Fouls are disciplinary or technical infractions addressed in the rules that are committed by athletes before, during, or after a match (Article 6). Penalties escalate with each offense and can result in disqualification.

Disciplinary Penalties (Article 6.1)

Disciplinary penalties result in immediate disqualification from the match and the entire competition. These are the most severe behavioral infractions:

• 6.1.1 — When an athlete directs profane language or obscene gestures at his/her opponent, the center table, table officials, referee, or public, prior to, before, or after a match
• 6.1.2 — When an athlete exhibits hostile behavior towards an opponent, referee, or any other member of the organizing committee or public, prior to, before, or after a match
• 6.1.3 — When an athlete bites, pulls hair, strikes, or applies pressure to the genitals or eyes, or intentionally uses a traumatic blow of any kind (such as punches, elbows, knees, head butts, kicks, etc.)
• 6.1.4 — When an athlete exhibits offensive or disrespectful behavior towards an opponent or the public through words or gestures during a match or in celebrating victory
• 6.1.5 — When one or both of the athlete’s disregard the seriousness of the competition or perform actions simulating a fake combat
• 6.1.6 — When the athlete exhibits attitudes considered incompatible with the competition environment, or commits any other misconduct or delict, even if it is carried out prior to or following the match

Lack of Combativeness / Stalling (Article 6.2.1)

Lack of combativeness (stalling) is classified similarly to serious penalties and follows the same escalating penalty sequence. It is defined as one athlete clearly not pursuing positional progression in a match.

6.2.1 A) — Lack of combativeness (stalling) is defined by one athlete clearly not pursuing positional progression in a match.

6.2.1 B) — When neither athlete demonstrates combativeness simultaneously during a combat situation.

Both athletes pull guard (6.2.1 C)

Even if the athletes are moving, when both athletes pull guard at the same time, the referee will start a 20-second countdown. If at the end of this 20-second countdown one of the athletes does not reach the top position, does not have a submission in hold, or is not imminently completing a point-scoring move, the referee will stop the fight and give a penalty to both athletes. In this situation, the referee will restart the combat in standing position.

NOT considered stalling

• 6.2.1 D) — Defending from an opponent’s attacks from mount, back-control, side-control, or north-south positions
• 6.2.1 E) — Being in mount or back position, as long as the characteristics of the technical position are respected

50/50 guard rule (6.2.1 F)

If an athlete is in the 50/50 guard position and grips the lapel or the belt of their opponent, the athlete will have 20 seconds to pursue positional progression before receiving a penalty for lack of combativeness, as described in rule 6.2.1. An athlete will receive a penalty, as described in rule 7.3.1, if positional progression has not been achieved after 20 (twenty) seconds, regardless of intention.

Examples of stalling

• When an athlete, upon achieving side-control or north-south positions over an opponent, does not seek positional progression
• When an athlete in an opponent’s closed guard does not seek to pass guard and at the same time prevents the opponent from seeking positional progression from guard
• When the bottom athlete playing closed guard wraps his/her arms around the opponent’s back or performs any other controlling movement clutching the opponent without intending to achieve a submission or score
• When an athlete on foot grabs and maintains his/her hand on the opponent’s belt, preventing the opponent from completing a takedown movement and without attempting an attack of any kind

These examples are illustrative and do not represent all situations that may be deemed lack of combativeness.

Serious Fouls (Article 6.2.2)

Serious fouls follow the escalating penalty sequence: 1st penalty mark, 2nd advantage to opponent, 3rd two points to opponent, 4th disqualification (see Article 7.2).

• A) When the athlete kneels or sits (remaining in the position) or pulls guard, without the establishment of a grip
• B) When a standing athlete flees the bounds of the match area, avoiding combat with the opponent
• C) When a standing athlete pushes his/her opponent to outside the match area without clear intent of attempting a submission or scoring
• D) When an athlete on the ground evades combat by sliding his/herself outside the match area
• E) When an athlete on the ground stands to escape combat and does not return to combat on the ground
• F) When an athlete breaks the grip of the opponent pulling guard and does not return to combat on the ground
• G) When an athlete intentionally removes his/her own Gi or belt, causing the match to be stopped
• H) When an athlete grabs the opening of the opponent’s sleeve or pant leg with the fingers placed inside the garment, even if performing a sweep or any other maneuver
• I) When an athlete grabs the inside of the opponent’s Gi top or pants, when they step inside the Gi jacket, and when an athlete passes a hand through the inside of the opponent’s Gi to grip the external part of the gi
• J) When an athlete communicates with someone, orally or through gestures, in a manner that contradicts a decision made by the referee
• K) When an athlete disobeys a referee order
• L) When an athlete exits the mat area after a match but before the referee has announced the result
• M) When the athlete deliberately runs away from the fight area to avoid an inferior position or consolidation of the opponent’s score

