IBJJF Gi Rules & Penalties

The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is a non-profit company that hosts various top-tier Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions in the world. The IBJJF has two six-month schedules to host these competitions. The first six-month schedule takes place from January to June and is reserved exclusively for all gi competitions.

Other competitions that emphasize similar elements of the sport also take place throughout the year. But the most important ones for every competitor are presented each year in the IBJJF’s Gi format.

The world’s biggest jiu-jitsu competitions that are organized in every year’s earlier bracket include:

• World Championship
• European Open Championship
• Pan American Championship
• Abu Dhabi World Pro Championship
• Brazilian Nationals Championship

Athletes from all over the world prepare well for these competitions to enhance their jiu-jitsu skill, experience and success. An important aspect of these preparations includes adhering to the uniform requirements of the hosting organization. IBJJF is well-known for its strict Gi rule set. Athletes comply with these IBJJF rules without fail. They suffer dire consequences otherwise.

Patches and embroidery can only be affixed in the allowed regions of the gi. Patches should be of cotton and properly seamed. Unseamed patches will be removed during gi inspection.

The gi should not exhibit any patches or text that contains offensive slogans, symbols, and phrases

Patches that promote violence and illegal activities will also be removed by the Gi inspector. (8.3.5)

A gi brand tag in the front lower part of the pants is allowed. The tag should not be embroidered. It must be made of a thin fabric and at most 36 . (8.3.6)

Use of footgear, headgear, hairpins, jewelry, or any other hard material that may injure the opponent is forbidden. Use of eye protectors is also not allowed. (8.3.7)

The female athletes are allowed to cover their heads. The headcover should adhere to the following criteria:

• It must be fixed and made of elastic fabric and should cover the neck, ears, and hair like a wetsuit headpiece.
• The cover should be black in color.
• It must not be made of plastic or hard materials.
• It should not have any strings.
• The headcover must be free from all inscriptions and logos.
• IT should not obscure the wearer’s face.

The use of joint protectors is forbidden. This is because these devices increase body volume, making it extremely hard for the opponent to grip the gi (article 8.3.9)

In its rule book, the IBJJF has mentioned severe fouls (article 6.3). These severe fouls are further subdivided into technical and disciplinary fouls.

The two important uniform-related fouls are enunciated in the technical foul category  (article 6.3.2).

It is a severe technical foul when it comes to a referee’s attention that an athlete is not wearing an undergarment under his/her uniform (Gi) as outlined in article 8.3.10.

When an athlete’s gi is rendered unusable by the referee and he/she is unable to exchange it for a new one within a period of time stipulated by the referee.

Article 7.2.2 sheds light on uniform penalties. They result in summary disqualification from the match at the moment of the infraction.

All the above criteria can be daunting. However, it is of the utmost importance to be mindful of these requirements before buying a traditional Gi for IBJJF competitions. It can be a tough decision. But with Elite Sports you won’t have to search for hours for the perfect gi. High-quality and affordable, their preshrunk Gis are IBJJF competitions approved and will keep you safe ensuring your success in every competition.

To put on a quality show of grappling skills an athlete needs to don quality. Made with care and in accordance with IBJJF uniform rules, Elite Sports never fails to design and provide durable and comfortable jiu-jitsu gis for men. Try it, you will feel ready to take on any challenge that life and your opponents throw at you.

The IBJJF jiu-jitsu competitions have seen a surge of women athletes in the past few years. To meet the demands of training and real-life grappling bouts one cannot do without a comfortable and secure gi. Elite Sports strives to empower the women of jiu-jitsu world by crafting high-quality combat uniforms that meet the rules of IBJJF.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu caters to the defense needs of every individual may it be a child or an adult. BJJ is not just a sport. It is a way of life with its character-building principles and survival techniques. Make your kids jiu-jitsu competition ready with Elite Sports’ range of IBJJF approved gi for kids.

Photo Credit: @ibjjf

Photo Credit: @ibjjf