing by a technical knockout.(iii) As a general precaution, to protect the safety of the boxer and to prevent any potential injury, a boxer knocked out of the ring may have his or her fall stopped or slowed by any person without penalty, provided that such assistance shall only be to prevent injury from the fall and not to assist the boxer in returning to the ring.8.Standing Eight Count. There shall be no standing eight count.9.Knock-Out. If the contestant fails to rise before the count of 10 the referee shall declare said contestant the loser by a knockout.10.Failure to Answer Bell. A contestant shall not leave the ring during any 1 minute rest period between rounds. If any contestant fails or refuses to resume boxing when the bell sounds signaling the commencement of the next round, the referee shall award a decision of technical knockout to his opponent as of the round which has last been finished. (i) If the circumstances indicate to the referee the need for investigation or punitive action, the referee may withhold giving a decision and may recommend the purse or purses of either or both boxers should be withheld pending a Commission hearing.11. The referee shall have the authority to stop a contest at any time if one of the boxers is unable or no longer able to defend himself.(4)Fouls. In general, a referee has wide discretion in how to punish an offending boxer who fouls his or her opponent. If the referee determines that a foul is unintentional, he or she may simply caution the offending boxer to be attentive to the rules concerning fouls. If the foul is determined to be intentional, the referee may issue a warning to the offending boxer, may deduct one or more points from the offending boxer. The referee may also disqualify any boxer who intentionally fouls his or her opponent.(a) Fouls, whether intentional or unintentional, are defined as follows: 1. Hitting below the belt;2. Holding an opponent with one hand while hitting said opponent with the other hand;3. Hitting an opponent who is "down" or who is getting up after being "down";4. Holding an opponent or deliberately maintaining a clinch;5. Butting with the head or shoulder or using the knee, injuring the opponent;6. Hitting with the inside or butt of the hands, the wrists, or the elbows, injuring the opponent;7. Hitting or "flicking" with open gloves;8. Wrestling or roughing at the ropes;9. Purposely going down without being hit;10. Striking deliberately at that part of the body surrounding the kidneys;11. The use of abusive or profane language;12. Jabbing an opponent's eyes with the thumb of glove;13. Rabbit punches (hitting the back of the head or neck);14. Failure to obey the referee;15. Any physician action which may injure a contestant other than sportsmanlike boxing.(b)Intentional Foul. At the referee's discretion, any foul defined in subparagraph (a) may be called "intentional."1. Upon the first occurrence of such intentional foul and during the same round as such intentional foul occurs, the referee may, at his or her discretion and without previous warning, disqualify the offending boxer or deduct one (1) point from the offending boxer.2. Upon the second occurrence of such intentional foul, the referee may, at his or her discretion and without previous warning disqualify the offending boxer or deduct two (2) points from the offending boxer.3. If an intentional foul causes an injury and the injury is severe enough to terminate the bout immediately, the boxer causing injury shall lose by disqualification.4. If an intentional foul causes an injury and the bout is allowed to continue, the referee will immediately notify the judges of the foul and the injury and deduct two (2) points from the boxer who caused the foul. Point deduction for an intentional foul that causes injury to a boxer is mandatory.5. If an intentional foul causes an injury and the injury results in the bout being stopped later in the round, the injured boxer; (i) If ahead on the score cards, will win by Technical Decision (TW), or(ii) If behind or even on the score cards, the bout will be judged a Technical Draw (TD).(c)Unintentional Foul. Except as provided below, no point will be deducted from the score or other disciplinary action taken against either boxer for an unintentional foul unless a previous warning has been given to the offending boxer. For the purposes of this subparagraph, unintentional fouls are actions as described in sub-paragraph (a) above, which in the judgment of the referee were not intentionally caused.1. If an unintentional foul causes an injury severe enough for the referee to stop the bout immediately, the bout result will be announced in accordance with the Uniform Championship Rules in effect at the time of the bout. (Editor's Note: Currently the Uniform Championship Rules state that a bout stopped before four completed rounds be reported as a "No Contest.")
