Section 1.5
RULES FOR PROFESSIONAL BOXING CONTESTS
(1)
The Board has the power to supervise and regulate boxing contests and training
exhibitions under Vermont Statutes Annotated, Title 31, Chapter 3. For the
safety and welfare of participants in boxing contests, the Board has
promulgated these rules and regulations pursuant to 31 V.S.A. § 103 in
order to carry out its statutory mandate.
(2) No boxing contest shall be conducted
except in the city, town, or village specified on the license issued and in
such places in the city, town, or village as the Board approves.
No boxing "exhibitions" shall be allowed without special
permission from the Board.
(3) All applications for licenses shall be
made on forms furnished by the Board. Associations or persons holding licenses
issued by the Board shall not lend out the license nor conduct a contest under
any name other than that stated in the license.
(4) The following shall be the age limits for
boxers:
(a) Minimum Age. The minimum age for
an individual to qualify as a professional boxer is eighteen years.
(b) Maximum Age. No contestant who has
reached his thirty-fifth birthday shall be permitted to engage in any boxing or
sparring match or exhibition, unless given specific approval by the Board,
except that this age requirement shall not apply to a boxing champion of the
world who is still active as a professional boxer, or to a former boxing
champion of the world who has not been inactive as a professional boxer for
more than two years from the date of his last boxing contest. The foregoing
shall not apply to courses of instruction in boxing, boxing or sparring
matches, or exhibitions, sponsored and conducted by recognized boys' clubs,
schools, or colleges, or by municipal or state parks or recreational
departments, under the supervision of qualified instructors or directors.
The Board may, at any time, demand such information concerning
an applicant's or a licensed boxer's mental or physical condition as it shall
deem necessary. Such information may be in addition to that required in
physical examinations under other rules of this Board. At the boxer's expense,
the Board may demand a complete physical examination consisting of EKG, Stress
Test, CAT scan, X-ray, blood, and urine tests. Each boxer must complete a
medical information history, physical and mental.
(5) Boxing contests shall not exceed ten
rounds in length, but if such contests are to determine championships, they
may, at the discretion of the Board, exceed ten rounds in length but not
fifteen. No contest to determine a State championship shall be scheduled for
less than ten rounds. No round in any contest shall exceed three minutes. All
main bouts or feature bouts shall consist of three-minute rounds.
(6) The boxing ring shall be not less than 16
feet nor more than 24 feet square within the ropes, and shall be formed of
posts and ropes, the latter extending in triple lines 18 inches, 25 inches, and
52 inches from the flooring of the ring. The floor of the ring shall extend
beyond the lower rope a distance of not less than 2 feet on all sides. The
posts shall be properly padded, ropes wrapped in soft material, and be not less
than 1 inch in diameter. The floor padding shall extend to and around the
outside edge of the flooring or apron of the ring, and shall be not less than 1
1/2 inches in thickness of ensolite or foam rubber or 2 inches of dura-foam or
an equivalent to 2-inch thickness. Padding should be canvas covering to protect
boxers against accident or injury. When the floor of the boxing ring is not
elevated at least 3 feet above the floor of the building, there shall be a
clear space of 4 feet from the posts on all sides of the ring. Within the
limits stated, the size and condition of the ring to be used in specific
places, or on specific occasions, shall be subject to the approval of the
Board.
(7) All contests shall be
conducted under the Marquis of Queensberry rules, except where changed or
modified by rules or orders of the Board.
RULES FOR CONTESTANTS
(8) To participate as CONTESTANT in a
professional boxing contest in Vermont you must be licensed by the Vermont
Boxing Control Board. To obtain a license from the Vermont Boxing Control
Board, write to the Division of Licensing and Registration, Office of the
Secretary of State, 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602. The fee for
contestant in a professional boxing contest is $ 5.00 per year.
(9) No contestant under the same management
as his opponent shall be permitted to engage in any contest.
(10) No collection shall be made at any
contest unless permission in writing has previously been obtained from the
Board.
STANDARD OF WEIGHTS
(11) The following is the Vermont Boxing
Control Board standard of weights:
| Pounds |
|
Flyweight
|
112
|
|
Bantamweight
|
118
|
|
Featherweight
|
126
|
|
Jr. Lightweight
|
130
|
|
Lightweight
|
135
|
|
Jr. Welterweight
|
140
|
|
Welterweight
|
147
|
|
Jr. Middleweight
|
154
|
|
Middleweight
|
160
|
|
Light Heavyweight
|
175
|
|
Cruiserweight
|
190
|
|
Heavyweight
|
All over 190
|
No contest shall be permitted when there is a difference in
weight of more than the following:
| Pounds |
|
Flyweight
|
3
|
|
Bantamweight
|
4
|
|
Featherweight
|
5
|
|
Light Heavyweight
|
7
|
|
Welterweight
|
10
|
|
Middleweight
|
12
|
|
Light Heavyweight
|
15<1>
|
|
Heavyweight
|
No restriction
|
(12)
The commissioner, a person appointed by the commissioner, or his assigned
delegate in attendance, shall weigh cach contestant using suitable scales to be
furnished by the promoter. He shall see that the weights of opposing
contestants comply with Rule 1.5(11) of these rules. If the weights do not
comply with Rule 1.5(11), the commissioner shall notify the promoter.
(13) The Board shall consider it cause for
suspension if a manager does not notify a promoter, at least 48 hours before a
contest, if a boxer managed by him cannot for some valid reason participate in
a contest for which he had made oral agreement or written contract; and any
boxer who manages himself may be suspended if he does not fulfill his agreement
or contract to box, or notify the promoter at least 48 hours in advance of the
contest that he cannot, for some valid reason, participate.
(14) No contestant shall participate in more
than one contest during any period of 48 hours.
(15) All bouts shall be decided by the round
system. A boxer shall be credited either with a win, a loss, or a draw at the
end of each round. At the end of the bout the boxer winning the greatest number
of rounds shall be declared the winner; or if judged by points, ten points
shall be the maximum number to be scored in any round. The contestant winning
the round shall receive five points and his opponent proportionately less. If
the round is even, each contestant shall receive five points.
In accordance with the rules, the awarding of any round, or the
contest, in the case of a draw, shall be based on four factors to be scored in
the following order:
(a) Clean
hits;
(b) Effective
aggressiveness;
(c) Defense;
and
(d) Ring generalship.
Sportsmanship should be taken into consideration by the
officials, as well as the condition of the boxer at the end of the bout.
The items listed do not have the same scoring value. Clearly, a
man who hits his opponent and is aggressive throughout the contest is entitled
to more credit than one who is merely defensive and shows ring
generalship.
If the referee or the Board should decide, at any time, that
either contestant did not enter into a contest in good faith, or if the Board
or referee discovers, at any time, that either or both contestants are not
performing their part in good faith, or are guilty of any foul tactic, or of
faking, or of violating any rule of the Board, the referee or Board may stop
the contest.
The referee or the Board may stop the contest when either
contestant shows marked superiority or is apparently outclassed.
