1. (a) The Executive Director, or his designee, has complete authority over all phases of an event, including, but not limited to the weigh-in, matching of contestants, entrance to the forum, passes to the technical zone, audit of ticket sales, and payment of purses.
2. (b) For all professional contests, the Executive Director will assign the timekeepers, referees, ringside physicians and judges.
3. (c) In title and championship contests, the Executive Director will consult with the sponsoring or sanctioning bodies on the assignment of judges and referees. The Executive Director will make assignments for such contests.
4. (d) The Executive Director may request medical tests to prove gender of a contestant.
5. (e) The Executive Director may recognize and enforce disciplinary sanctions, disqualification, or medical suspensions imposed by other combative sport authorities. If the Executive Director proposes to deny licensure based on action of another jurisdiction, the applicant has a right to an opportunity for a hearing.

6. (f) Selection of Ring Officials

   1. (1) The Executive director will assign ring officials on a rotational basis from lists of licensees and registrants. Assignments will be made to ensure the highest degree of safety for contestants. The Department will assist license holders and registrants in developing expertise in the combative sports of their choice, to include training and shadow officiating.

   2. (2) The key determining factors for assigning ring officials are:

      1. (A) the ring official's level of expertise in connection with the level of expertise required for a particular contest and a particular combative sport;
      2. (B) the location of the event;
      3. (C) the location of the licensee's residence; and
      4. (D) any other factors as determined by the Executive Director.
   3. (3) A ring official who declines to work an event, will miss his rotation.
   4. (4) The name of a ring official who declines to work an event five times in succession will be taken off of the rotational list.
   5. (5) In order to be reinstated on the rotation list, an official may be required to complete additional training as determined by the Executive Director.
   6. (6) If a ring official under this subsection substitutes for another who declined to work an event, the substituting official does not lose his place on the rotational list.
7. (g) The Executive Director shall assign two timekeepers for each event, one to keep time and one to count for knock-downs.
8. (h) The Executive Director may eject any person from an event who violates Department rules or the Code.
9. (i) The Executive Director will not approve matches between contestants in different weight categories, except by weight tolerances as stated in §61.105.
10. (j) The Executive Director will not approve matches between genders.
11. (k) The Executive Director may waive the application of a rule to an event if he determines that such waiver will not negatively affect the safety of any contestant and that the spirit of the Code and these rules is served by such waiver. The waiver must be in writing or later confirmed in writing.
12. (l) Licensure or registration does not automatically authorize an individual to participate in an event.
13. (m) A decision rendered after a contest shall not be changed unless the Executive Director, after a review of the judges' scorecards, finds that a clerical or mathematical error resulted in an incorrect decision.
14. (n) The Executive Director may approve championship or title contests if the Department has recognized the sponsoring sanctioning organization as a legitimate combative sport organization.
15. (o) The Executive Director may require of a contestant, neurological or other medical testing.
16. (p) The Executive Director may order a drug screen at any time for good cause. If a drug screen is performed, the contestant is responsible for paying the costs of the drug screen.
17. (q) The Executive Director shall have sole control over the Technical Zone including but not limited to who may be admitted to the zone.

Source Note:The provisions of this §61.30 adopted to be effective October 1, 2000, 25 TexReg 9941; amended to be effective December 1, 2003, 28 TexReg 10445; amended to be effective February 1, 2005, 30 TexReg 378; amended to be effective February 1, 2006, 31 TexReg 481.