Contents
The contact ladder, category by category
Three authorities, three jobs: World Taekwondo governs competition, Kukkiwon governs grades, the national federation issues licences and writes the children's rules. The contact gate belongs to the national federation, and the FFTDA publishes it verbatim:
| FFTDA category | Ages | Published contact rule |
|---|---|---|
| Poussins · Pupilles | 5–8 | No contact. No-contact encounters: 2 techniques each in turn, 3 × 0:30. This age’s « kyorugi » is the open-hand tag, as a game. |
| Benjamins | 9–10 | Two formats: no-touch initiation, or chest-protector touch only. 3 × 1:00. |
| Minimes | 11–12 | Trunk only, head forbidden; best of 3 rounds, 3 × 1:00, no golden round. The sanction ladder below is published verbatim. |
| Cadets | 13–14 | The head becomes a legal target, foot techniques only, headgear and PSS mandatory. WT Cadet = 12–14, the first international category. |
| Juniors · Seniors | 15+ | Full WT rules: 3 × 2:00, electronic PSS, the 1/2/3/4/6 scale. |
Contact, category by category
No contact below benjamin, trunk-only for minimes, the head only from cadet: the rule is written, not inherited.
Source: FFTDA, Règlements généraux des compétitions (2024) and the benjamins/minimes application note (27.03.2024). Rung 1, the age is written in the source. Paak taekwondo corpus, file 02.
The minimes sanction ladder
For minimes the FFTDA does not merely forbid the head: it publishes the exact consequence of every contact, up to disqualification. A coach preparing a minime prepares this table too:
| Head contact in minimes | Published sanction (FFTDA) |
|---|---|
| Kick toward the face, no contact | Verbal warning |
| Punch to the face | Gam-jeom |
| 1st light foot contact to the head | Gam-jeom |
| 2nd light contact | Round lost |
| Violent contact | Gam-jeom + medical check |
| 2nd violent contact | DISQUALIFICATION |
Playing up, regulated
The FFTDA lets benjamins, minimes, cadets and juniors compete one weight category above their own, no more. For benjamins and minimes the weigh-in is single, with no tolerance. There is no « double playing-up » of weight in the youth rules.
What it changes in training
- Poussins/Pupilles: forms, lines, reaction games, the open-hand tag; this age's entire repertoire is contact-free, and it is rich.
- Benjamins/Minimes: trunk-condition bouts, chest-protector touch, the belt-laddered curriculum, never a head drill.
- Cadets+: the head opens with foot techniques, headgear and PSS mandatory; this is where turning kicks and open sparring in rounds begin.
FAQ
At what age can a child touch the head?
Is the punch to the face allowed for adults?
Can a benjamin fight a minime?
Sources
FFTDA: Règlements généraux des compétitions (2024) and the benjamins/minimes application note (validated 27.03.2024): the contact ladder, the 3 × 0:30 / 3 × 1:00 formats, the minimes sanction ladder, playing-up. World Taekwondo: Competition Rules (edition in force 01.01.2026): Cadet/Junior categories, full rules. Paak taekwondo corpus, file 02 (every value at rung 1: the age is WRITTEN in the source). Content verified September 2026.