If a contestant is knocked down, or falls through weakness, he
must get up unassisted within ten seconds. The referee shall count off the
seconds. If the contestant attempts to get up and goes back down, the count
shall be continued by the referee where he left off. During the count, the
opponent shall go to the farthest neutral corner and remain there. Should the
opponent refuse to do so, or leave the farthest corner, the referee may stop
counting. After compliance by the opponent, however, the referee shall continue
counting where he left off.
If a contestant who has fallen out of the ring during a contest
fails to return by the count of "10", the referee shall count him out as if he
were "down".
In every round but the last round of a bout, should a boxer be
down at the time the bell rings ending the round, the count shall continue
until the boxer gets up or is counted out.
Three knockdowns in the same round shall constitute an
automatic knockout. The termination of the bout is at the discretion of the
referee or the Board.
Should a contestant leave the ring during the one-minute period
between rounds, and fail to be in the ring when the gong rings to resume
boxing, the referee shall declare his opponent the winner.
A contestant shall be deemed "down" when:
a. Any part of his body, other than his feet,
is on the floor; or
b. He is
hanging helplessly over the ropes; or
c. He is rising from a "down" position.
Should a contestant finish any one round of a contest and fail
to answer the bell for the succeeding round for any one of numerous reasons,
such as cuts, injuries, or admission of overwhelming superiority, the proper
termination of the bout is by a technical knockout in the round for which he
fails to answer the bell.
For instance, both contestants have finished round 6. One of
them fails to answer the bell for round 7, or indicates to the referee that he
will not answer the bell. It is a "TKO-7". Indeed, the man should be regarded
as technically counted out while seated in his corner just as though the bell
sounded for the seventh round. Certainly he completed round 6 and cannot,
therefore, be charged with a loss in the sixth.
A boxer suffering a knockout shall automatically be suspended
for a period of 30 days and shall have a physician's medical examination, a
neurosurgical examination, and a scan of the head within 24 hours. The boxer
shall immediately surrender his license to the Board. The attending physician
shall determine whether the boxer was knocked out.
(16) The referee shall collect the
judges' cards and present them to the commissioner in attendance to be checked.
The referee shall then announce, or shall cause to be announced, to the public,
the name of the winning contestant, according to the majority vote, and unless
the decision be unanimous, the individual score of each official for each
contestant shall be announced. In the event there is no majority vote, the
decision shall be a "Draw".
(17)
All division titles must be defended, at least every six months, when a
suitable opponent is willing and available.
(18) Wagering on contests is prohibited in
any arena under the jurisdiction of the Board.
(19) Only beverages served in paper or
plastic foam cups may be sold in the hall where boxing contests or exhibitions
are conducted.
(20) Contestants
shall box in proper athletic costume, including a foul protection cup of a type
satisfactory to the Board and the contestant. The cup shall be firmly strapped
to the body before leaving the dressing room.
Each contestant shall supply himself with a pair of trunks,
loose fitting and made of light cloth, similar to athlete's "running pants".
The belt of the trunks shall not extend above the waist line. Each contestant
shall wear an abdominal guard of standard type approved by the Board which
provides sufficient protection to withstand any so-called low or illegal blow
that might temporarily incapacitate a contestant.
Shoes of soft material must be worn and must not be fitted with
spikes, cleats, hard soles, or hard heels. Shoelaces shall be held in place by
a strip of adhesive tape around the shoe tops.
While performing, boxers must wear mouthpieces for the
protection of tongue and teeth. This regulation shall be enforced by the
referee.
The hands of a contestant shall be covered by layers of soft
bandage. Bandages shall be restricted to soft cloth not more than 10 yards in
length and 1 1/2 inches in width, held in place by not more than 5 yards of
surgeon's tape 1 inch in width, for each hand, in all classes. These bandages
shall be adjusted in the dressing room in the presence of a Board official and
both contestants. The use of a pad of either soft or hard tape over the
knuckles shall constitute a violation of this rule.
In all contests the gloves used must weigh not less than 8
ounces each.
(21) All
licenses issued by the Board must be shown to officials when
requested.
(22) All boxers must be
certified as physically fit by a licensed physician.
(23) In a championship match, if the champion
is overweight and the challenger meets the weight requirements, the titleholder
loses his crown at weighing-in time. The bout then goes on as an overweight
match and if the challenger wins, he is recognized as the new champion. When
both challenger and champion are overweight, the title is vacant. If the title
is vacant and one challenger is overweight while the other meets the weight
requirements, the title remains vacant.
(24) No drug, alcohol in any form, stimulant,
injection, depressant, or analgesic of any kind shall be applied, administered,
or given to any contestant before or during a boxing contest. Use of standard
agents or compounds for the control of excessive bleeding are exempt from this
rule. Stimulants in the form of liquids that have a food value may be given
internally, provided that these have been presented to the commissioner in
charge. Any and all substances or liquids used, or samples thereof, may be
taken for analysis by the commissioner in charge.
(25) The Board may bar, for up to a lifetime
period, any participant who conspires to break these rules and regulations.
RULES FOR PROMOTERS
(26) To participate as PROMOTER in a
professional boxing contest in Vermont, you must be licensed by the Vermont
Boxing Control Board. You may obtain a license from the Vermont Boxing Control
Board. Write to the Division of Licensing and Registration, Office of the
Secretary of State, 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602. The fee for
promoter of a professional contest is $ 25.00 per year.
(27) A promoter must study, and become
thoroughly familiar with, the contents of this booklet.
(28) A promoter must notify the Board about
the main bout at least 48 hours beforehand.
(29) All bouts must first be approved by the
Board. Before the commencement of any bout, the promoter shall furnish the
Board with a contract, or a signed copy of a contract, between the promoter and
the boxing contestants.
Before acting on any application for a license the Board may,
in its discretion, examine, under oath, the applicant and other witnesses. At
the time of submitting a match for approval, promoters of professional boxing
matches shall submit to the Board a record of the proposed boxers in the match,
including the last six contests in which each proposed boxer participated,
together with location of bout, date, and results. Matches shall not be
approved unless this is done.
(30) Send check or money order to cover the
5% gate tax on your gross receipts, to the Office of the Secretary of State,
exclusive of any federal tax thereon. Payments of money required by this
section shall be accompanied by reports in such form as prescribed by the
Board. All tickets of admission to any such boxing contest shall bear clearly
on the face thereof the purchase price.
(31) Promoters must determine that all
contestants, seconds, managers, and officials are duly licensed before
permitting them to participate in any capacity at any boxing contest. Promoters
shall be held liable for all unpaid fees.
(32) No person connected with the promotion
of professional boxing may have anything to do with the management of boxers;
and no persons involved in professional boxing as managers, boxers, trainers,
or seconds, shall have anything to do with the promotion of such
bouts.
(33) A promoter must keep a
sufficient quantity of all types of application blanks and forms on hand. Apply
to the Board for more when your supply runs low.
(34) No return bout guarantee clause shall be
written into any championship fight contract without special permission of the
Board.
(35) No promoter shall
advertise or declare for publication that any match is to be held to determine
a State Championship until he has secured the approval of the Board.
