1. (a) The Commissioner may designate another employee of the agency or contract employee to act in his/her stead in all matters under these rules and the Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 2052 (Vernon 1999).
2. (b) The representative for the Commissioner in charge of a contest has complete authority over all phases of a contest, 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.
3. (c) For all contests, the Commissioner will assign the timekeepers, referees, ringside physicians and judges.
4. (d) In title and championship fights, the Commissioner will consult with the sponsoring or sanctioning body on the assignment of judges and referees. The Commissioner will make assignments for these fights.
5. (e) The Department may request of a contestant, medical tests to prove gender.
6. (f) The Commissioner may recognize and enforce disciplinary sanctions, disqualification, or medical suspensions imposed by other combative sport authorities. If licensure is denied based on reciprocity with another jurisdiction, the applicant has a right to a hearing.

7. (g) Selection of Ring Officials

   1. (1) The assignment of timekeepers, judges and referees will be made on a rotational basis from a list of licensees. Assignments are made to ensure the highest degree of safety for combative contestants. The Department will assist license holders in developing an expertise in the combative sport of their choice, to include training and shadow officiating.

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

      1. (A) The ring officials' 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 fight;
      3. (C) the location of the licensees residence; and
      4. (D) any other factors as determined by the Commissioner.
   3. (3) If a ring official declines to work an event, that official will miss his/her rotation.
   4. (4) If a ring official declines to work an event five times in succession, he/she 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 Commissioner.
   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/her place on the rotational list.
8. (h) The Department shall assign two timekeepers for each event, one to keep time and one to count for knockdowns.
9. (i) The Department representative may eject any person from an event who violates Department rules or the Code.
10. (j) The Department will not approve matches between contestants in different weight categories, except by weight tolerances as stated in §61.105 of this title (relating to Weight Categories and Weigh-in).
11. (k) The Department will not approve matches between the genders.
12. (l) The Commissioner or his/her designee may waive a rule if circumstances justify a waiver. The waiver must be in writing or later confirmed in writing.
13. (m) Licensure does not automatically authorize an individual to participate in an event.
14. (n) A decision rendered after a contest shall not be changed unless the Department determines that the compilation of the referee and judges' scorecard shows a clerical or mathematical error that caused the decision.
15. (o) The Department may approve championship or title contests if the Department has recognized the sponsoring sanctioning organization as a legitimate combative sport organization.
16. (p) Department representatives may check the number of gate ticket containers. They may also check the containers for seals or padlocks. Tickets shall be accounted for after the event and a Department representative may review that process.
17. (q) The Department may require of a contestant, neurological or other medical testing.
18. (r) The Department 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.

Source Note:The provisions of this §61.30 adopted to be effective October 1, 2000, 25 TexReg 9941.