Referees

Ring Position

An experienced referee always seems to be at the right position at the right time to have a clear view of the action. This is not accidental. It is an acquired quality that is developed over time with practice.

When a referee takes a stationary position, he or she must be aware of the location of the judges and careful not to block their line of sight to the contestants or to the edge of the ring. Whenever possible, the referee should not block visual contact with the timekeepers and scorekeepers.

At the starting position, the referee forms a triangle with the contestants. Referees should try to maintain this triangular relationship whenever possible. Referees must stay close enough to the competitors to maintain control but far enough away so as not to interfere with the action. Referees must continually evaluate and anticipate competitor actions to move to the best location to observe the match.