Refereeing and referees
Good refereeing is essential for safe, fair sumo competition. In the UK, refereeing is controlled by British Sumo as the national governing body, with referee training delivered through seminars run via the International Sumo Federation .
EnglandSumo helps to develop and support referees in England so that domestic events meet international standards, and so that English athletes are familiar with the same rules and decisions they will face in European and World competition.
Domestic EnglandSumo events follow the European Sumo Federation (EFS) and International Sumo Federation (IFS) competition rules, with one notable England exception: direct headstrikes are not allowed — see No direct headstrikes (England) for the full rule. At an EnglandSumo event the first offence stops and restarts the bout; repeats can mean disqualification and disciplinary action.
Last updated: 2026-09-22.
See also: Competing in sumo in England, Competition rules, Run a competition, Governance and safeguarding, What is sumo, and Glossary.
How refereeing is organised
- British Sumo controls refereeing for sumo in the UK, including who is authorised to officiate at affiliated competitions.
- International Sumo Federation (IFS) training is the basis for referee qualification. Referee seminars (Seminar 1, etc.) are delivered under IFS standards and are the route to certification recognised internationally. For the full referee-facing rulebook, see the official IFS competition regulations (E-1 regulations, PDF) .
- EnglandSumo supports referees based in England — encouraging members to attend seminars, develop their skills, and officiate at domestic events such as the English Sumo Nationals.
The procedure for a bout
How a refereed contest runs — the gyoji's positioning, the athletes' entry and bow, the chiri-chozu purification, facing off at the shikiri-sen, and declaring the winner — see the procedure for a bout.
The referee's commands in a bout
From facing off to the final decision, the gyoji runs the bout with a fixed set of calls. The full order is on the procedure for a bout and a searchable list is in the referee calls in the glossary. In short:
- Before the start: "kamaete!" (構えて — "ka-ma-e-te": take positions), "te o tsuite. matta nashi!" (手をついて。待ったなし — hands down, no waiting, no false starts!), "madayo, madayo" (まだよ、まだよ — not yet) or "matta!" (待った — wait) for a premature start, then "hakkeyoi!" (はっけよい — "hak-kee-oy": get moving!) to launch.
- During the bout: "nokotta!" (残った — "noh-kot-tah": hang in there!) while the athletes are in motion and "hakkeyoi!" when they stall; "matta!" (待った — wait!) halts the bout — for example a loose mawashi or an incomplete start — and the gyoji re-sets a frozen position with "hikimasuyo!" (ひきますよ — "hee-kee-mah-soo-yoh": get ready!) before "hakkeyoi!" restarts it.
- The decision: "shobu atta!" (勝負あった — "shoh-boo aht-tah": the contest is decided) points the result to the winning side, "rei!" (礼 — "ray": bow) closes the bout, and the winner is announced as "higashi no kachi" or "nishi no kachi" (東の勝ち / 西の勝ち — east/west victory).
2026 Seminar 1 attendees (EnglandSumo members)
- Ben Grief
- Damien Gardach
- Guy Simpson
- Lai Shih-Hsiang
- Lance Wicks
- Lorren Hollingworth
- Mandeep Kundi
- Tom Ferrari
2025 Certified Seminar 1 referees
- Adam Lloyd
- Henrique Ferreira
- John Gardner
- Kevan Mellor
- Nicholas Pratt
- Will Bowles
Becoming a referee
If you are interested in becoming a sumo referee in England, the route is:
- Be an active EnglandSumo member training with an affiliated club.
- Watch for IFS Seminar 1 (and higher) referee training opportunities communicated through British Sumo.
- Get experience officiating at club and domestic events, and progress through the IFS-recognised seminar pathway.
- Contact us at info@englandsumo.com to express interest, and we will pass details on to British Sumo where relevant.
Referee conduct and support
- Fair and neutral. IFS referee regulations require officials to be fair, neutral, and decisive — showing no sign of hesitation or emotion — and to give guidance while promptly correcting inappropriate conduct.
- Code of Conduct. The British Sumo Code of Conduct sets expectations for referees and officials: judge impartially, communicate respectfully, and keep rules knowledge up to date. Summary and PDF: Governance — Code of Conduct.
- Safeguarding. Officials follow the same safeguarding principles as coaches and volunteers — see Governance — Safeguarding.
- Insurance. Officials officiating at an EnglandSumo event are covered under the event's insurance arrangements, subject to the event size and format. Confirm details with EnglandSumo at info@englandsumo.com.
From the competitors' side
Competitors meet the same rules from the other side of the dohyo. See Competing in sumo in England for rules, calls, and what to expect on competition day.