American
Armsport Association
Rules &
Regulations
from the AAA
Constitution
All rules
listed below are to be used at all AAA sanctioned events
Effective 5/1/12 - AAA policy regarding
transgender/sexual reassignment athletes
Following the International Olympic Committee
guidelines:
Any individuals undergoing sex
reassignment of male to female before puberty will be regarded
as girls and women (female). This applies as well for female to
male reassignment, who will be regarded as boys and men
(male).
Any individuals undergoing sex
reassignment from male to female after puberty (and the
converse) will be eligible for participation in female or male
competitions, respectively, under the following conditions:
a. Surgical anatomical changes have been completed,
including external genitalia changes and gonadectomy
b. Legal recognition of their assigned sex has been
conferred by the appropriate official authorities
c. Hormonal therapy appropriate for the assigned sex has
been administered in a verifiable manner and for a minimum
period of at least two years in order to minimize gender-related
advantages in sport competitions.
d. Eligibility will begin no sooner than two years after
gonadectomy
In the event
that the gender of a competing athlete is questioned, a medical
delegate (or equivalent) of the American Armsport Association
shall have the authority to take all appropriate measures for the
determination of the gender of a competitor.
ARTICLE IV -
MEET DIRECTORS
All meet
directors must follow all rules and regulations set forth
within the Constitution, By-Laws, and Amendments of the
American Armsport Association as well as the following:
1. Use official American Armsport
Association equipment, categories and weight classes,
scoresheets, and officials. Minimum of one qualified AAA
referee must be hired and paid per table used. A listing
of qualified referees may be obtained from AAA headquarters.
2. Must provide all official
equipment necessary for hosting an event, i.e. tables,
straps, chalk, plywood, drills, band aids/tape, scoresheets,
etc.
3. Must provide a minimum of
3 official straps if hosting a National event, 1 official
strap for all other events.
4. May compete in a National
event.
5. May not allow anyone to
compete and referee in the same weight class in a sanctioned
event.
6. May not consume alcoholic
beverages before or during a sanctioned event.
7. May not conduct a state or
prize money contest the week prior, of, or following a
sanctioned National or International event.
8. Must hire and pay a
minimum of one qualified AAA referee per table used. A
listing of qualified referees may be obtained from AAA
headquarters.
9. May run an event in a
neighboring state if there is no state director. If
there is a state director, contact must be made prior to
setting up the event.
ARTICLE XII -
SECTION A - RULES FOR SANCTIONED EVENTS
All
sanctioned events must abide by and adhere to all rules
and regulations as set forth within the Constitution,
By-Laws, and Amendments of the American Armsport
Association, as well as the following:
1. The minimum age required
for competing at all National Championships is 16 years
old. Parents must be present to sign permission or
have submitted a notorized letter of release.
2. All events will be double
elimination competition.
3. Stand up competition will
use a minimum of 2 referees per table.
4. Sit down competition will
use a minimum of 3 referees per table.
5. Luck of the draw system
will be used, absolutely no seeding.
6. Events may be right and
left hand, masters, grandmasters and novice when available.
7. Competitors may compete
Novice only until winning 3 sanctioned events, with a
minimum of 3 competitors in the weight class, irregardless
of weight class/category or placing 1st thru 3rd at the AAA
National Championships. Tournament Directors may, at
their own discretion, refuse entry into a Novice division.
8. AAA to allow thirty
seconds total for competitors to arrive at table and
attempting to grip. Competitors will receive call
number one, and then call number two fifteen seconds
later. Failure to be at the table gripping up within
time limit will result in a loss.
9. Each weight class will be
run on one table only.
10. Each weight class will be
run until the last four competitors, 2 winners - 2 losers,
remain in that class.
11. The last four competitors
remaining in each class will be run to 2 competitors, then
finals run for all classes.
12. Light men's classes will
start first, with the women's classes run between the 85kg
and the 90kg men’s classes. The exception is women’s
classes will start the competition at all National
Championships.
13. Each weight class that
starts on a given day will end on the same day, unless
approved by AAA.
14. No contestant will be
matched twice against the same person unless it is for
place, i.e. 1st, 2nd, 3rd.
15. No weight allowance will
be given.
16. All competitors must
weigh in in order to compete during designated registration
times only.
17. Competitors may choose,
at the time of registration, to compete in the weight class
they weigh in or one weight class higher, if offered.
18. Notification is to be
given to any competitor being the sole entry in a weight
class in order for that competitor to exercise their option
to compete in the next class higher. Competing in the
next higher class will result in a forfeiture of any place
or winnings of the lower class.
19. Competitors may not wear
anything on their competing arm or hand. However, in
the event of a bleeding injury, a competitor MUST stop the
bleeding to the referee’s satisfaction. No more than 3
minutes will be allowed. Use of a Band-Aid or a piece
of tape the size of a Band-Aid on the wound is allowed.
20. Competitors may wear
wedding rings on their competing hand, at the referee's
discretion.
21. Referee's decision will
be final at all times.
22. No referee will be
allowed to officiate a weight class involving a member of
his/her family or team, if another referee is available.
23. Once a referee is on a
table, he/she may not be replaced for any match.
24. Referees will only touch
competitors in case of foul or win.
25. Stickum, rosin, or chalk
is permitted. No ammonia/smelling salts or any other
substance will be allowed in competition area or at table.
26. Straps will be used if
slip of grip occurs within the "neutral zone" of the
table. Neutral zone is determined by using a clock as
a guideline - inside 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock is neutral
area.
27. Round dowel rods will be
used for buttock fouls in sit down competition.
28. Seat belts may be used
for sit down competition.