(36) All requests for championship matches
must be in writing and must be received by the Board at least one full week
before the scheduled date of the bout.
(37) Promoters are required to file with the
Board copies of the contracts with both contestants, or their managers, before
approval of a State Championship match will be granted. These contracts shall
accompany the written request for approval, and must indicate that all parties
concerned understand and agree that the bout shall determine a
championship.
(38) A promoter shall
be required to pay to a boxer a sum not less than 1/3 of his agreed purse in
any case where a boxer appears ready and able to fulfill his agreement or
contract to box but, through no fault of his own, does not appear on the
program. This ruling shall not apply if the boxer received notice from the
promoter 24 hours in advance of the contest that, for some valid reason, his
services could not be used at the agreed place and time.
All boxers licensed as such by the Board shall be covered by
accident insurance, provided by the promoter, in the event of injury or death
while competing in a properly licensed boxing or sparring match or exhibition.
Such insurance shall be covered by a policy to be issued by a recognized
insurance company with prior approval of the Board as to form, premium, and
coverage. Promoters must supply the commissioner with a Certificate of
Liability Insurance at least 10 days before a match.
(39) Promoters shall provide adequate police
protection at all contests.
(40)
One or more licensed physicians shall be provided with a ring-side seat, and
shall be required to remain at ring-side until the end of the final
bout.
(41) The judges will be
provided with seats at ring-side, on opposite sides of the ring, preferably on
a raised dais or platform commanding a clear view of the entire ring area. They
shall be isolated by at least the space of one seat on each side and to the
rear.
(42) The names of the referee
and judges shall be announced to the public over a public address system or
from the center of the ring before the start of the contest. Any change of
officials made during the program shall be similarly announced.
(43) Promoters must provide a foolproof
protection device of standard make for all contestants. A minimum of four are
to be kept on hand at all times.
(44) Promoters shall supply suitable watches
for timekeepers.
(45) Promoters
shall provide a suitable stretcher at ring-side at all times for emergency use
and for ambulance staff members of the rescue squad.
(46) At no time shall a promoter schedule a
bout between a professional boxer and an amateur boxer or the amateur will lose
his amateur standing.
(47) Any
promoter, referee, second, boxer, or manager, who, in the judgment of the
Board, is guilty of intentional conniving at or participation in any
prearranged or "fake" contest shall forfeit his license and shall not again
participate in any capacity in boxing unless a new license is subsequently
issued to the offending party.
(48)
Gloves for all main events shall be new and furnished by the promoter.
RULES FOR MANAGERS AND SECONDS
(49) To participate as a MANAGER or SECOND in
a professional boxing contest in Vermont, you must be licensed by the Vermont
Boxing Control Board. You may obtain a license from the Vermont Boxing Control
Board. Write to the Division of Licensing and Registration, Office of the
Secretary of State, 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602. The fee for a
manager of a professional contest is $ 15. 00 per year. The fee for a second is
$ 5.00 per year.
(50) Any person
who negotiates with a promoter, copromoter, or matchmaker for the services of a
boxer shall be considered a manager by the Board, and shall be required to
obtain the proper license.
(51) The
Board requires copies of all existing bona fide contracts between managers and
boxers to be filed in the Office of the Board before a manager's license will
be granted. All managers shall have a written contract with all boxers under
their control and a copy of the original contract shall be filed with the
Board.
If a manager after securing a license should sell all his
existing contracts, he must surrender his manager's license to the Board until
such time as he has another Vermont licensed boxer under contract. At that time
his license will be returned, or if expired he may purchase a new
license.
(52) A
contestant's manager or managers shall not be permitted to participate in more
than thirty-three and one third (33 1/3) per cent of the contestant's
earnings.
(53) Managers or seconds
shall not coach or instruct their boxers by gesture or word of mouth during the
progress of the rounds. No more than three seconds to be allowed in one
corner.
(54) Managers or seconds
are not to throw into the ring a towel, sponge, or any article as an
acknowledgment of defeat. A manager or second may, however, ask the referee to
stop a bout to protect a contestant from serious injury at the end of the
round.
(55) Any profanity or
disobedience of the referee's instructions during the progress of a contest
shall be deemed sufficient cause for removal of a contestant's manager or
second from the corner.
(56) A
manager or second of a contestant may be present to examine the application of
the bandages and tape to the hands of the opposing boxer and may accompany the
boxer to the ring until the referee takes charge.
(57) Managers who sign or orally agree for
their boxers to fight when they know they are improperly conditioned or
physically inadequate shall be subject to suspension by the Board.
RULES FOR REFEREES
(58) To participate as REFEREE in a
professional boxing contest in Vermont, you must be licensed by the Vermont
Boxing Control Board. You may obtain a license from the Vermont Boxing Control
Board. Write to the Division of Licensing and Registration, Office of the
Secretary of State, 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602. The fee for
referee of a professional contest is $ 10.00 per year.
(59) Every new applicant for a referee's
license, or any applicant who has been inactive for three years, shall furnish
the Board with satisfactory proof of physical fitness before the application
shall be considered.
(60) At every
boxing contest there shall be in attendance a duly licensed referee, who shall
direct and control the contest and shall not referee more than twelve
consecutive rounds.
(61) The
referee shall study, and become thoroughly familiar with, the contents of this
booklet. Particular attention should be paid to Rule 15.
(62) No active boxer, manager, promoter, or
second shall be allowed to hold a license as a referee.
(63) The referee shall have full power to
stop a contest whenever he deems it advisable because of the physical condition
of the contestant or contestants, or when one of the contestants is clearly
outclassed by his opponent, or for other sufficient reasons.
(64) If, in the referee's opinion, any
contestant or contestants are not or were not competing in good faith, that
official, after consulting with the commissioner in attendance before reaching
such a decision, may by announcement to the public withhold any prize,
remuneration, or purse, or any part thereof, belonging to the contestant, or
contestants. The referee shall then notify the promoter of such action. The
impounded purse or prize shall be held by the Board and the contestant or
contestants involved shall be granted a hearing before the Appeals Panel if
requested in writing within thirty days.
(65) Hitting below the belt; hitting an
opponent who is down or rising after being down; holding an opponent with one
hand and hitting with the other; holding or deliberately maintaining a clinch;
wrestling or roughing at the ropes; pushing an opponent about the ring or into
the ropes, or striking an opponent who is helpless as a result of blows and so
supported by the ropes that he does not fall; butting with the head or shoulder
or using the knee or elbow; hitting with the open glove, or with the heel of
the glove and hitting with the back of the hand; purposely going down without
being hit or for the purpose of avoiding a blow; striking deliberately at the
part of the body over the kidney; the use of the pivot or rabbit punch; jabbing
opponent's eyes with the thumb of the glove; the use of abusive language in the
ring; and any unsportsmanlike trick or action causing injury to an opponent are
fouls and shall not be tolerated by the referee.
(66) The referee may penalize a boxer one or
more points for striking a foul blow. At the conclusion of the round in which
the foul blow is delivered, the referee shall inform the judges and the public
of the number of points he has taken from the score of the offending
boxer.