Note on item M: Exclusively in this case, the referee must mark the athlete who fled the match area with a penalty AND award their opponent with 2 points on the scoreboard. The marked penalty must follow the sequence of penalties.

• N) For Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi, when an athlete grabs hold of his/her uniform or that of his/her opponent in any way
• O) When an athlete places a hand or foot on his/her opponent’s face
• P) When an athlete intentionally places his/her foot in his/her opponent’s belt
• Q) When the athlete purposely places his/her foot on the lapel of his/her opponent’s Gi without having a hand grip to provide traction for his/her foot
• R) When an athlete places a foot in the lapel behind the opponent’s neck, with or without gripping it
• S) When an athlete uses his/her own belt or the opponent’s belt to assist in a choke or any other circumstance in a match while the belt is untied
• T) When an athlete takes more than 20 seconds to re-adjust their uniform, they shall be penalized in a consecutive manner (20 seconds for Gi top and belt, 20 seconds for identification belt, and 20 seconds for tying the drawstring of the pants, when necessary)
• U) When an athlete runs around the match area and does not engage in the combat
• V) When an athlete unintentionally reacts in a way that places his/her opponent in an illegal position
• W) When, in the under-15-year-old division (for all belts) and in all white belt age groups, an athlete jumps for closed guard on a standing opponent, including any and all attacks initiated by jumping guard, such as but not limited to Flying Triangles and Flying Armbars. When such moves occur, the referee will stand both athletes up again

Note on item W: Should one athlete be defending an attempted takedown or sweep and jump guard, the punishment shall include 2 points being awarded to the opponent.

• X) When an athlete during a match or celebrating victory before being announced as the winner exhibits attitudes not appropriate for the competition environment, but does not qualify as a disciplinary penalty as described in item 6.1

Example: Gestures or exercises meant to suggest physical superiority, dances, or attitudes meant to ridicule within a sporting context.

Severe Fouls (Article 6.2.3)

Severe fouls result in immediate disqualification. There are two types:

• Technical penalties: Summary disqualification from the match at the moment of the infraction
• Disciplinary penalties: Summary disqualification from the match AND the entire competition at the moment of the infraction. If an athlete is disqualified from a gi event and is also signed up for no-gi, they will be disqualified from both events.

The severe fouls are:

• A) When an athlete’s Gi is rendered unusable and he/she is unable to exchange it for a new one within a period of time stipulated by the referee
• B) When an athlete deliberately flees the match area to avoid submitting to a submission hold applied by his/her opponent
• C) When being attacked by a submission hold an athlete commits a penalty that obliges the referee to interrupt the match
• D) When an athlete intentionally attempts to get his or her opponent disqualified by reacting in a way that places his or her opponent in an illegal position
• E) When it comes to a referee’s attention that an athlete is not wearing an undergarment under his or her uniform as outlined in item 8.3.10
• F) When an athlete applies creams, oils, gels, or any slippery substance to any part of the body
• G) When the athlete utilizes any substance that increases the adherence in any part of his/her body
• H) When the athlete utilizes any substance that makes the kimono slippery for the grips
• I) When an athlete strangles his or her opponent without using the gi, with one or both hands around the opponent’s neck, or applies pressure to the opponent’s windpipe using the thumb
• J) When an athlete blocks the passage of air to his/her opponent’s nose or mouth using his/her hands
• K) When the athlete who is defending a single-leg takedown, while the attacker has his head outside the opponent’s body, intentionally projects his attacker to the ground by grabbing his opponent’s belt, to make him hit the floor with the head (picture 25)
• L) The suplex movements that will project or force the opponent’s head or neck into the ground

Obs: The suplex takedown is defined by the attacking athlete lifting the opponent at the waist in order to take him/her down, by throwing him backwards or sideways to the ground. The use of this technique is still permitted provided that the movement does not force the opponent’s head or neck into the ground.