2. If an unintentional foul causes an injury severe enough for the referee to stop the bout after four (4) rounds have been completed, the bout will result in a Technical Decision (TW), awarded to the boxer who is ahead on the score cards at the time the bout is stopped.(i) Partial or incomplete rounds will be scored. If no action has occurred, the round shall be scored as an even round.(d)Cuts and Lacerations. A cut or laceration caused by either an intentional or an unintentional foul may only be treated during the one-minute break between rounds, provided however that the referee may call a brief time-out and request a physician's evaluation of the cut to determine if the bout shall be allowed to continue. During such time-out, the cut may not be treated by the physician or any other person.(5)Scoring.(a)Contestant: When Considered Knocked Down. A contestant shall be deemed down when, after a scoring blow was struck and:1. Any part of the downed boxer's body, other than his or her feet, makes contact with the ring floor;2. He or she is hanging over the ropes in a defenseless manner (a referee can count the boxer out either on the ropes or on the floor);(b) A knockdown shall not be scored when: 1. The referee indicated that the boxer fell after slipping or being tripped.2. The referee or the Commission supervisor determines that the blow was struck after the bell sounded ending the round.(c)Deducting Points for Fouls.1. A judge shall be careful to correctly deduct any point or points from the scorecard as commanded by the referee.2. When one or more points is to be deducted from a boxer's score, the judge shall first record his or her actual score for the round (gross points before any points are deducted) and shall then deduct the appropriate number of points from that score to arrive at a net score for the round. Not withstanding the provisions in (d) below [10 Point Must System], the net score for the round, after points are deducted, may result in either boxer receiving a 10-point score.(d)The 10 Point Must System.1. The 10 Point Must System shall be used as the standard scoring of a bout.(6)Low Blows: Intentional or Unintentional.(a)Recuperation Time. Any contestant struck by a low blow may, at the discretion and after consultation with the ring physician, be given up to five (5) minutes to recuperate.1. During such recuperation the injured boxer may sit on a stool inside the ring, or in a neutral corner, but may not rest in his assigned corner.2. Only the referee is allowed to assist the injured boxer during the five minute rest period.3. The uninjured fighter, during any such rest period, may not be assisted and shall remain in the neutral corner furthest from the boxer.(b)Bout Stopped by Low Blow: Decision. Except as provided in sub-paragraph (4)(a)15. [unsportsmanlike conduct] of this rule, no contestant injured by a low blow may be awarded the contest.1. If a contestant falls to the ring floor or otherwise indicates an unwillingness to continue because of a claim of a low-blow, he shall be declared the loser by a technical knockout.(7)Timekeepers.(a)Number Assigned per Bout. Two licensed timekeepers, assigned by the Commission, shall be required at each event; one to keep time and one to count for the knockdowns.(b)Duration of Rounds. Except as provided in (3)(c)6. above [Saved by the Bell], the timekeeper shall ensure that each round featuring male boxers last no more and no less than three minutes, and that each round featuring female boxers lasts no more and no less than two minutes.(c)Announcement Responsibilities.1. The gong shall be sounded at the beginning and at the end of each round. Except as provided in (d) below [emergency suspension of round], the timekeeper shall not sound the gong during the process of the round.(i) Regardless of the sounding of the gong, the referee in the ring is the sole authority to announce when the round begins. Each boxer will remain in their assigned corner. The referee, once he or she is satisfied that each boxer is prepared to begin and that no condition exists which may present a medical hazard to either boxer, will announce "FIGHT."(ii) The timekeeper will immediately start the clock at the referee's command of "FIGHT."2. Timekeepers shall alert the referee by striking the table 10 seconds prior to the end of each round.3. Timekeepers shall blow their whistle 10 seconds prior to the end of each one-minute rest period.(d)Countdown Responsibilities. When a boxer is down, the timekeeper shall rise and start his or her count, counting one for each second until 10 is reached. After the referee has taken control of the count, the timekeeper shall be seated and cease counting.(e)Emergency Suspension of Round: Responsibility to Announce. If the referee is absent from the ring or temporarily incapacitated the timekeeper shall immediately sound the gong for temporary discontinuance of the contest.(8)Chief Official.(a) Chief Officials will assume the role of the Commission representative for events to which they are assigned.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 85-1-.07
O.C.G.A. §§ 43-1-19, 43-1-25, 43-4B-4, 43-4B-7, 43-4B-11, 43-4B-14, 43-4B-19.
Original Rule entitled "Forms" adopted. F. May 30, 1984; effective June 19, 1984.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. June 11, 1999; eff. July 1, 1999.Repealed: New Rule entitled "Officials (Referees, Judges, and Timekeepers)" adopted. F. Dec. 2, 2002; eff. Jan. 1, 2003, as specified by the Agency.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Dec. 16, 2003; eff. Jan. 5, 2004.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. June 11, 2007; eff. July 1, 2007.Amended: F. Dec. 23, 2008; eff. Jan. 12, 2009.Amended: F. May 20, 2024; eff. June 9, 2024.