(67) A contestant who
persists in using foul tactics may be disqualified by the referee and his purse
forfeited.
(68) In case of a
deliberate foul, so designated by the referee, a boxer's license may be
suspended for a period of time to be determined by the Board.
(69) In his instructions to the contestants
prior to each bout, the referee shall caution both contestants to retire to the
farthest neutral corner, at his direction, immediately upon scoring a
knockdown, and to remain there until the signal to resume boxing is given, or
until the count is completed, or the bell has rung terminating the round. After
having so instructed both contestants, the referee is authorized to hold his
count in the event any boxer who has scored a knockdown refuses to retire to
the proper corner to await the signal, the count, or the bell as the case may
be. The knockdown timekeeper shall not start the split-second hand to time the
knockdown until the referee so indicated by his first count.
In all bouts except championship bouts, if the contestant who
is down rises during the count, the referee shall continue to count to "8" and
assure himself that the contestant is in fit condition to continue. If so
assured, he shall without loss of time order both contestants to go on with the
contest. During such intervention by the referee, the striking of a blow by
either contestant may be ruled "foul". This is the mandatory "8" count.
(70) Referees are instructed to
stop any bout in which a boxer has been knocked down three times in one round
as the result of a blow. This rule may be waived in championship bouts. The
rule does not apply to a boxer who slips or falls down from being off
balance.
(71) Should a boxer be
knocked down by a blow that, in the opinion of the referee, was a foul blow,
the referee may stop the contest at that point. He will award the decision to
the boxer suffering the foul blow, other than the so-called "low blow", as
explained in Rule 72.
(72) Should
a boxer be knocked down by a blow that he claims to have been foul, but that,
in the opinion of the referee, was not foul, the referee shall pick up his
count as usual in the event of a knockdown.
All contestants shall agree to equip themselves with an
approved and foul-proof protection cup that will obviate the necessity of any
claims being made for low blows during a contest. It is to be expressly
understood that no contest will be terminated by a "low blow", as the protector
selected by the boxers is, in their own opinion, sufficient protection to
withstand any so-called "low blow" that might temporarily incapacitate
them.
(73) If at the end of
a regulation round a boxer is "down" and the referee is in the course of
counting, the gong indicating the end of the round shall be sounded to commence
the one-minute rest period.
(74)
When a boxer has been knocked unconscious, the referee shall immediately remove
that contestant's mouthpiece.
If, in the opinion of the referee, a fallen boxer has been so
seriously injured that removal to his corner might prove injurious, he shall
request that the physician examine the boxer in the ring before permitting his
removal.
(75) A contestant
who has been knocked through or over the edge of the ring platform during a
contest shall not be helped back by his manager or seconds. The referee shall
begin to count, in accordance with Rule 69 of the Rules for Referees, as soon
as the contestant leaves the inside of the ring ropes. If the contestant fails
to return by the count of "10", he is knocked out. The same procedure shall
apply to a contestant who leaves the ring during the progress of the bout under
any circumstances.
When one contestant has fallen through the ropes, the other
shall retire to the farthest neutral corner and remain there until the count is
completed or his opponent is on his feet in the ring.
A contestant who deliberately wrestles or throws his opponent
from the ring, or who hits him when he is partly out of the ring and prevented
by the ropes from assuming a position of defense, may be disqualified.
In case of serious injury to a contestant, the referee shall
automatically be under suspension until investigation by the Board establishes
whether the injury was the result of negligence or incompetence on the part of
the referee or of circumstances not reasonably within his control.
(76) When a contestant fails to
answer the bell for a round "coming up", his opponent shall be credited with a
"T.K.O." in the round that is "coming-up" and not in the preceding round that
has been fought.
(77) In all
contests the gloves used must weigh not less than 8 ounces each.
The referee shall examine the gloves and protectors of each
contestant before the start of the contest. This shall include the correct
insertion of a mouthpiece. He shall determine that the gloves have not been
"broken", nor the padding over the knuckles removed, and new gloves
substituted. If the gloves have been used in other bouts, they must be whole,
clean, and in sanitary condition if to be used again. The referee shall inspect
each boxer's gloves and make sure that no foreign detrimental substances have
been applied to either the gloves or the bodies of the boxers.
The referee may also inspect the bandages of contestants and
each contestant may be permitted to inspect the bandages of his opponent. The
purpose of the bandages is to protect the hand and not to add force to a
blow.
(78) Referees shall
not permit unfair practices that may cause injury to a contestant, and will be
held strictly responsible for enforcing these rules.
RULES FOR JUDGES
(79) To participate as JUDGE in a
professional boxing contest in Vermont, you must be licensed by the Vermont
Boxing Control Board. You may obtain a license from the Vermont Boxing Control
Board. Write to the Division of Licensing and Registration; Office of the
Secretary of State, 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602. No fee will be
charged for the license. All judges shall be appointed by the Board as capable
of judging boxing bouts.
(80) At
every professional contest there shall be in attendance two or more duly
licensed judges.
(81) No active
boxer, manager, promoter, or second shall hold a license as a judge.
(82) The judges must be familiar with the
Vermont Statutes and the Rules and Regulations of the related to boxing.
Particular attention shall be given to Rule 15 describing the point system and
its application.
(83) Upon
notification by the referee of a penalty imposed for a foul, at the end of the
round each judge shall follow the instructions of the referee in deducting one
or more points from his score for the boxer committing the foul. Each judge
shall mark a "P" (for Penalty) beside his original score, then he shall mark
the new score in the space provided for that round.
(84) When a contestant fails to answer the
bell for a round "coming up" his opponent shall be credited with a "T.K.O." in
the round that is "coming up" and not in the preceding round that has been
fought.
(85) Judges shall not
confer with each other during the contest, nor express in any way to anyone
their opinions as to the winner, except by final written vote.
RULES FOR PHYSICIANS
(86) Within ten hours before each contest,
the PHYSICIAN shall examine each contestant, and shall report on the condition
of each contestant. If, in his or her opinion, the condition of any contestant
is not favorable, the physician shall notify the promoter at once, and shall so
report over his or her signature.
(87) It shall be the duty of the physician to
remain at the scene of the contest until he has ascertained that no serious
injuries have been received by any contestant, or until such injuries have been
given attention.
All injuries shall be reported and registered by the physician
at the office of the Vermont Boxing Control Board, Office of the Secretary of
State, Division of Licensing and Registration, 109 State Street, Montpelier,
Vermont 05602, with any recommendations.
(88) Among other things, the physician shall
provide himself with a stethoscope, manometer, sterile syringe with medication
for relieving pain, alcohol, cotton, gauze, ice bag, and aromatic ammonia
(capsules).
(89) During the
progress of the bout, the physician shall remain at ring-side in a seat to be
provided by the promoter, and shall have his medical kit immediately
available.
(90) Any boxer who
suffers a concussion shall be automatically suspended 30 days. Any boxer who
suffers a knock out shall also be automatically suspended for 30
days.
