Kata Requirements & Rules & Regulation Briefing

All competitors must perform a Goju-ryu version Kata or IKO Goju-ryu version Kata from the approved competition list.

Color or Kyu Belt Holder divisions must perform kata in their registration list only.

Black Belt Holder or Dan Holder must perform kata in their registration list only.

General Rules are as follow:-
Kata or Team Kata - Fouls
The following fouls, if apparent, must be considered:
1. Announcing the kata name before "Yoe". Before & after entering the imaginary position/kata arena one must bow.
2. Minor loss of balance.
3. Performing a movement in an incorrect or incomplete manner such as failure to fully execute a block or punching off target.
4. Asynchronous movements, such as delivering a technique before the body transition is completed, or in the case of Team Kata; failing to do a movement in unison.
5. Use of audible cues (from any other person, including other Team members) or theatrics such as stamping the feet, slapping the chest, arms, or "Karate-do Gi", or inappropriate exhalation, must be considered very serious fouls by the Judges in their evaluation of the performance of the Kata – on the same level as one would penalize a temporary loss of balance.
6. Belt coming loose to the extent that it is coming off the hips during the performance.
7. Time wasting, including prolonged marching, excessive bowing, or prolonged pause before starting the performance, including using more than 35 seconds from the name of the Competitor/Team is announced on the monitor until the first technique of the kata.
8. Causing injury by lack of controlled technique during "Bunkai" for team kata.
9. Simulated unconsciousness for more than 2 seconds at the time as part of the "Bunkai" for team kata.

Kata or Team Kata - Disqualification
A Competitor or a Team of Competitors may be disqualified for any of the following reasons:
1. Not announcing the kata name, announcing the wrong kata name – or performing another kata than pre-announced to the official table.
2. Failing to bow at the beginning and completion of the Kata performance.
3. Not starting the Kata facing the phone/ipad/tablet camera is allow for Malaysia Open Virtual Karate-do Karata Competition 2026. For this recording of Kata, we accept 45 degrees angle at the left or right front view or direct front view of facing the phone/ipad/tablet's camera.
4. A distinct pause or stop in the performance.
5. Omitting or adding movements - or otherwise substantially change the performance from its original form.
6. Having to take a corrective step to recover from a total loss of balance or have a fall.
7. Belt falling off during the performance.
8. Exceeding the total time limit of 5 minutes duration for Kata, Kobudo (Weapon) Kata and "Bunkai" for team kata.
9. Performing a scissor takedown technique to the neck area in team kata "Bunkai" - (Jodan Kani Basami)
10. Failure to follow the instructions of the rules & regulation, recording rules & regulation, chief referee/judge or other misconduct (SHIKKAKU).

Excessive celebration and political or religious demonstrations
1. Competitors are expected to respect the ceremony of salutations before and after the performance. Any excessive celebration, such as falling on one’s knees etc., or political or religious expressions, during or immediately after the performance is prohibited.

Kata or Team Kata Winner
Determining the winner of category in individual competition or a Team match using score system. For both individual bouts and Team matches highest score is the winner.
Kata Arena — Terms & Conditions
Malaysia Open Virtual Karate-do Kata Competition — organized by IKO GOJU-RYU KARATE-DO MALAYSIA SDN BHD.
1. Who This Applies To
These terms apply to anyone creating a Kata Arena account — Participants, Referees / Judges, and Admin / Organizer / Participant Support staff — to submit, judge, or manage kata recordings for this competition.
2. Faulty Participant Data
Example: If participant latest rank and certificate are not matched then the participant will be disqualified.
3. Recording & Submission
Participants may record and re-record their kata up to the attempt limit shown in the recorder or buy addition attempt.
Once submitted, a recording is final and cannot be replaced. One submission of recording per category per tier of competition only.
By submitting, you confirm the recording is your own performance, filmed by you or someone you authorized, and you grant the organizer the right to store, play back, and judge it within Kata Arena or organizer's Youtube channel or advertising channel or area for lifetime. The organizer respects the participant recording rights as well.
4. Judging
Each recording is scored by a panel of Referees/Judges assigned by the organizer system randomly (typically 3, 5, or 7 judges per recording). Where 5 or more judges score a recording, the highest and lowest scores are dropped and the remaining scores are averaged for the final result. Referees/Judge may only view and score recordings assigned to them, and scoring decisions are final.
5. Visibility
Every submitted recording is visible to every signed-in into Kata Arena account as soon as it is submitted, listed by kata event in submission order. A recording shows a green status with its total score once every assigned referee/judged has scored it, or a red "Disqualified" status if any one judge gave a Total Score of 0 — no score is shown for a disqualified entry. Referees/Judges see only their own individual score per recording; Participant Support see every referee/judge's individual score only. Official winners and standings are announced separately — see Winners page.
6. Payments
Once payment for a registration or deposit is made, no refund will be given if a participant does not attend to the submission of recording or later decides not to participate or after the deadline still no submission of recording.

7. Conduct
Accounts are personal and may not be shared. The organizer may suspend or remove any account for abusive conduct, attempted score manipulation, or submission of recordings that are not a genuine, edited performance, only recording done through the organizer platform/website/app is allowed..

8. Contact on this competition
Telegram: Kindly join the telegram group as soon as possible as per request by notification or email notification. This because you need to report yourself with passport size photo in telegram for referee/judge to match your recording.
You can get latest announcement, chit-chat with other participants, ask questions to the organizer or get support from the participant support in Telegram group you are entitle to join. The Telegram group is private group, so no others than type of participants is allowed. No invitation or shared link is allowed. If one post misleading or religion or illegal or pornography or negative content, s/he might subject to been kick out of the Telegram group.

Please be reminded that this an international competition, please read all the announcement of the rules & regulation.

Your patient, co-operation in anyway or assistants to others participants & organizer would be greatly appreciated.

Lastly, the organizer would like to wish all type of the participant of this Malaysia Open Kata Competition – All the Best… may all thing goes well & smoothly.

Thank you for you participation & trust.