Tournament Politics ?

Tiger1962 · Yellow Belt

Have you ever experienced tournament politics? For example, when one of the judges has a student of theirs (or friend) competing in their ring? First of all, I don't believe someone should be allowed to judge someone from their own martial arts school in a tournament setting. Case in point: I was at a tournament observing and due to lack of attendance, there was only 3 competitors in one particular ring - all equal age and gender. One was a higher ranking competitor (normally similar ranks compete together, but on occasion, divisions are combined). The other 2 competitors were of equal rank.

The first peer competed and blanked out in the middle of his form. He came to attention, bowed, and the center judge told him to take up where he blanked out. The second peer did his form prior and did it without error. But the competitor who blanked out ended up coming in second place! I saw that he knew the judges and was joking with them prior to the competition and is from the same school.

Why didn't the competitor who blanked out, come in third? Isn't that an automatic point deduction ? Do you suspect politics were involved?

bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

Politics may have played a role here. I agree with what you are saying.

In tournaments that I have been to, I have seen in combined rank divisions where those doing a lower ranked form (say 1st degrees competing with 2nds) get snided a bit, because their form is "easier." So, the higher ranks, even if their form doesn't look as good, get placed higher. Some would call it a level of difficulty thing, but I think it is bogus. If a 1st dan's form looks better, then give it to them.
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pittbullJudoka · KF Sempai

The lasttourney I competed in I new going intomy seconod fight I was in trouble when I noticed all three judges were from the same school as the guy Iwas about to fight. And the center judge called the guy by name before the fight started. It was a long fight he out scored me at first with some bad calls on the center judge calling very clearly blocked attacks as points. I surprisingly made up the gap and won in over time. I actually talked to the guy after the fight and he was disappointed in his buddies from his dojo because of them trying to get him a win.

marmaduke · Yellow Belt

I had it happen to my son several times.

First school he was at, he got as far as Blue Belt before we started having problems with the instructor. As soon as the contract expired, we left and went to another Dojo (Luckly it was the same style).

Everytime he goes to one state tournament, the instructor from the first school is always there judging the events. Whenever my son gets her for a judge, you can be guaranteed he gets the lowest score. Even though the other judges give him higher scores.

And the reverse can be said about her students. No matter how badly they do a Kata, she always ranks them high.

With the amount of judges just walking around, they should be able to find judges who are not related to the students for fair judging.

Tiger1962 · Yellow Belt

Wow, thanks folks, at least you made me realize that I wasn't hallucinating by what I saw. So, I see this happens often at other dojangs/dojos as well.

Patrick · KF Administrator

Yep, this sort of thing happens in all areas of life. For anyone who has played little league baseball, the phrase "coach's son" may cause a similar reaction.

Not every coach is guilty of showing that sort of favoritism, though.
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DWx · KF Sensei

It happens. People may be a Maist but it doesn't mean they are going to be honest and fair. In the tournies I usually go to there are around 3 or 5 judges and they are rarely from the same school. The way we do it is to have to competitors up at once, winner goes through to the next round. The judges have to show everyone who they've voted for so bias is sort of avoided that way..

If that particular tourny you were at did like a winner goes through style of competition, it may be that the person who came second had a by through the first round. That way even though they lost they lost in the final so got a silver?
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NewEnglands_KyoSa · Pre-Black Belt

yes i've dealt with it before i was at a tourney sponsored by a uechi ryu master and i was in a fight with another girl and she was of uechi ryu style and i was of tang soo do style. now it is common knowledge that uechi isnt known for its point sparring or high kicks while tang soo do is, so i was automatically put at an advantage. well its safe to say that all 5 judges were from that uechi ryu organization and they all watched me literally kick the girl in the stomach and face and managed to call a point her way. and then they made up some magical rule as to why they gave her a point for hitting me WHILE i was out of bounds. tell me how that works? i clearly won the fight, she legititmately had ONE point and the rest were made up. it was rediculous and i was furious. but thats politics at its best right there. don't worry about it, just do what you can, i took my piece of crap trophie and i never came back to that tournament ever again, and i do not intend on sending my students there either. welcome to the world of martial arts...it wreaks of politics...

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The BB of C · KF Sempai

At least I can be confident that if I ever host a tournament, there will be no such things. Even if the students are from my school. If they do bad, they'll get a bad score and vice-versa.
Martial arts politics are disgusting.
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bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

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