(91) No contestant shall be
allowed to engage in any boxing contest if the following conditions be found by
the physician:
(a) Any hernia, or
bubonocele;
(b) Organic heart
murmurs;
(c) Active pulmonary
lesions;
(d) Temperature over
98.8;
(e) Systolic pressure over
150;
(f) Infectious skin lesions,
such as boils or infected wounds;
(g) Recent wounds, especially on face and
ears;
(h) Hand injuries, and
fractures less than six weeks old, if, in the physician's opinion, the injury
would be detrimental;
(i) Use of
narcotics, drugs, stimulants, depressants, or analgesics of any description;
or
(j) Any other medical reason
deemed sufficient by the physician.
RULES FOR TIMEKEEPERS
(92) TIMEKEEPERS shall be responsible for
each round being of exactly equal duration as announced before such contest,
with rest periods of one-minute's duration. Timekeepers shall not leave the
gong until the completion of a contest. The call "Get Ready" shall be given 10
seconds before the round starts.
(93) When a contestant is knocked down and
takes the count, if the round ends before the count is completed, the
timekeeper shall indicate the end of the round in accordance with Rule 73 of
the Rules for Referees.
RULES FOR KNOCK-DOWN TIMEKEEPER
(94) When one of the contestants is knocked
down and takes the count, the KNOCK-DOWN TIMEKEEPER shall start the
split-second hand with the first count of the referee. The timekeeper shall
tell the count in a standing position and in a clear voice, causing his hand to
go up and down with the count. The referee shall make similar motions in unison
with the timekeeper until the contestant rises or the expiration of the count
of ten; which should be equivalent to a period of ten seconds. If there is a
variation between the two officials, the knock-down timekeeper shall announce
the expiration of the ten seconds, which shall be considered official. In case
the round ends before the ten seconds are completed, the timekeeper shall
indicate the end of the round in accordance with Rule 73 of the Rules for
Referees.
(95) If the contestant
who is knocked down rises during the count, the knock-down timekeeper shall
continue to count to "8" with the referee. This is the mandatory "8" count
rule.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CONDITION
(96) The Board may deny, revoke, or suspend
the license of any boxer because of his physical or mental condition. For the
purpose of this rule, the Board shall be deemed to have acted properly if the
Board shall by personal observation, medical reports, psychological reports,
past records, or from other information bearing on his physical or mental
condition, determine that it would be injurious to the boxer's physical or
mental health to participate in a boxing contest. At the boxer's expense the
Board may demand a complete physical examination consisting of an EKG, Stress
Test, KAT scan, X-ray, blood and urine tests. Each boxer must complete a
medical information history both mental and physical.
If the Board suspends or revokes a license and such suspension
or revocation could extend for a period of time in excess of 30 days, the boxer
may request a hearing before the Board and offer what evidence he shall have
bearing on his physical or mental condition. If after a hearing the Board is
satisfied that the disqualifying condition does exist and is expected to
persist, it may indefinitely suspend, revoke, or deny a license to the boxer.
Any decision of the Board may be appealed to the Appeals Panel within 30
days.
In the event that any commissioner shall observe or have notice
of any such physical or mental condition existing within 10 hours of any
scheduled bout, the commissioner shall have the authority to suspend
immediately the boxer's license for a 48-hour period. If the Board fails to
affirm such suspension, the suspension shall expire after the 48-hour period
has elapsed.
Section
1.6 RULES FOR AMATEUR BOXING CONTESTS
(1) The Vermont Boxing Control Board has the
power to supervise and regulate boxing contests and training exhibitions under
Vermont Statutes Annotated, Title 31, Chapter 3. For the safety and welfare of
participants in boxing contests, the Board has promulgated these rules and
regulations pursuant to 31 V.S.A. § 103 in order to carry out its
statutory purpose.
(2) No boxing
contest shall be conducted except in the city, town, or village specified in
the permit issued and in such places in the city, town, or village as are
approved by the Board.
No boxing "exhibitions" shall be allowed without special
permission from the Board.
(3) All applications for license must be made
on forms furnished by the Board. Associations or persons holding licenses
issued by this Board shall not lend out the license nor conduct a contest under
any name other than that stated in the license.
(4) The following shall be the age limits for
boxers:
(a) Minimum Age. The minimum age for
an individual to qualify as an amateur boxer is 12 through 15 for the junior
class and 16 years of age for the senior or open class.
(b) Maximum Age. The maximum age at which an
individual may qualify as an amateur boxer shall be at the sole discretion of
the Board. The Board may, at any time, demand such information concerning an
applicant's mental or physical condition as it deems necessary. Such
information may be in addition to that required in physical examinations under
other rules of this Board. At the boxer's expense the commission may demand a
complete physical examination consisting of an EKG, Stress Test, KAT scan,
X-ray, blood and urine tests. Each boxer must complete a medical history, both
mental and physical.
(5)
No contestant shall be permitted to participate in any amateur boxing contest
on more than two days in any seven, except in official-sanctioned tournaments
requiring more than two days to complete.
(6) All officials taking part in amateur
contests shall be licensed by the Board.
(7) The boxing ring shall be not less than 16
feet nor more than 24 feet square within the ropes. The floor of the ring shall
extend beyond the lower rope a distance of 2 feet on all sides. The ring shall
not be more than 4 feet above the floor of the building or grounds of an
outdoor arena, and shall be provided with suitable steps for the use of
contestants, coaches, and officials. The ring shall be equipped with at least 3
ropes. The ropes shall be not less than 1 inch in diameter. Such ropes shall be
manila rope, synthetic, plastic rope or any similar material, and shall not be
made of metal of any type. All ropes shall be wrapped securely in soft
material. If 3 ropes are used, they shall extend in triple parallel lines 2, 3,
and 4 feet above the ring floor. If 4 ropes are used, the lower rope shall be
18 inches above the ring floor, the second rope 30 inches, the third rope 42
inches, and the fourth rope 54 inches above the ring floor. The ring floor
shall be padded with a 1 1/2 inch layer of ensolite or foam rubber (or
equivalent), placed on a 1 1/2 inch base of celotex (building material). The
padding shall be covered with canvas, duck, or similar material tightly
stretched and laced securely in place, preferably under the apron. Ring posts
shall be not less than 3 inches or more than 8 inches in diameter, extending
from the floor to the height of 58 inches above the ring floor. The ropes shall
be connected to posts with the extension not shorter than 18 inches. The
turn-buckles must be covered with a protective padding.
(8) All contests shall be conducted under the
Marquis of Queensberry rules, except where changed or modified by these rules
or by the Board.
(9) No collection
shall be made at any contest unless permission in writing has previously been
obtained from the Board.
