Contest time and the final signal
IJF · 2026IJF senior, junior and cadet contests last 4 minutes of actual contest time. Referee stoppages do not use up that fighting time. A technique begun no later than the last second can score if its effective result follows immediately; a technique first applied after the signal cannot score.
The rule
IJF senior, junior and cadet contests last 4 minutes of actual contest time. Referee stoppages do not use up that fighting time. A technique begun no later than the last second can score if its effective result follows immediately; a technique first applied after the signal cannot score.
In practice
A hold-down already announced before time expires may continue beyond the signal until the referee ends it or the scoring condition is reached. Do not release merely because the clock reaches zero. Athletes normally have a right to 10 minutes of rest between contests; authorised event arrangements may increase this.
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