Sumo Rules
Sumo Rules — The Complete Amateur (IFS) Rulebook
Every rule of amateur sport sumo, sourced from the current IFS Regulations on Refereeing. Bout structure, the dohyō, weight categories, banned actions and how a wrestler wins.
Source rulebook: International Sumo Federation (IFS) Regulations on Refereeing, effective 6 September 2024
Sumo is practised in two distinct forms with substantially different rules. Professional sumo (ōzumō) is run exclusively by the Japan Sumo Association in Japan, with no weight classes, no women's competition, no bout time limit, and a 15-day round-robin tournament format. Amateur sport sumo is the global form, governed by the International Sumo Federation (IFS) — with weight categories for men, women, juniors and youth, single-elimination brackets at every championship, and a 3-minute bout time limit. The IFS is the only sumo organisation recognised by the International Olympic Committee.
This page covers amateur IFS sumo rules. Every rule reference cites the current IFS Regulations on Refereeing (effective 6 September 2024), the IFS Rules, or the IFS official Weight-Class page. Where a detail comes from outside the IFS documents — for example the 4.55-metre dohyō diameter, which sits in the IFS Rules of the Competition rather than the Regulations on Refereeing — the source is named in line.
These rules are written by the International Sumo Federation and applied at every level — from amateur sumo clubs running local sparring up to continental events. The IFS weight categories below decide how athletes are paired in every bracket.
The dohyō
The dohyō is a circular wrestling ring 4.55 metres in diameter, bounded by partially-buried rice-straw bales (shobu-dawara). The surface is clay topped with a layer of brushed sand. Immediately outside the bales is the janome ("snake's eye") — a ring of finely swept sand used as physical evidence for fumikoshi (stepping out): a footprint in the janome settles disputed exits. The dohyō diameter is a Japanese 15-shaku measurement, established by the Japan Sumo Association in 1931, and is the same diameter used at every IFS-sanctioned amateur event.
Bouts open from the shikiri-sen — two parallel starting lines drawn on the dohyō, behind which each wrestler crouches before the tachi-ai (the simultaneous start). Refer to Art. 6 of the IFS Regulations on Refereeing for the official start procedure.
How to win a bout
A bout is decided by one of three outcomes under IFS Article 8 and Article 13:
Push-out (yorikiri / oshidashi family)
The competitor who moves the opponent out of the shobu-dawara (the straw bales forming the dohyō boundary). [IFS Art. 8]
Touch-down (hatakikomi family)
The competitor who forces any part of the opponent's body — other than the soles of the feet — to touch the ground before the opponent does the same. [IFS Art. 8]
Penalty / forfeit
Bouts may also be decided by inability to continue (injury), use of a prohibited move (kinjite), arbitrarily ending the bout, deliberately failing to start, disobeying the judges, the maebukuro (front pouch of the mawashi) coming undone, or failing to appear after being called twice. [IFS Art. 13]
Important exceptions
- Orikomi exception: it is NOT a loss if the front fold of the mawashi (orikomi) is the only part touching the ground. [IFS Art. 11]
- Kabaite / kabaiashi: if the opponent is already in shinitai ("dead body" — irrecoverably falling), a wrestler whose hand or foot touches down first to protect himself does not lose. [IFS Art. 9]
- Lifting carry: a wrestler who lifts the opponent clear off the ground and carries him out does not lose by stepping out forward (okuri-ashi) — but does lose by stepping out backward. [IFS Art. 10]
Bout duration
Each bout is capped at a three-minute time limit. The shōmen (front) corner judge serves as timekeeper and signals the head judge when three minutes elapse without a decision. The head judge then orders the bout stopped, and a torinaoshi (re-match) is held. [IFS Regulations on Refereeing, Art. 22(1)(2); timekeeper role: Art. 2(5)]
Note: mizu-iri (water break) is a Japanese professional-sumo convention and does NOT apply at IFS-sanctioned amateur events. The amateur rule is clean: 3 minutes, then torinaoshi.
