Can a taekwondo athlete be penalised for not attacking?
I · Intermediate · Penalties · 3 of 7Yes.
How it works
- The offence: "Avoiding or delaying the match".
- The command: after three seconds without action the referee signals "Gong-gyeok".
- After the command: a gam-jeom for both if there is no activity in the next three seconds.
- Backing off: a gam-jeom for the athlete who has moved backwards from the original position in that time.
- Turning away: turning the back and moving away to avoid an attack is penalised.
- Ducking: so is evading by bending below waist level or crouching.
- Running the clock: retreating only to avoid attack and use up time earns a gam-jeom.
- Pretending injury: exaggerating an injury, or showing pain where no blow landed, to get the opponent penalised or to use up time.
- Kit adjustments: asking the referee to stop the contest to adjust protective equipment is a gam-jeom.
- Late in a round: running away or avoiding in the last ten seconds gives the opponent 2 points.
The glossary has gam-jeom, the prohibited acts entry, the referee's commands, the referee, the round and the contest.
Tricky cases
Both athletes wait for the other to move first. Who is penalised?
After three seconds the referee gives the command. If neither acts in the next three seconds, both are given a gam-jeom.
An athlete leading by one point backs away for the final five seconds. What is the cost?
A gam-jeom worth 2 points to the opponent, which would turn the score round.
An athlete clutches their face after a kick that hit the trunk protector. What can the referee do?
Give a gam-jeom for pretending injury. The referee may ask for a video replay first.
An athlete's head protector has slipped. Can they ask the referee to stop?
Not without cost: asking for a stop to adjust protective equipment brings a gam-jeom.
Why the rule exists
An athlete with a lead has every reason to stop fighting. The rule book calls turning the back a lack of "a spirit of fair play" and adds that it may cause serious injury, since a kick may land on a head that is not looking.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Any time | Gam-jeom, 1 point | WT Article 14.4.1.3 |
| Last ten seconds of a round | 2 points | WT Article 12.3.5.1 |
| Team competition | A passive penalty: the opponent's points are doubled for ten seconds | WT Article 22.8.4 |
From the rule book
World Taekwondo, Competition Rules & Interpretation (in force 1 June 2026), Article 14.4.1.3 with Explanation 1 (iii), and Article 21.3.3. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: WT Competition Rules & Interpretation, 1 June 2026 (PDF).