What do sanda fighters wear?
Officials' detail · The bout · 1 of 1One fighter wears red and the other blue: shorts and a vest in the same colour, with gloves, a head guard, a chest protector and a gum guard. The gear must be the kind approved by the international federation. Fighting without it, or letting it come off, is a technical foul.
How it works
- Colours: red or blue. Each fighter brings one set of each.
- Clothing: sanda shorts and a vest, for men and for women.
- Covered option: a long-sleeved top, headscarf and full-length trousers in the same colour are permitted, in flexible material that is not slippery.
- Protective gear: as specified in the 2017 sanda rules. The slides name gloves, the head protector, the chest protector and the gum guard.
- Missing gear: a technical foul. The bout continues once it is put on.
- Gloves: the knot goes on the back of the hand and is taped.
- A glove falls off: treated as loosening the gear on purpose, which is a technical foul.
- Juniors: must also wear instep protectors.
- Extra soft padding: knee pads, ankle pads or bandages for an injury need the medical supervisor's confirmation.
- Clothing that does not conform: the jury of appeals may refuse the fighter entry.
The glossary has the protective gear, sanda, the admonition and warning, the bout, the sanda officials and the leitai.
Tricky cases
A fighter's glove comes off by accident in a scramble. Is that still a foul?
Yes. Once the fighters are on the platform, "whenever their gloves fall off, it will be deemed as loosing the protective gear intentionally".
A fighter comes onto the platform without a gum guard. What happens?
It is a technical foul. Having to leave and fetch it after the platform judge points it out also counts as delaying the fight.
Can a fighter wear a knee support?
Only for an injury, and only if the medical supervisor confirms it.
Can a fighter spit out the gum guard to breathe more easily?
No. Spitting out the gum guard is a technical foul.
Why the rule exists
Sanda allows full-power kicks to the head and body, so the amateur sport pads the places that take them. The two colours let five judges round a platform tell at once who landed what. Treating a lost glove as a foul removes any gain from a bare-knuckle moment.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Standard clothing | Shorts and vest in red or blue | Sanda Rules, General Regulations (slide 16) |
| Covered clothing | Long sleeves, headscarf and full-length trousers allowed | Sanda Rules, General Regulations (slides 19 and 20) |
| Juniors | Instep protectors as well | Sanda Rules, General Regulations (slide 21) |
| Professional sanda events | Often fought without head guard or chest protector | C; not in these rules |
From the rule book
International Wushu Federation, Sanda Rules and Judging Methods (2017 rules, as set out in the federation's 2023 judges' training course slides), General Regulations (clothing and protective gear) and Fouls and Penalties (Article 6). Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's Sanda Competition Rules and Judging Methods (not saved; a training copy was used).