Article 7 1. When the head judge observes a false tachiai,
he shall raise his right hand immediately and stop the match.
2. In the case of the above the tachiai shall be repeated
immediately.
3. The decision on whether a tachiai was correctly or
incorrectly carried out shall be left to the judgment of the
head judge.
Article 8 With the exception of special rules, the
following determines who is the winner of a match:
(1) The athlete who pushes his opponent out of the
shobu-dawara (rice-bale boundary circle).
(2) The athlete who forces any part of his opponent's body,
other than the soles of his feet, to touch the dohyo.
Article 9 1. When the opposing athlete is in shinitai
(completely lost his center of balance), it is not a loss
even if the following applies:
(1) An athlete touches the dohyo with his hand slightly
before the opposing athlete.
(2) An athlete steps out of the dohyo slightly before the
opposing athlete.
2. Above items (1) and (2) are referred to as kabaite and
kabaiashi respectively.
Article 10 It is okuriashi, which is not a loss, when an
athlete steps out of the dohyo while lifting his opponent out
of the dohyo with his legs suspended in the air and puts him
down outside of the shobu-dawara. However, he loses the match
if he carries out the move by stepping out of the dohyo
backward.
Article 11 It is not a loss, if the orikomi (front fold)
of a mawashi (loincloth belt) touches the dohyo.
Article 12 When a match is won using a throwing technique,
etc., it is not a loss if the instep of the athlete who does
the throwing curls in and touches the dohyo.
Article 13 An athlete may be determined the loser of a
match according to deliberations by the judges, if the
following apply:
(1) If it has been determined that the athlete is no longer
able to continue in the match due to injury.
(2) If it has been determined that the athlete has used
kinjite (prohibited moves).
(3) If the athlete arbitrarily ends a match.
(4) If the judges have determined the athlete did not
jump-off deliberately.
(5) If the athlete does not abide by the judges'
instructions.
(6) If the maebukuro (front pouch part) of a mawashi becomes
loosened and comes off during the match.
(7) If the athlete does not appear in dokyo-damari (waiting
area) after being called twice by the broadcasting staff.