The referee panel
An IFS judging panel consists of six people: one head judge, one gyōji (referee on the ring), and four corner judges (shimpan). The head judge is "entirely responsible for determining the result of a bout." The gyōji controls the bout from when the competitors mount the dohyō until they step down. The shōmen (front) corner judge also acts as timekeeper. [IFS Regulations on Refereeing, Art. 2(1)–(5)]
If any judge disagrees with the gyōji's call, he raises his right hand and lodges an objection. The whole panel then moves to the centre of the dohyō for a deliberation (Japanese sumo audiences will recognise the term mono-ii, though the IFS document uses the English "deliberation"). Video evidence is consulted "in principle." Decisions are reached by majority vote of the judges (excluding the gyōji); the head judge has the final word. Once the gyōji has given kachi-nanori (formal announcement of the winner), the decision is final and no further objection may be raised. [IFS Regulations on Refereeing, Art. 17–19]
Tachi-ai — the start of a bout
Both wrestlers crouch behind their shikiri-sen, place their hands on the dohyō behind the lines, and charge simultaneously when the gyōji calls "Hakkeyoi!" ("Get moving!"). Hands must touch down behind the shikiri-sen — a tachi-ai where hands only momentarily touch the dohyō is not permitted. If a wrestler jumps off before the call, the gyōji calls "Matta!" ("Wait!") and restarts the tachi-ai. The head judge has sole authority to rule a tachi-ai incomplete and order a restart. [IFS Regulations on Refereeing, Art. 6 and Art. 7]
The 10 kinjite (banned actions)
The IFS Regulations on Refereeing list exactly ten prohibited moves (kinjite) under Article 15(1). Using any kinjite stops the bout immediately and, after deliberation, results in loss of the bout (Art. 13(2) and 15(2)). The list below is verbatim from the September 2024 rulebook:
- Punching the opponent with a closed fist.
- Poking the opponent with fingers.
- Kicking the opponent in the chest or abdominal regions.
- Taking hold of the opponent's hair.
- Taking hold of the opponent's throat.
- Taking hold of clothing other than the mawashi (underpants, leotard, bandages, support pads) twice or more.
- Taking hold of the maebukuro or maetatemitsu (front vertical part of the mawashi), or sticking fingers in at the side and pulling.
- Bending back one or two of the opponent's fingers.
- Biting.
- Slapping the opponent's face with an arm outstretched more than a shoulder width.
Weight categories
The IFS uses a five-class senior weight grid plus an open-weight category for both men and women. Junior men's and junior women's grids omit the Light-Heavyweight class, contesting only four weight classes plus open-weight. The team event uses three positions — senpō, chūken, taishō — plus a substitute.
| Class | Men's | Women's | Junior men's | Junior women's |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight | Under 85 kg | Under 65 kg | Under 80 kg | Under 60 kg |
| Middleweight | 85 to under 100 kg | 65 to under 73 kg | 80 to under 100 kg | 60 to under 75 kg |
| Light-heavyweight | 100 to under 115 kg | 73 to under 80 kg | — | — |
| Heavyweight | 115 kg and over | 80 kg and over | 100 kg and over | 75 kg and over |
| Open-weight | Unrestricted | Unrestricted | Unrestricted | Unrestricted |
Source: IFS official Weight-Class page (ifs-sumo.org). For age-group grids and youth brackets, see the full weight-categories page.
Age categories
The IFS organises competition for seniors plus junior age brackets. The IFS Results section publishes brackets for senior men, senior women, junior men's and junior women's divisions, and at the World Championships level junior categories (U21, U18, U15) are contested in addition to seniors. Exact age cutoffs are published in each edition's tournament bulletin by the host federation. [Source: IFS Results navigation; current World Championships bulletin]
Anti-doping
The IFS adheres to the World Anti-Doping Code. Chapter 10, Article 41 of the IFS Rules states that national federations "shall take all necessary measures for carrying out doping control and ensuring that samples are analysed at an internationally authorized laboratory recognized by IOC and The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)." The current WADA Prohibited List is automatically incorporated into the IFS Anti-Doping By-Laws, and athletes are subject to testing at any time or place by IFS, WADA, the athlete's national federation, or other Anti-Doping Organisations. [IFS Rules Ch. 10 Art. 41; IFS Anti-Doping Rules, 1 January 2021]
Amateur IFS sumo vs professional ōzumō
Amateur IFS sumo and professional ōzumō share the same wrestling foundation but diverge in nearly every administrative detail. The IFS made these choices specifically to meet International Olympic Committee criteria — universality, gender parity, anti-doping compliance and tournament-format consistency.
