Referee Information & Certification

JAHKC referee code of service, general rules and assessment criteria.

Referee Code of Service

Essence

◎Referees shall be honest, upright and impartial arbiters of competitive sport.
◎Referees shall study the rules thoroughly, understand their spirit and intent, and apply them fairly to benefit competition.
◎Display modesty and courtesy throughout officiating; communicate with mutual respect, calm speech and a tolerant attitude, and take responsibility for the smooth conduct of the match.
◎Do not let personal or external factors influence your judgment; emotional stability and strong mental quality are essential. Once the match ends, what audiences remember is the athletes' performance — the result must not be tied to the referee.

1.Be fair and selfless; embody the spirit of the rules through integrity and cooperate sincerely with participants for a smooth competition.
2.On the field, referees shall demonstrate the same sportsmanship as athletes and uphold sporting spirit.
3.Do not officiate events outside JAHKC / Referee Committee arrangements. Note: such work must be reported to the Referee Committee in advance.
4.JAHKC compiles annual registers of International, A, B and C grade referees. Assignments rotate by order; unavailability must be reported to the Referee Committee or Secretariat at least 48 hours before; the next person on the list will be called. Three unexcused absences result in suspension. Fees are set per event and grade.
5.Arrive at the venue 30 minutes before the match (unless otherwise specified); lateness over 10 minutes counts as absence; no early departure.
6.Wear the IJF-regulation referee uniform on duty.
7.Where the competition rules contain special provisions, officiate according to those provisions (announced by the Competition Committee before the event).
8.Annual officiating count must meet the HK Judo Referee General Rules. A leave of 6 months or more suspends assignments for the remainder of the year.
9.Attend the JAHKC Referee Seminar at least once every two years.
10.Notes: (1) If weather affects the match, call the Competition Committee or organiser 2 hours before. (2) On-duty referees must sign the attendance form.

Referee General Rules

General

(1)Registered JAHKC sponsoring or individual member;
(2)Applicants for all grades must be aged 21 or above.
(3)All grades must be assessed by the Referee Committee and progressed sequentially via JAHKC.
(4)Fluent in Chinese or English.
(5)Wear the JAHKC-approved standard referee uniform.

Valid Qualification

(1)All JAHKC-issued referee licences are valid for 24 months;
(2)Referees must officiate at JAHKC-recognised events at least 6 times within the validity period.
(3)Attend at least one JAHKC referee course or seminar within the validity period.

Fees

(1)All JAHKC courses and seminars require payment of course/seminar fees;
(2)Registration and re-registration for all grades require fees;
(3)Fees are stated on the relevant course/registration forms.

Termination

(1)Violation of any IJF refereeing regulation; or termination decided by the JAHKC Referee or Disciplinary Committee.
(2)Failure to apply for renewal within 12 months after licence expiry.

Renewal

(1)Meeting all valid qualification requirements, JAHKC will accept renewal applications unconditionally. Apply from 30 days before to 12 months after expiry. Status lapses after expiry until renewal is granted.
(2)Those losing status under Termination (2) must re-take the referee assessment.

Promotion — Class A Referee

(1)Hold a JAHKC-issued Class B referee licence for 3 years or more; and
(2)Hold a JAHKC-issued 3rd Dan certificate or above; and
(3)Meet items (2) and (3) of Valid Qualification; and
(4)Pass the JAHKC assessment.

Promotion — Class B Referee

(1)Hold a JAHKC-issued 2nd Dan certificate or above; and
(2)Hold Class C for at least 12 months and meet items (2) and (3) of Valid Qualification before applying; and
(3)Pass the JAHKC assessment.

Promotion — Class C Referee

(1)Hold a JAHKC-issued 1st Dan certificate or above; and
(2)Pass the JAHKC assessment.

Examination Assessment Criteria

The HK judo referee examination follows the IJF format and content, so that HK referees can adapt early and progress to international level through assessments.

(1) Assessment Content & Promotion Procedure

Please refer to the referee assessment registration form.

(2) Written Test

Questions are set per IJF refereeing regulations as multiple choice; candidates must score 80% or above. Passing the written test is required to continue.

(3) Mock Test

(1)Technical: referees must master all techniques to judge correctly. Demonstrate techniques drawn by lot; passing is required to continue to mock match.
(2)Mock match: candidates referee a simulated match arranged by the committee, to test their judgment under realistic pressure. Passing qualifies for the practicum.

(4) Practicum

(1)Real match: candidates officiate multiple bouts across a full day as referee or judge, allowing accurate assessment by the chief examiner.
(2)Debrief: the chief examiner and head referee summarise each candidate's performance and areas for improvement.

(5) Results

The chief examiner submits a report to the Executive Committee and publishes the results.