STANDARD OF WEIGHTS
(10) The following is the Vermont Boxing
Control Board standard of weights for amateur boxing:
| Pounds |
|
Light Flyweight
|
106
|
|
Flyweight
|
11 2
|
|
Bantamweight
|
119
|
|
Featherweight
|
12 5
|
|
Lightweight
|
132
|
|
Light Welterweight
|
139
|
|
Welterweight
|
147
|
|
Light Middleweight
|
156
|
|
Middleweight
|
165
|
|
Light Heavyweight
|
178
|
|
Heavyweight
|
over 190 No limit
|
(11)
No contestant may compete in a weight class unless he weighs more than the
maximum limit for the class below, and no more than the maximum limit for the
class in which he desires to compete. For example: To compete in the 139 pounds
class, a contestant must weight more than 132 pounds but not more than 139
pounds.
The following limitations of weights are placed on amateur
boxing bouts:
| Pounds |
|
Light Flyweight
|
3
|
|
Flyweight
|
3
|
|
Bantamweight
|
3
|
|
Featherweight
|
5
|
|
Lightweight
|
5
|
|
Light Welterweight
|
5
|
|
Welterweight
|
6
|
|
Light Middleweight
|
6
|
|
Middleweight
|
7
|
|
Light Heavyweight
|
7
|
|
Heavyweight
|
No limit
|
(12)
The Three Point System shall be used in deciding all boxing contests and the
scoring of such points shall be adjudged by at least two duly licensed judges
and, in the absence of a third such official, by the referee. In awarding
points, the following qualities are to be considered:
(a) Contestant doing the greatest amount of
leading;
(b) Contestant landing the
greatest number of clean solid blows;
(c) Ring generalship, to include evasive
action, blocking, footwork, and feinting both in offensive and defensive
action; and
(d) General form during
performance.
The maximum number of points any contestant may receive for
each round is twenty. Knockdowns as the result of a solid blow should be
considered in the scoring at the discretion of the referee. Knockdowns as the
result of a slip or loss of balance through bodily contact other than blows
should be discounted. Scoring shall be accomplished on a judge's score card
furnished by the Board. Points shall be recorded for each of the contestants
immediately following the end of each round. At the conclusion of every bout,
the points given each contestant shall be added carefully by the official. The
winner's name should then be written clearly on the card, signed by the
official. A winner must be named. In case of a draw, the judge must arrive at a
decision.
(13)
The referee shall collect the judges' cards and present them to the
commissioner in attendance to be checked. The referee shall then announce or
shall cause to be announced to the public the name of the winning contestant,
according to the majority vote, and unless the decision be unanimous, the
individual score of each official for each contestant shall be
announced.
(14) The referee should
present the awards in the ring at the end of each bout.
(15) Wagering on contests is prohibited in
any arena under the jurisdiction of the Board.
(16) Only beverages served in paper or
plastic foam cups may be sold in the hall where boxing contests or exhibitions
are conducted.
RULES FOR CONTESTANTS
(17) To participate as CONTESTANT in an
amateur boxing contest in Vermont, you must be licensed by the Vermont Boxing
Control Board. You may obtain a license from the Vermont Boxing Control Board.
Write to the Division of Licensing and Registration, Office of the Secretary of
State, 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602. No fee is charged for the
amateur license, which nevertheless must be annually renewed.
(18) Contestants shall box in proper costume,
including a foul protection cup of a type satisfactory to the Board and the
contestant. This cup shall be firmly adjusted before leaving the dressing room.
Each contestant shall supply himself with a pair of trunks,
loose fitting and made of light cloth, similar to athlete's "running pants".
The belt of the trunks shall not extend above the waist line.
Boxing shoes or sneakers must be worn and must not be fitted
with spikes, cleats, hard soles, or hard heels. Shoelaces shall be held in
place by a strip of adhesive tape around the shoe tops.
While performing boxers must wear mouthpieces for the
protection of tongue and teeth. This regulation shall be strictly enforced by
the referee.
Boxers should wear headgear while performing in any bout. This
is mandatory for boxers in the junior class, age 12 through 15. Use of any type
of grease or other substance is prohibited.
Bandages shall consist of soft cotton or linen. In all classes
up to 156 pounds, one roll of 2-inch gauze bandage, not to exceed 10 yards,
should be used for each hand held in place by a strip of 1 inch adhesive tape,
not more than 6 inches long around each wrist. In the 165 pounds class and
over, one roll of 2-inch gauze bandage, not to exceed 12 yards in length should
be used for each hand, held in place by a strip of 1-inch adhesive tape, not
more than 8 inches long around each wrist. No tape, cotton, powder, or any
substance other than the aforementioned may be used between the fingers or over
the knuckles. In all senior or open class contests, the gloves used must weight
not less than 10 ounces each. In all junior class contests the gloves used must
weigh not less than 12 ounces each. If gloves have been used in other bouts,
they must be whole, clean, and in sanitary condition.
(19) The commissioner in attendance shall
weigh each contestant using scales furnished by the promoter. He shall see that
the weights of opposing contestants comply with Rule 11 of these rules and
regulations. If the weights do not comply with Rule 11, the commissioner shall
notify the promoter, and shall so indicate to the Board.
RULES FOR PROMOTERS
(20) To participate as PROMOTER in any
amateur boxing contest in Vermont, you must be licensed by the Vermont Boxing
Control Board. You may obtain a license from the Vermont Boxing Control Board.
Write to the Division of Licensing and Registration, Office of the Secretary of
State, 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602. The fee for promoter of an
amateur contest is $ 25.00 per year.
(21) One or more licensed physicians shall be
provided with a ring-side seat, and shall be required to remain at ring-side
until the end of the final bout.
(22) The judges shall be provided with seats
at ring-side, on opposite sides of the ring, preferably on a raised dais or
platform commanding a clear view of the entire ring area. They shall be
isolated by at least the space of one seat on each side and to the
rear.
(23) The names of the referee
and judges shall be announced to the public over a public address system or
from the center of the ring before the start of the contests. Any change of
officials that is made during the program shall be similarly
announced.
(24) Promoters must
provide a foolproof protection device of standard make for all contestants. A
minimum of four are to be kept on hand at all times.
(25) At no time shall a promoter schedule a
bout between a professional boxer and an amateur boxer or the amateur will lose
his amateur standing.
(26)
Promoters shall provide a suitable stretcher at ring-side at all times for
emergency use; an ambulance and a rescue squad should be in
attendance.
(27) Promoters shall
supply suitable watches for time-keepers and aides.
(28) Amateur boxers shall be covered by
accident insurance, provided by the promoter, in the event of injury or death
while competing in a properly licensed boxing or sparring match or exhibition.
Such insurance shall be covered by a policy issued by a recognized insurance
company, and must be approved at least ten (10) days beforehand by the Board as
to form, premium, and coverage. Promoters must also provide the Board with a
Certificate of Liability Insurance stating the amount at least ten (10) days
beforehand.
RULES FOR SECONDS
(29) To participate as SECOND in an amateur
boxing contest in Vermont, you must be licensed by the Vermont Boxing Control
Board. You may obtain a license from the Vermont Boxing Control Board. Write to
the Division of Licensing and Registration, Office of the Secretary of State,
109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602. No fee is charged for the amateur
license, which must nevertheless be annually renewed.
(30) Any profanity or disobedience of the
referee's instructions during the progress of a contest shall be deemed
sufficient cause for removal of a contestant's second from the
corner.
