Ala. Admin. Code r. 165-X-2-.07

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 165-X-2-.07 - Officials: Chief Inspector, Corner Inspectors, Referees, Judges, And Timekeepers

(1)General Provisions.

(a) The Commission shall appoint to each contest, match, or exhibition, at minimum, one chief inspector, two referees, three judges, two door wardens, and one timekeepers.

(b) The referee or three judges shall determine the outcome of all contests, matches, or exhibitions. A majority vote of the judges will determine the outcome of a contest that does not result in a knockout, TKO, submission, or disqualification.

(c) No manager, promoter, matchmaker, trainer, second, or contestant shall be allowed to officiate at any contest.

(d) Officials must be physically fit and mentally sharp.

(e) All mixed martial arts events must have, at minimum, two referees.

(2)Officials' Fees.

(a) All fees and travel expenses shall be paid by the promoter conducting the match, contest, or exhibition and shall be on the following schedule:

1. Payment shall be made to the Commission appointed supervisor no later than at the weigh-in, and shall be by cashier's check or money order.

2. When assigned by the Commission or the Executive Director, the fee for a chief official who will perform the duties of the Commission representative shall be $425.00

3. When the gross aggregate purse of the match, contest, or exhibition does not exceed $50,000, the fee for each judge shall be $175.00 and the fee for each referee shall be $300.00.

4. When the gross aggregate purse of the match, contest, or exhibition is between $50,000 and $100,000, the fee for each chief official shall be $450.00

5. When the gross aggregate purse of the match, contest, or exhibition is between $50,000 and $100,000, the fee for each judge shall be $200.00 and the fee for each referee shall be $350.00.

6. When the gross aggregate purse of the match, contest, or exhibition 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 match, contest, or exhibition is between $100,000 and $300,000, the fee for each judge shall be $250.00 and the fee for each referee shall be $450.00.

8. When the gross aggregate purse of the match, contest, or exhibition exceeds $300,000, the fee for the chief official, referees and judges shall not exceed $5,000 for each official.

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 a distance of fifty (50) miles or greater to the site of a match, contest, or exhibition shall be 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, but only when the distance traveled one way exceeds 100 miles.

(b) In the event one or more of the referees assigned to a mixed martial arts match, contest, or exhibition 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 not 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 (b) above shall not apply in a sanctioned championship bout. The Commission shall set compensation to be paid to the referees and judges officiating at sanctioned championship bouts. In making this determination, the Commission may consider any standards or recommendations made by a recognized mixed martial arts association or organization. Nevertheless, the Commission shall retain full authority to set the compensation schedule for referees and judges in championship bouts regardless of a recommendation by such an association.

(3)Chief Inspector.

(a) Chief Inspector's Authority. The Chief Inspector shall have complete authority over each professional contest, match, or exhibition in this state.

(b) Chief Inspector's Duties. The Chief Inspector assigned to a contest, match, or exhibition shall have the following duties:

1. The Chief Inspector shall attend the weigh-in and contest, match, or exhibition.

2. The Chief Inspector shall ensure that all rules and regulations of the Commission and the Alabama Boxing, Wrestling, and Mixed Martial Arts Act are strictly followed and enforced.

(4)Corner Inspectors.

(a) Corner Inspector's Authority. A Corner Inspector shall be assigned to the red corner and a Corner Inspector shall be assigned to the blue corner to observe the fighters assigned to the corresponding corners before, during, and after each match.

(5)Locker Room Inspectors and Door Wardens.

1. Corner inspectors shall observe fighters in dressing room while wrapping hands, securing gloves, and warming up.

2. Door Wardens shall observe fighters, trainers, and seconds, before, during, and between rounds.

3. Corner Inspectors and Door Wardens shall be responsible for identifying and reporting all rules violations to the chief official and referee.

(6)Referee.

(a) Referee's Authority. The referee is the chief official of the contest and has general supervision over the contest, match, or exhibition.

(b) Referee's Duties. The referee assigned to a contest, match, or exhibition shall have the following duties:

1. 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.

2. Before each bout the referee shall call the contestants and their chief second together for final instructions. Referees must then instruct mixed martial artists that illegal techniques or fouls will not be tolerated, and instruct the mixed martial artists to protect themselves at all times. The contestants, after receiving final instructions, shall touch gloves and retire to their corners.

3. Any referee or judge assigned to a match who becomes unable to officiate shall notify the chief inspector twelve (12) hours before the start of the contest.

(c) Referee License. Referees applying for licensure shall meet the following requirements:

1. An applicant shall demonstrate to the Commission that he or she has experience in refereeing, and shall produce a list of all professional matches that he or she has served as referee, the judges who scored the matches, and the results of the matches. The applicant may be required to provide a list of amateur matches that he or she has served as referee, the judges who scored the matches, and the results of the matches.

2. The Commission may contact the persons listed to determine whether applicant is qualified for licensure.

3. A referee must pass the Association of Boxing Officials and Combative Sports referee examination in order to be licensed as a referee.

(7)Judges.

(a) Judge's Authority. Each judge shall determine the outcome of each contest, match, or exhibition in this state that does not end in knockout, TKO, or disqualification.

(b) Judge's Duties. The judges assigned to a contest, match, or exhibition shall have the following duties:

1. The judges shall score the contest, match, or exhibition according to the rules and regulations of the Commission.

2. The judges shall score the contest, match, or exhibition fairly.

3. The judges shall deduct points as directed by the referee.

(c) Judge License. Judges applying for licensure shall meet the following requirements:

1. An applicant shall demonstrate to the Commission that he or she has experience in judging, and shall produce a list of all professional matches that he or she has served as official judge, the referees who refereed the matches, and the results of the matches. The applicant may be required to provide a list of amateur matches that he or she has served as official judge, the referees who refereed the matches, and the results of the matches.

2. The Commission may contact the persons listed to determine the whether the applicant is qualified for licensure.

3. A judge must pass the Association of Boxing Officials and Combative Sports judges examination in order to be licensed as a judge.

(8)Timekeepers.

(a) Timekeepers' Authority. At mixed martial arts matches, there shall be appointed to each contest, match or exhibition one (1) Timekeeper: a Clock Timekeeper who keeps time of the match.

(b) Clock Timekeeper's duties. The timekeeper starts the clock and rings the bell at the beginning of each round. Ten (10) seconds before the end of the round, the Clock Timekeeper shall alert the referee to the impending end of the round.

(c) Timekeepers License. Timekeepers applying for licensure shall meet the following requirements:

1. An applicant shall demonstrate to the Commission that he or she has experience in timekeeping, and shall produce a list of all professional matches that he or she has served as official timekeeper, the referees who refereed the matches, and the results of the matches. The applicant may be required to provide a list of amateur matches that he or she has served as official timekeeper, the referees who refereed the matches, and the results of the matches.

2. The Commission may contact the persons listed to determine whether the applicant is qualified for licensure.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 165-X-2-.07

New Rule: Filed December 27, 2013; effective January 31, 2014.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVI, Issue No. 09, June 29, 2018, eff. 8/4/2018.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XL, Issue No. 11, August 31, 2022, eff. 10/15/2022.

Authors: J. Matt Bledsoe, Brandon Owens, Casey Sears, Joseph B. McCormick

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, § 41-9-1024.