Who judges a wushu taolu competition?
A · Advanced · Results and disputes · 5 of 6Each mat has a panel of 13 for events with a degree of difficulty: a head judge, an assistant head judge, three group A judges for quality, five group B judges for performance and three group C judges for difficulty. A chief referee oversees all the panels and cannot change the rules.
How it works
- Group A, three judges: quality of movements.
- Group B, five judges: overall performance.
- Group C, three judges: degree of difficulty.
- Head judge: makes the deductions for time and choreography and awards bonus points for approved new techniques.
- Assistant head judge: checks the routine's content and choreography against the requirements and checks its duration.
- Chief referee: leads all officials, explains the rules "but may not alter them", may replace judges and announces results.
- Events without difficulty: a panel of 10, with no group C.
- Seating: the groups are spread around the mat, so each group sees the routine from several sides.
- Independence: judges mark independently and free from conflicts of interest.
The glossary has the judge groups, the head judge deductions, the quality of movements, the overall performance, the degree of difficulty and the appeal.
Tricky cases
Can the chief referee overrule a score?
No. The chief referee supervises the officials and reviews and announces results. Changing a result is for the jury of appeals, on an appeal.
Who takes points off for a routine that runs over time?
The head judge.
A coach shouts at the judges after a score. What can be done?
The chief referee may issue a warning. If it continues, the matter can go to the supervisory commission, which may cancel competition results.
Can a judge be removed during a competition?
Yes. The chief referee may replace judges if necessary and may take disciplinary action against a judge who has made serious errors.
Why the rule exists
Spreading eleven judges around the mat means an error hidden from one side is seen from another. Giving the head judge only the countable deductions, and the chief referee no vote on scores, keeps the people with the most authority away from the marks themselves.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Events with degree of difficulty | 13 on the panel | Taolu Rules Art. 45 |
| Events without, duilian and jiti | 10 on the panel | Taolu Rules Art. 45 |
| No electronic scoring system | A score recorder sits beside the head judge | Taolu Rules Art. 42; 45 |
| Sanda | A platform judge on the platform and sideline judges around it | See the sanda set |
From the rule book
International Wushu Federation, Wushu Taolu Competition Rules and Judging Methods (2024), Articles 42, 45 and 46, and the Judging Methods, Chapter 11, Section 2. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: Wushu Taolu Competition Rules and Judging Methods (2024) (PDF, Chinese and English).