• M) When an athlete applies a hold prohibited for his/her respective division, as indicated in the illegal techniques table

Source: IBJJF Rules Book, June 2024 edition, Article 6.

Penalties are awarded by referees with the aim of assuring the match flows properly and that the rules of the sport and the competition are being respected (Article 7). The penalty system covers three types of infractions: severe fouls, serious fouls, and lack of combativeness.

Severe Penalties (Article 7.1)

Severe fouls result in immediate disqualification. There are two categories:

• Technical Penalties: Summary disqualification from the match at the moment of the infraction. The athlete loses the current match but may continue competing in other brackets.
• Disciplinary Penalties: Summary disqualification from the match and the entire competition at the moment of the infraction. If an athlete is disqualified from a gi event and is also signed up for no-gi, he or she will be disqualified from both events.

Serious Penalties — The 4-Step Escalation (Article 7.2)

Serious fouls follow an escalating penalty system. Each successive infraction carries an increasingly severe consequence:

7.2.1 — Referees shall abide by the following series of penalties:

• 1st PENALTY — The referee will mark the first penalty for the athlete.
• 2nd PENALTY — Advantage point concession to opponent of penalized athlete and second penalty marked on scoreboard for perpetrating athlete.
• 3rd PENALTY — Two points concession to opponent of penalized athlete and third penalty marked on scoreboard for perpetrating athlete.
• 4th PENALTY — Disqualification of perpetrating athlete.

Note: In situations whereby both athletes are penalized for lack of combativeness resulting in a third penalty for each, the match shall be restarted standing.

Cumulative Rule (Article 7.2.2)

7.2.2 — Serious penalties are cumulative between them and different fouls will bring into effect the escalating penalty sequence addressed in clause 7.3.1.

This means that penalties from different types of serious fouls and lack of combativeness stack together. For example, if an athlete receives one penalty for stalling and then one for grabbing inside the sleeve, that counts as two total penalties in the escalation sequence.

Stalling + Serious Fouls Stack (Article 7.2.3)

7.2.3 — If the athlete has already received penalties for lack of combativeness on the scoreboard, these penalties will be added to the penalties for serious fouls.

And vice versa:

7.3.2 — If the athlete has already received penalties for serious fouls on the scoreboard, these penalties will be added to the penalties for lack of combativeness.

Under-15 Exception (Article 7.2.4)

In the under-15-year-old divisions, the escalation system is extended to give younger athletes more chances before disqualification:

7.2.4 — In the under-15-year-old divisions, on an athlete’s fourth and fifth fouls the referee shall award two points to the opponent and one penalty point to the perpetrating athlete for each penalty. Only on the sixth penalty shall the referee disqualify the perpetrating athlete.

Penalties for Lack of Combativeness (Article 7.3)

The penalties for lack of combativeness follow a specific procedure involving a 20-second countdown:

7.3.1 — The penalties for lack of combativeness will follow the sequence below after the referee considers one or both athletes been under the situations described in item 6.2.1:

The referee shall count 20 (twenty) consecutive seconds and, in accordance of 1.4.1, signal lack of combativeness with the verbal command “Lute” (fight), referring to the penalty to be applied to the athlete, in accordance with the sequence described in item 7.2.

The 20-second countdown procedure

1. The referee identifies a stalling situation per Article 6.2.1
2. The referee begins counting 20 consecutive seconds
3. If the athlete does not begin pursuing positional progression within those 20 seconds, the referee signals lack of combativeness
4. The referee points to the athlete’s chest and raises a clenched fist while commanding “LUTE!” (lu-tchee)
5. The penalty is applied according to the escalation sequence in Article 7.2

Both athletes stalling simultaneously

When both athletes pull guard at the same time (6.2.1 C), the referee starts a 20-second countdown. If at the end of the countdown neither athlete has reached top position, has a submission in hold, or is imminently completing a point-scoring move, the referee will:

1. Stop the fight
2. Give a penalty to both athletes
3. Restart the combat in standing position

50/50 guard stalling

If an athlete is in the 50/50 guard position and grips the lapel or belt of their opponent, they have 20 seconds to pursue positional progression before receiving a penalty for lack of combativeness (6.2.1 F).

Source: IBJJF Rules Book, June 2024 edition, Article 7.