| Topic | Amateur IFS sumo | Professional ōzumō |
|---|---|---|
| Weight categories | 5 senior weight classes + open-weight, per gender (IFS). | No weight classes. All wrestlers face each other regardless of bodyweight. |
| Women's participation | Full women's individual and team brackets at every IFS event. | Male-only. Women are traditionally barred from setting foot on the professional dohyō. |
| Bout duration | 3-minute time limit; torinaoshi (re-match) ordered if no decision. | No fixed time limit. Mizu-iri (water break) can be called in long bouts. |
| Tournament format | Single-elimination brackets at every event. | 15-day honbasho tournament with each wrestler fighting once per day. |
| Anti-doping | WADA-compliant testing under the IFS Anti-Doping Rules. | No external anti-doping programme (governed internally by the Japan Sumo Association). |
| IOC status | IFS holds full IOC recognition since 9 October 2018. | No IOC relationship; ōzumō is not an Olympic-eligible discipline. |
Frequently asked questions
How long does a sumo match last?
In amateur IFS competition, a bout has a 3-minute time limit. If no decision is reached within 3 minutes, the head judge stops the bout and orders a torinaoshi (re-match). Professional ōzumō bouts have no fixed time limit.
Can women do sumo?
Yes, in amateur sumo. The IFS holds full women's individual and team World Championships across five weight classes (lightweight to heavyweight, plus open-weight), and women's brackets are part of every continental championship including the European Championships. The Women's Sumo World Championships have been held since 2001. Professional ōzumō in Japan remains male-only.
What is the sumo ring called?
The wrestling ring is the dohyō — a circular ring 4.55 metres in diameter bounded by partially-buried rice-straw bales (shobu-dawara). Immediately outside the bales is the janome, a ring of finely swept sand used as physical evidence for stepping out.
How does a wrestler win a sumo bout?
Two ways: force the opponent out of the shobu-dawara (the straw-bale circle), OR force any part of the opponent's body other than the soles of the feet to touch the ring before yours does. Bouts can also be lost by penalty for using a prohibited move (kinjite), injury, refusing to start, or the front of the mawashi belt coming undone.
Are sumo wrestlers allowed to punch?
No. Closed-fist punching is the first item on the IFS list of prohibited moves (kinjite). Open-palm slaps are permitted, but an overarm face-slap with the arm outstretched more than a shoulder width is also banned. Using any kinjite stops the bout and results in loss of the bout.
What is kinjite in sumo?
Kinjite means "prohibited moves." Under the IFS rules there are exactly ten kinjite: closed-fist punching, finger-poking, kicking the chest or abdomen, hair-pulling, throat-grabbing, repeatedly grabbing non-mawashi clothing, grabbing the maebukuro (groin pouch of the belt) or pulling through it, bending back one or two of the opponent's fingers, biting, and overarm face-slapping.
Do amateur sumo wrestlers wear mawashi?
Yes. The mawashi (loincloth belt) is the standard competition garment in amateur IFS sumo. The IFS rules reference the mawashi extensively, including the orikomi (front fold), maebukuro (front pouch), and maetatemitsu (front vertical part). Many amateur athletes wear compression shorts or a unitard under the mawashi; underwear or pads cannot be grabbed (counts toward a kinjite warning).
Are sumo wrestlers drug-tested?
Amateur IFS sumo athletes are subject to WADA-compliant testing under the IFS Anti-Doping Rules. National federations must arrange for sample analysis at an IOC- and WADA-recognised laboratory. The current WADA Prohibited List applies. Professional ōzumō (governed by the Japan Sumo Association) does not have an equivalent external anti-doping programme.
Related
- Sumo weight categories →
Full IFS weight grid: senior, junior, cadet and youth brackets, with the exact kg ceilings.
- Sumo techniques (kimarite) →
The 82 IFS-recognised winning techniques, grouped by family — push-outs, throws, hooks, twists.
- International Sumo Federation →
World governing body that publishes the rulebook and runs the World Championships.
- Sumo World Championships →
IFS flagship event — every edition follows the rules above.