Hansoku-make in judo is disqualification: the penalised judoka loses the match on the spot. It happens in two very different ways. One is accumulation, when a player gets a third shido. The other is direct, for a dangerous action or one against the spirit of judo. What happens next in the tournament is not the same in each case.
The literal meaning is "defeat by infringement". On the scoreboard it shows as a red penalty, and the opponent is declared the winner.
Two routes to the same penalty
| Hansoku-make by accumulation | Direct hansoku-make | |
|---|---|---|
| Cause | Third shido | One serious offence |
| Examples | Passivity, false attack, stepping out | Head dive, armlock while throwing, banned technique |
| Current match | Lost | Lost |
| Rest of the tournament | Can continue (repechage, bronze) | Depends on the offence |
The first route is just counting. The fouls that lead to it are described in our page on shido penalties. The referee gives the third shido with the usual signal, then points to the winner.
A direct hansoku-make carries more weight. The referee raises an index finger above the head, then points at the offender. The judges usually check the decision on video before it becomes final.
Direct hansoku-make for a dangerous action
The IJF puts several actions in this category. The ones seen most in competition:
- diving head first onto the mat while doing uchi-mata, harai-goshi, seoi-nage or a similar throw, bending the neck forwards or backwards;
- doing a forward somersault with the opponent on your back or shoulders;
- applying an armlock or a strangle while throwing, when uke cannot escape and the injury risk is high;
- since 2026, applying ushiro-sankaku (rear triangle) on the ground with a high risk to uke's neck, even if the referee stops it quickly.
A head dive or a lock during a throw is judged dangerous, not unsporting. The judoka loses the match and can usually keep competing if still in contention, for example in the repechage. Always check the event rules, because the organizer and the jury keep some discretion.
The head dive is the case referees worry about most. It mostly happens with uchi-mata (inner thigh throw) and harai-goshi (sweeping hip throw), when a player tries to finish at any cost. The penalty is not harsh for the sake of it. It protects the cervical spine of the person diving.
Hansoku-make for acting against the spirit of judo
This is the most serious category. It covers unsporting behavior: an offensive gesture, an insult, refusing to obey the referee, a deliberate strike. IJF rules also include using techniques banned by the Kodokan in competition, such as kawazu-gake or kani-basami. The full list of these moves is in our article on illegal techniques in judo.
Here the exclusion covers the whole event. The judoka cannot fight again in that tournament, repechage included, and disciplinary action may follow. The federation or organizer can add measures under its own rules.
How the decision is made
A direct hansoku-make is never a light call, and the referee does not give it alone on a doubt. The referee stops the match and consults the judges. Video is reviewed whenever it exists. At major events, the refereeing commission can also step in. That caution makes sense: the penalty knocks out an athlete who may have prepared for months.
For a head dive, the referee looks at the path of the head and neck. A player whose head brushes the mat by accident, without diving, is not treated the same way as one who uses the head as a base to finish the throw.
With a lock during a throw, the danger to uke is what counts. If uke can escape and the risk is low, the penalty drops to shido.
Double hansoku-make
Sometimes both players are disqualified at once, after a scuffle or when both commit a dangerous action. Nobody wins. IJF rules say how to handle this in the draw, and the jury decides what follows.
Younger age groups
For cadets and below, some actions are punished with shido instead of being allowed, such as using the head to throw or to defend. The head dive stays hansoku-make at every age. Many national federations add their own limits for children, by age group. See our page on judo age categories for the international groups.
To see all scores and penalties in one place, start with our guide to judo rules.
How to stay clear of it
You avoid hansoku-make by accumulation by attacking. You avoid the direct one through education, and that starts early. With children, ban every head-first dive from the first uchi-mata, even onto a crash mat. With adults, one rule comes first: when a throw does not go through, let go and reset. Finishing on your head to steal a waza-ari means betting your neck against a score. No match is worth that, and the referee has the last word anyway.