29. Platform shoes or risers
may be used for height compensation in stand up competition.
30. Sportsmanship will
prevail. Failure to comply will result in a foul or
immediate barring from contest.
31. Any individual(s)
attempting to alter weight by not following proper weigh in
conduct/procedure will be disqualified from the event.
32. Without prejudice,
any competitor wearing an artificial limb may not remove the
limb to weigh in.
ARTICLE XII -
SECTION B - RULES FOR COMPETITION
All members
of the American Armsport Association at all sanctioned
events must abide by and adhere to the following listed
competition rules at all times.
1. Competitors are allowed
thirty seconds total to arrive at table. Competitors
will receive call number one, then call number two fifteen
seconds later. Failure to report will result in loss.
2. Free hand must be in
contact with the peg at all times.
3. Shoulders must be square
to the table before start of match.
4. Competing elbow must be
placed on the elbow pad at all times.
5. Thumb knuckles must be
showing on competing hands before start of match.
6. Referee must be able to
pass closed fist between biceps and forearm of competitor
before start of match.
7. Competing wrists must be
straight before start of match.
8. Gripped hands must be in
center of table, in line with pegs.
9. Competitors must have both
feet on the floor under the table for sit down competition.
10. Competitors must keep one
buttock on the seat in sit down competition.
11. Competitors must attempt
to equal their opponent’s side and/or back pressure before
start of match, if possible.
12. A period of thirty
seconds will be allowed to grip properly.
13. Referee's grip must be
administered after thirty second time period has lapsed.
14. No movement will be
allowed during or immediately following administration of
referee's grip.
15. Competitors may waive the
thirty second time period if both agree, thereby starting
the match in a referee’s grip before thirty seconds has
lapsed.
16. Audible signal given by
referees must be "ready, go".
17. Competitors may not
intentionally delay the competition, i.e. not staying at the
table, not attempting to grip up, etc.
18. A thirty second rest
period may be permitted after a slip grip or foul upon
referee's discretion.
19. Competitors must be
stopped if believed to be in a dangerous position at any
time during a match.
20. Competitors may not use
any part of the body to pin their opponent.
21. Competitors may not
intentionally slip grips.
22. Straps will be used if
slip of grip occurs within the "neutral zone" of the
table. Neutral zone is determined by using a clock as
a guideline - inside 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock is neutral
area. Outside of neutral zone may be determined as a
loss depending on hand/arm position.
23. Competitors may not
intentionally attempt to cause a foul for themselves after
the “go”, i.e. picking up elbow.
24. Competitors may not
intentionally attempt to cause a foul for their opponent,
i.e. shoving of elbow.
ARTICLE XII -
SECTION C - INFRACTION FOR COMPETITION
All members
of the American Armsport Association at all sanctioned
events must abide by and adhere to the following listed
infractions that will result in fouls being called at all
times. ALL COMPETITORS
MUST RECEIVE ANY COMBINATION OF TWO FOULS IN ORDER TO LOSE A
MATCH UNLESS THE COMPETITOR IS IN THE LOSING POSITION. ONLY
ONE FOUL WILL CONSTITUTE A LOSS IF COMPETITOR IS IN THE
LOSING POSITION.
1. Failure to maintain
contact of the peg at all times.
2. Failure to keep competing
elbow on the elbow pad during the match.
3. Failure to square
shoulders after thirty second time lapse.
4. Failure to straighten
wrists after thirty second time lapse.
5. Failure to line up in
center of table after thirty second time lapse.
6. Failure to keep both feet
on the floor and under the table during sit down
competition.
7. Failure to keep one
buttock on the seat during sit down competition.
8. Movement of any kind
during or immediately following administration of "referee
grip".
9. Intentionally causing a
delay in competition.
10. Competing in a dangerous
position.
11. Use of any part of the
body to pin opponent.
12. Intentionally slipping
grips.
13. Slipping grip when their
arm and hand are in the losing position. Losing
position is determined when the arm is below two-thirds of
the way to the pin pad and hand is not in an offensive grip.
14. Intentionally attempting
and/or creating or causing any foul after the “go”.
15. False starts will result
in a foul on second and/or third offense. First
offense is a warning.
16. Failure to use only
stickum, rosin, or chalk while in the competition area or at
the table.
ARTICLE XII -
SECTION D - MANNERS OF WINNING FOR COMPETITION
All members
of the American Armsport Association at all sanctioned
events must abide by and adhere to the following listed
manners of winning a match:
1. PIN PAD TOUCH
Competitors must touch any
portion of their opponent's shoulder to fingertips on the
pin pad. If competing right handed, the winning competitor
must touch the opponent to the winner’s left hand side pin
pad. The opposite will be for left handed competition.
2. LOSS OF GRIP
Loss of grip when a
competitor is in a losing position will result in a foul,
which will constitute a loss. Losing position will be
determined by referee discretion as to arm and hand position
on the table at the time of the slip.
3. PARALLEL PIN
Competitors must pass any
portion of their opponent's wrist to fingertips below the
pin pad. If competing right handed, the winning
competitor must pass the opponent below the winner’s left
hand side pin pad, with the opposite for left handed
competition. The exception will only be if the
competitors are in the center of the table
4. FOUL OUT
Competitors must receive any
combination of two fouls, one foul while in the losing
position, or one intentional foul.
5. POOR SPORTSMANSHIP
Failure to demonstrate good
sportsmanship at all times will result in an immediate
foul. Competitor may be removed from contest,
resulting in loss of any and all matches remaining and
forfeiture of any and all placement and awards.
6. INTENTIONAL FOUL
Intentionally creating or
causing any foul after the “go” will result in a loss of
match.
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