What is not allowed in sumo?

I · Intermediate · The bout · 2 of 4

Checked 15 October 2026

Sumo bans closed-fist punches, finger pokes, kicks to the chest or stomach, hair pulling, gripping the throat, bending back fingers, biting and grabbing the front of the mawashi. The offender can lose. The judges can also rule a loss for an injury that stops the bout, a front pouch coming undone or failing to appear.

How it works

Fist punches: banned.
Finger pokes: banned.
Kicks to the body: banned.
Hair pulling: banned.
Throat grip: banned.
Fingers bent back: banned.
Loss by injury: judges decide.
Belt pouch undone: loss.

The glossary has the kinjite, the loss by rule, the mawashi, the gyoji, the shimpan and the bout.

Tricky cases

Is an open-hand slap allowed?

Open-hand thrusts are; a slap to the face with a stretched arm is banned in IFS rules.

A wrestler fails to appear after two calls. Result?

A loss.

Does a loose belt stop the bout?

The gyoji may stop it with "Matta" to retie it.

Who decides a loss by rule?

The judges, after conferring.

Why the rule exists

Banning strikes and grabs keeps sumo a contest of pushing and throwing.

Where it differs

Where	What changes	Source
Prohibited	Loss	I 15
Pouch undone	Loss	I 14
No-show	Loss	I 13

From the rule book

International Sumo Federation, Regulations on Refereeing (in force 6 September 2024), Articles 13 to 15. Checked 15 October 2026. Official documents: JSA Sumo booklet and IFS Regulations on Refereeing 2024.