(31) A second of a
contestant may be present to examine the application of the bandages and tape
to the hands of the opposing boxer, and may accompany the boxer to the ring
until the referee takes charge.
RULES FOR REFEREES
(32) To participate as REFEREE in an amateur
boxing contest in Vermont, you must be licensed by the Vermont Boxing Control
Board. You may obtain a license from the Vermont Boxing Control Board. Write to
the Division of Licensing and Registration, Office of the Secretary of State,
109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602. No fee is charged for an amateur
license, which must nevertheless be annually renewed.
(33) Every new applicant for a referee's
license, or any applicant who has been inactive for 3 years, shall furnish the
Board with satisfactory proof of physical fitness before the application shall
be considered.
(34) At every boxing
contest a duly licensed referee shall be in attendance. The referee shall be
prohibited from acting as a referee for more than 12 consecutive rounds unless
the twelfth round is within the bout, in which case he may finish the
bout.
(35) The referee shall study,
and become thoroughly familiar with, the contents of this booklet. Particular
attention should be given to Rule 12 describing the point system.
(36) No active boxer, manager, promoter, or
second shall be allowed to hold a license as a referee.
(37) The referee or commissioner shall have
full power to stop a contest whenever he deems it advisable because of the
physical condition of the contestant or opponent, or for other sufficient
reasons.
(38) Correct Blows. Each
blow to have scoring value must, without being blocked, land directly with the
knuckles part of the closed glove of either hand on any part of the front or
sides of the head or body above the belt. Swings landing as described are
scoring blows.
The value of blows scored in a rally of fighting shall be
assessed at the end of such a rally and shall be credited to the boxer who has
had the better of the exchanges according to the degree of his superiority. The
following blows are not scoring blows and therefore do not count when struck by
a boxer:
(a) while infringing on any
of the rules;
(b) with the side,
the heel, the inside, the back of the glove, or with any part of the glove
other than knuckles part;
(c) which
land on the arms, the shoulders, or back; or
(d) which merely make contact, without the
weight of the shoulder or body.
(39) Fouls. The competitor who does not obey
the instructions of the referee, violates the boxing rules, boxes in an
unsportsmanlike manner, or commits fouls, can at the discretion of the referee
be cautioned, warned, or disqualified without warning. Only two warnings may be
given to the same boxer in one contest. The third offense brings prompt
disqualification.
Each boxer is responsible for the conduct of his seconds. A
referee may, without stopping a contest, caution a boxer at some safe
opportunity.
If a referee decides to warn a boxer, he shall stop the
contest, and shall demonstrate the infringement. He will then point to the
boxer and to each of the judges. Before issuing a warning, a referee should
remember that a warning may carry a heavy penalty, and that a warning should
not be lightly given.
The following are fouls:
(a) Hitting or holding below the belt,
tripping, kicking, and butting with foot or knee.
(b) Hits or blows with head, shoulder,
forearm, elbow, throttling of the opponent's face, pressing the head of the
opponent back over the ropes.
(c)
Hitting with open gloves, the inside of the glove, wrist, or side of the
hand.
(d) Hits landing on the back
of the opponent, and especially any blow on the back of the neck or head, and
the kidney punch.
(e) Pivot
blows.
(f) Attack while holding the
ropes or making any unfair use of the ropes.
(g) Lying on, wrestling, and throwing in a
clinch.
(h) An attack on an
opponent who is down or who is in the act of rising.
(i) Holding.
(j) Holding or locking of the opponent's arm
or head, or pushing an arm underneath the arm of the opponent.
(k) Holding and hitting, or pulling and
hitting.
(l) Ducking below the belt
of the opponent in a manner dangerous to the opponent.
(m) Completely passive defense by means of
double cover and intentionally falling to avoid a blow.
(n) Useless, aggressive, or offensive
utterances during the round.
(o)
Not stepping back when ordered to "Break".
(p) Attempting to strike opponent immediately
after the referee has ordered "Break" and before taking a step back.
(q) If a boxer has received a low blow (punch
below the belt line), the referee shall, if he has seen the foul blow
delivered, use his discretion and may permit, if the blow was of damaging
effect, a rest period to the victim not to exceed five minutes. If the offended
boxer refuses to box after a five minute rest period, his opponent shall be
named the winner. If a referee has any reason to believe that he himself has
not seen a blow, he may consult the judges.
A boxer cannot be named the winner of a bout as a result of
receiving a low blow unless, in the opinion of the referee, the blow was
delivered deliberately and was of such force as to seriously incapacitate the
offended boxer so that he could not continue to box. Under this condition, the
offender should be disqualified immediately.
(40) In his instructions to the contestants
before each bout, the referee shall caution both contestants to retire to the
farthest neutral corner, at his direction, immediately after scoring a
knockdown, and to remain there until the signal to resume boxing is given, or
until the count is completed, or the bell has rung terminating the round. After
having so instructed both contestants, the referee is authorized to hold his
count in the event any boxer who has scored a knockdown refuses to retire to
the proper corner to await the signal, the count, or the bell as the case may
be. The knockdown timekeeper shall not start the split-second hand to time the
knockdown until the referee so indicates by his first count.
(41) In all bouts, if the contestant who is
down rises during the count, the referee shall continue to count to "8" and
assure himself that the contestant is in fit condition to continue. This is the
mandatory "8" count. If so assured, he shall without loss of time order both
contestants to go on with the contest. During such intervention by the referee,
the striking of a blow by either contestant may be ruled "Foul".
(42) Should a boxer be knocked down by a blow
that he claims to have been foul, but that, in the opinion of the referee, was
not foul, the referee shall pick up his count as usual in the event of a
knockdown.
All contestants shall agree to equip themselves with an
abdominal guard of their own selection, which will obviate the necessity of any
claims being made for "low blows" during a contest. It is to be expressly
understood that no contest shall be terminated by a low blow, as the protector
selected by the boxers is, in their own opinion, sufficient protection to
withstand any so-called low blow that might temporarily incapacitate a
contestant.
In connection therewith, referees are instructed to count
boxers out who fall to the floor claiming foul as a result of a low blow, since
they are equipped with a protector of their own selection which they agree is
of sufficient protection to withstand any so-called low blow that might
temporarily incapacitate them.
(43) If at the end of a two-minute round,
other than the last round, a boxer is "down" and the referee is in the course
of counting, the gong indicating the end of this two-minute round will not be
sounded. If the downed contestant does not rise by the count of ten, the other
contestant will be the winner by a knockout. If the downed boxer does get up
before the count of ten, the gong shall be sounded to indicate the end of the
round and the beginning of the one-minute rest interval.
(44) When a boxer has been knocked
unconscious the referee shall immediately remove that contestant's
mouth-piece.
(45) If, in the
opinion of the referee, a fallen boxer has been so scriously injured that
removal to his corner might prove injurious, he shall request that the
physician examine the boxer in the ring before permitting his
removal.
