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This website publishes administrative rules on their effective dates, as designated by the adopting state agencies, colleges, and universities.

Chapter 3773-5 | Officials

 
 
 
Rule
Rule 3773-5-01 | Applying for and issuing licenses to ring officials, managers, trainers, seconds, and matchmakers.
 

(A) Any person who desires to participate in any public or private competition that involves the sports of boxing, mixed martial arts, kick boxing, karate, tough man contests or tough person contests, or any other form of boxing or martial arts, as a referee, judge, matchmaker, timekeeper, or as a manager, trainer, or second, shall apply for a license from the commission. Each application shall be accompanied by the license fee prescribed in rules bearing agency level designation 3773 of the Administrative Code. The application shall be signed by the applicant. The commission shall determine the form of the application for each license.

(B) The application shall include the applicant's name, street address, city, state and zip code, date of birth, age, home phone and cell phone numbers. Submit two passport size photos, check type of license applying for and whether new or renewal, make checks payable to the treasurer of the state of Ohio and any other information the commission requires.

(C) (A) All officials: physicians, inspectors, referees, judges, and timekeepers understand that they are independent contractors and are not entitled to any comprehensive benefits provided to state employees. As independent contractors they will be assigned at the discretion of the executive director and commission.

(D) Upon the proper filing of an application for a referee's, judge's, matchmaker's, timekeeper's, manager's, trainer's, or second's license, and payment of the applicable license fee, the commission shall issue the license to the applicant if it determines that the applicant is of good moral character, is not likely to engage in acts detrimental to the fair and honest conduct of the sports regulated by the commission, and is qualified to hold such a license. Each license issued in accordance with this rule shall bear the correct name or assumed name of the licensee, the address of the licensee, the expiration date of the license and an identification number designated by the executive director.

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 3773.34
Amplifies: 3773.34; 3773.41; 3773.42
Five Year Review Date: 11/18/2022
Prior Effective Dates: 8/19/1984, 1/19/2006
Rule 3773-5-02 | Assigning officials for events.
 

The executive director and commission shall assign from among licensed inspectors, physicians, referees, judges, and timekeepers, the officials for any public or private competition that involves the sports of boxing, mixed martial arts, kick boxing, karate, tough man contests or tough person contests, or any other form of boxing or martial arts held under rules bearing agency level 3773 of the Administrative Code. These officials are independent contractors who are employed by the commission and shall be paid by the promoter in accordance with rules bearing agency level 3773 of the Administrative Code. The commission shall determine the method of payment to these officials and advise the promoter of the determination. The payment for the officials must be given to the inspector or commission representative prior to the start of the event. Possessing a valid Ohio license does not guarantee an official they will be assigned to work at any scheduled events.

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 3773.34
Amplifies: 3773.34; 3773.42; 3773.45
Five Year Review Date: 11/17/2022
Prior Effective Dates: 1/19/2006
Rule 3773-5-03 | Qualifications for referees.
 

(A) A person shall not be determined to possess the knowledge and experience necessary to qualify them to hold a referee's license unless all of the following conditions are met:

(1) They are at least twenty-one years of age;

(2) They have experience as an amateur or professional referee; or have been evaluated by the executive director, inspector or person delegated by the commission.

(3) They have a current Ohio license to referee.

(B) The referee shall be examined by the ringside physician before refereeing any event. The results of such exam shall be on forms provided by the commission.

(C) The commission or executive director may grant a license to an applicant who holds a valid license from another organization that regulates the sports of boxing, mixed martial arts kick boxing, karate, tough man contests or tough person contests, or any other form of boxing or martial arts.

(D) All officials are assigned by the athletic commission. Possessing a valid Ohio license does not guarantee an official they will be assigned to work at any scheduled events.

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 3773.34
Amplifies: 3773.42
Five Year Review Date: 8/18/2022
Prior Effective Dates: 1/19/2006
Rule 3773-5-04 | Authority and apparel of the referee.
 

(A) No promoter shall conduct a boxing, mixed martial arts, kick boxing, karate, tough man contest or tough person contest, or any other form of boxing or martial arts unless a licensed referee assigned by the commission and paid by the promoter is present. The referee shall direct and control the bout. Before each bout, the referee shall obtain from each contestant the name of his chief second responsible for the conduct of any assistant seconds.

(B) The apparel for all boxing referees shall be: dark trousers with blue shirt and black bow tie. The referee's shoes shall be black and the athletic type that allows for good footing on the canvas floor of the ring. Referees for title bouts may wear the assigned uniform of the sanctioning body.

(C) The apparel for all mixed martial arts referees shall be: dark trousers or coaching pants with a black pull over shirt with a collar. The referees shoes shall be black and the athletic type that allows for good footing of the ring. Referees for title bouts may wear the assigned uniform of the championship body.

(D) The referee's jurisdication begins when they enter the ring or cage and it ends when the leave the ring or cage.

(E) All referees are independent contractors and possessing a current Ohio license does not guarantee that a referee will be assigned to any event.

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 3773.34
Amplifies: 3773.34, 3773.45
Five Year Review Date: 8/1/2024
Prior Effective Dates: 8/19/1984, 4/18/2009
Rule 3773-5-05 | Authority of judges.
 

No promoter shall conduct a boxing, mixed martial arts, kick boxing, karate, tough man contest or tough person contest, or any other form of boxing or martial arts unless a minimum of three licensed judges assigned by the commission and paid by the promoter are present. Each judge shall render a decision at the end of each round of each bout, the scorecard(s) shall be given to the referee at the end of each round, and at the end of the final round of an amateur mixed martial arts event, who shall turn them into the inspector assigned to the event. The judges shall determine the outcome of the bout, and their decision shall be final. All judges are independent contractors and possessing a current Ohio license does not guarantee that a judge will be assigned to any event.

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 3773.34
Amplifies: 3773.45
Five Year Review Date: 3/22/2024
Prior Effective Dates: 1/19/2006, 4/18/2009
Rule 3773-5-06 | Authority of inspectors.
 

(A) The commission shall assign inspectors to attend each boxing, kick boxing, mixed martial arts, karate, tough man contests or tough person contests, or any other form of boxing or martial arts held under a permit issued under rules bearing agency level 3773 of the Administrative Code. One inspector an assistant inspector and two ringside inspectors may be assigned to any one facility for any one event. A second assistant inspector may be assigned when deemed necessary. Any member of the commission may be assigned as an inspector and shall be paid as provided in rules bearing agency level 3773 of the Administrative Code. The compensation for the inspector(s) attending the event and their actual and necessary travel expense shall be paid by the promoter of the event.

(B) The inspector shall obtain box office statements or a ticket manifest, invoices from the printer from the promoter conducting the event and submit them to the executive director. The inspector shall have complete access to any books, records, and papers pertaining to the event.

(C) The inspector or commission representative assigned as an inspector may order a prize, remuneration, purse, or any part withheld from a contestant if they believe the contestant did not compete to the best of their ability or the contestant has failed any initial drug test administered by the commission representative. The inspector shall file this report with the executive director who will notify the commission at the next regularly scheduled meeting. The commission shall hold a hearing under Chapter 119.03 of the Revised Code and issue a final order within thirty days of the hearing. The contestant shall be notified of these results by registered mail. Any prize, remuneration, purse, or part that the contestant otherwise would have received shall be paid to the commission and shall become the property of the state. The contestant must file any appeal within fifteen days of the date the notification letter was sent.

(D) If the commission finds that a contestant did not compete to the best of their ability it may revoke the contestant's license.

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 3773.34
Amplifies: 3773.52
Five Year Review Date: 8/18/2022
Prior Effective Dates: 8/19/1984