Referee panel wants to standardize muaythai rules
Written by Varut
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Thailand’s newly formed panel of muaythai referees is looking to standardize the rules of the sport in response to Lumpini Stadium’s decision to change its rules to limit excessive grabbling and kneeing, saying all the stadiums must apply the same set of rules if they want to promote the sport to the international level.
The representatives from seven of Thailand’s leading stadiums, as well as former muaythai fighter Colonel Boonsong Kerdmanee who chairs the panel, were convened to the first panel meeting on August 20 at the Sports Authority of Thailand.
The Lumpini Stadium representative explained to the meeting participants of the stadium’s recent decision to prohibit certain grabbling techniques that were seen as counteractive such as grabbling at the waist level, saying studies have shown that the curb on long kneeing sessions would allow the fight to be more exciting while reducing the foul by the fighters.
The other stadiums, as well as Boonsong, however, believe that there should not be rules against the grabbling and kneeing but the referees should apply their individual judgment and separate the fighters from grabbling if none of them are attempting to strike.
They praised the progressive Lumpini for daring to make change to improve the sport, which has influenced the referees at the other stadiums to split the fighters faster, but they expressed concerns that the stadiums are now applying different standards due to Lumpini’s rule reform.
They said the stadiums must apply the same standard if the sport would be popularized at the international level.
The panel members have agreed to wait for the result of the Lumpini Stadium’s seminar scheduled on September 1, which may involve discussion on the grabbling subject.
The panel is also looking to consider various issues in its future meetings, including certain actions of the fighter that may be considered foul and the scenario when both fighters were down at the same time.
The panel said once the members have reached agreements it would publish their decisions and conduct training sessions for referees.
The referee panel, officially named the “Subcommittee to Control Practice and Duty of Referees of Boxing Sport”, was established on July 23 by Thailand’s Board of Boxing Sport.
Source: Siam Sport