(46) A contestant who has
been knocked through or over the edge of the ring platform during a contest
shall not be helped back by his manager or seconds. The referee shall begin to
count, in accordance with Rule 40 of the Rules for Referees, as soon as the
contestant leaves the inside of the ring ropes. If the contestant fails to
return by the count of "10", he is knocked out. The same procedure shall apply
to a contestant who leaves the ring during the progress of the bout under any
circumstances.
When one contestant has fallen through the ropes the other
shall retire to the farthest neutral corner and remain there until the count is
completed or his opponent is on his feet in the ring.
A contestant who deliberately wrestles or throws his opponent
from the ring, or who hits him when he is partly out of the ring and prevented
by the ropes from assuming a position of defense, may be disqualified.
In case of serious injury to a contestant, the referee shall be
automatically under suspension until investigation by the Board establishes
whether the injury was the result of negligence or incompetence on the part of
the referee or of circumstances not reasonably within his control.
(47) When a contestant fails to
answer the bell for a round "coming up", his opponent shall be credited with a
"T.K.O." in the round that is "coming up" and not in the preceding round that
has been fought.
(48) The referee
shall examine the gloves and protectors of each contestant prior to the start
of the contest. This shall include the correct insertion of a mouthpiece. He
shall determine that the gloves have not been "broken" nor the padding over the
knuckles removed or disturbed. In case the padding over the striking part of
the gloves shows evidence of having been disturbed other than through actual
use, he may order the glove or gloves removed and new gloves substituted.
The referee may also inspect the bandages of contestants and
each contestant may be permitted to inspect the bandages of his opponent. The
purpose of the bandages is to protect the hand and not to add force to a
blow.
(49) Referees shall
not permit unfair practices that may cause injury to a contestant. Referees
shall be held strictly liable for enforcing these rules.
RULES FOR JUDGES
(50) To participate as JUDGE in an amateur
boxing contest in Vermont, you must be licensed by the Vermont Boxing Control
Board. You may obtain a license from the Vermont Boxing Control Board. Write to
the Division of Licensing and Registration, Office of the Secretary of State,
109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602. No fee is charged for the license.
All judges shall be appointed by the Board as capable of judging
bouts.
(51) At every boxing contest
there shall be in attendance two or more duly licensed judges.
(52) The judges shall familiarize themselves
with the Vermont Statutes and the Rules and Regulations of the Board related to
boxing. Particular attention should be given to Rule 12 describing the point
system and its application.
(53) No
active boxer, manager, promoter, or second shall hold a license as a
judge.
(54) After notification by
the referee of a penalty imposed for a foul, at the end of the round each judge
shall follow the instructions of the referee in deducting one or more points
from the score in the space provided for that round.
(55) When a contestant fails to answer the
bell for a round "coming up", his opponent shall be credited with a "T.K.O." in
the round that is "coming up" and not in the preceding round that has been
fought.
(56) Judges shall not
confer with each other during the contests, nor express in any way to anyone
their opinions as to the winner, except by final written vote.
RULES FOR PHYSICIANS
(57) Within ten hours before each contest,
the PHYSICIAN shall examine each contestant, and shall report the condition of
each contestant. If, in his opinion, the condition of any contestant is not
favorable, he shall notify the promoter at once, and shall so report to the
Board.
(58) It shall be the duty of
the physician to remain at the scene of the contest until he has ascertained
that no serious injuries have been received by any contestant, or until such
injuries have been given attention. All injuries shall be reported by the
physician to the Vermont Boxing Control Board, Division of Licensing and
Registration, Office of the Secretary of State, 109 State Street, Montpelier,
Vermont 05602.
(59) Among other
things, the physician shall provide himself with a stethoscope, manometer,
sterile syringe with medication for relieving pain, alcohol, cotton, gauze, ice
bag, and aromatic ammonia (capsules).
(60) No contestant shall be allowed to engage
in any boxing contest if the following conditions be found by the physician:
(a) Any hernia, or bubonocele;
(b) Organic heart murmurs;
(c) Active pulmonary lesions;
(d) Temperature over 98.8;
(e) Systolic pressure over 150;
(f) Infectious skin lesion, such as boils or
infected wounds;
(g) Recent wounds,
especially on face and ears;
(h)
Hand injuries, and fractures less than six weeks old, if, in the physician's
opinion, the injury would be detrimental;
(i) Use of narcotics, drugs, stimulants,
depressants, or analgesics of any description;
(j) Any other medical reason deemed
sufficient by the physician.
RULES FOR TIMEKEEPERS
(61) TIMEKEEPERS shall be responsible for
each round being of exactly equal duration as announced before the contest,
with rest periods of one minute's duration. Timekeepers shall not leave the
gong until the completion of a contest. The call "Get Ready" shall be given ten
seconds before the round starts.
(62) When a contestant is knocked down and if
the round ends before the count is completed, the timekeeper shall indicate the
end of the round in accordance with Rule 43 of the Rules for Referees.
RULES FOR KNOCK-DOWN TIMEKEEPERS
(63) When one of the contestants is knocked
down and takes the count, the KNOCK-DOWN TIMEKEEPER shall start the
split-second hand with the first count of the referee. The timekeeper shall
toll the count in a standing position and in a clear voice, causing his hand to
go up and down with the count. The referee shall make similar motions in unison
with the timekeeper until the contestant rises or the expiration of the count
of ten, which should be equivalent to a period of ten seconds. If there is
variation between the two officials, the knock-down timekeeper shall announce
the expiration of the ten seconds, which shall be considered official. In case
the round ends before the ten seconds are completed, the timekeeper shall
indicate the end of the round in accordance with Rule 43 of the Rules for
Referees.
(64) If the contestant
who is knocked down rises during the count, the knock-down timekeeper shall
continue to count to "8" with the referee. This is the mandatory "8" count.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CONDITION
(65) The Board may deny, revoke, or suspend
the license of any boxer because of his physical or mental condition. For the
purpose of this rule, the Board shall be deemed to have acted properly if the
Board shall by personal observation, medical reports, psychological reports,
past records, or from other information bearing on his physical or mental
condition, determine that it would be injurious to the boxer's physical or
mental health to participate in a boxing contest. At the boxer's expense the
Board may demand a complete physical examination consisting of an EKG, Stress
Test, KAT scan, X-ray, blood and urine tests. Each boxer must complete a
medical information history both mental and physical.
If the Board suspends or revokes a license and such suspension
or revocation could extend from a period of time in excess of 30 days. The
boxer may request a hearing before the Board and offer what evidence he shall
have bearing on his physical or mental condition. If, after a hearing, the
Board is satisfied that the disqualifying condition does exist and is expected
to persist, it may indefinitely suspend, revoke, or deny a license to the
boxer. Any such decision of the Board may be appealed to the Appeals Panel
within 30 days.
In the event that any commissioner shall observe or have notice
of any such physical or mental condition existing within 10 hours of any
scheduled bout, the commissioner shall have the authority to suspend
immediately the boxer's license for a 48-hour period. If the Board fails to
affirm such suspension, the suspension shall expire after the 48-hour period
has elapsed.
