Hi Ryan

To an extent your question has been answered on a previous thread. So part of this response has been cut and pasted from a previous post I made some time ago. I will respond in three sections: a) what is a legal takedown/throw and what is not? b) Do legal takedowns/throws score or not? c) What can a referee can do about illegal throws and takedowns?


What’s legal and what’s not?
First a mention Whether you use the word throw or take-down doesn’t really matter as long as you able to define what it involves; certain throws or take-downs are legal and others are not. The written rules, or at least the English translations of the rules, in my experience, are not necessarily as comprehensively detailed or as clearly translated as they might be. However, here are some rules associated with fouls associated with throwing techniques, from a variety of prominent Thai governing bodies, Amateur and Professional:

The World MuayThai Council Rules (WMC, 1995) do not explicitly mention throws as being illegal. In section 18, which is the section that outlines foul and strikes violating the rules, rule 18.2 only suggests “wrestling, back or arm locks or any similar judo or wrestling hold” are illegal. However, in the Board of Boxing Sport Rules (Sport Authority of Thailand, 2002) rule 16.2 (English translation) states that, “throwing, back breaking, locking opponent’s arms, using Judo and wrestling techniques” are all violations of the rules. The Amateur MuayThai Association of Thailand, the Federation of Amateur MuayThai of Asia, and the International Federation of MuayThai Amateur’s rules for Amateur MuayThai competition 17 b 2 suggests that “a throw on an opponent, a back breaking manoeuvre, an intentional fall over, a judo or wrestling throw to an opponent” are fouls.

By reading the rules highlighted above, the situation may appear confusing, particularly if you only have the written rules to inform an opinion you might hold. Which methods of putting an opponent on the canvas are legal and which are illegal are clear cut to professional referees, trainers, fighters and the betting public in Thailand, even if they are not clearly explained in official rules.

The following “judo and wrestling” moves are fouls (Board of Boxing Sport, 2002):

a) A boxer wraps his leg around the leg of their opponent from the inside or the outside and forces their opponent to the floor.
b) A boxer locks an opponent’s neck and executes a hip to shoulder or hip throw
c) A boxer grabs their opponent’s hip in a waist lock and throws using a hip throw
d) A boxer grabs an opponent’s arm, turns and uses their calf and back of their thigh (hamstring muscle group) to sweep an opponent’s legs from under them.
e) A boxer grabs an opponent and falls backward to throw their opponent
f) A boxer attempts a rugby style tackle on the legs and waist of an opponent
g) A boxer grabs their opponent’s waist from behind, then, placing a leg between their opponent’s legs, pulls their opponent backwards over their leg and hip
h) A boxer grabs their opponent from below the waist, lifting and throwing
i) A boxer catches their opponent’s leg and uses their other arm to push them off balance while taking more than two steps forwards
j) A boxer catches their opponent’s leg and uses their calf muscle to trip/sweep an opponent off their feet
k) A boxer ankle trips their opponent
l) A boxer leg sweeps their opponent using the calf or inside of their foot
m) A boxer traps their opponent’s arms in a waist lock, lifts their opponent and throws
n) A boxer grabs an opponent from behind, lifts and throws
o) A boxer grabs around an opponent’s lower spine and hyper-extends their back in a “back breaking” move

These are possibly better illustrated visually so I have attached some illustrations used to identify illegal techniques at the Board of Boxing Sport MuayThai Training course for Judges and referees. These can be found on the thread “do throws score?”

It is my understanding that there are two reasons certain throws are illegal, the first reason is safety, some throws offer the possibility of lasting or permanent damage (cuts from an elbow heal relatively quickly). Other throws are excluded because they are considered to be techniques from other martial arts and not MuayThai. This last point is a contentious issue, some trainers in Thailand feel that the art of MuayThai is being eroded and more and more techniques are being taken away by the rules. For example, Kon Khun Yak Pa Nang is a traditional technique that involves a hip throw, MuayThai not judo.


Do legal takedowns/throws score or not?
I will try to illustrate the extent to which throws/takedowns can score by using three categories: excellent scoring techniques involving a throw/take-down, good scoring techniques involving a throw/take-down and the general influence of throwing techniques on scoring.

Excellent scoring technique involving a throw: a) a legal ‘throw ‘ or ‘take-down’ technique that is followed by a strong technique. This is an excellent score and as Liam mentioned earlier the boxer being unbalanced or thrown doesn't actually have to land on the canvas for it to score well either.

Excellent scoring technique; b)when a boxer catches their opponent's leg and kicks them over. If the boxer uses the top of their foot or shin this is legal, if they use the side of their foot or back of their calf muscle it's a foul.

Good scoring technique involving a throw a) a legal ‘throw ‘ or ‘take-down’ technique that is followed by a strong technique but one where the technique misses due to an unbalanced boxer falling to the floor before the technique lands. This scores well but not as well the example given above when the technique actually makes contact.

c) General influence of throwing techniques on scoring. With no follow-up technique, legal throws/takedown only score in the sense they show who is stronger to the judges. This is particularly the case if one boxer continually throws their opponent and they can’t counter the technique. Boxers always attempt to land on top of their opponent to show judges they are the stronger boxer; something that is important in MuayThai.

What can a referee can do about illegal throws and takedowns?
Referees can and should do all they can to prevent fouls and the possibility of serious injury when boxers use them or attempt to use them. If a referee is able to anticipate a hip throw for example, they should try to use their weight to prevent the hip throw being completed. After every foul throw or takedown, referees should make it clear to the boxer it was a foul and not to do it again. If they do commit a similar foul again they should be cautioned, if they still persist they should be warned and depending on the severity of the infringement, possibly have points deducted. Judges should also watch for foul throws and take-downs and use this in considering their fight decisions. Finally it is worth noting that if a boxer is unable to carry on in the fight as a result of an illegal technique such as a hip throw, the boxer who committed the foul should be disqualified. I personally have disqualified boxers for using hip throws.

Hope this helps