This is a question that is sometimes asked by newcomers to the sport, or those who are new at competing. You may see pictures on the internet showing someone wearing a green and yellow striped belt when competing. For the record, as belts aren’t used in no gi competitions, they are often replaced with sweatbands which are usually either a green or yellow color. Anyway, what does this belt actually mean, and more importantly is it also a hindrance in the modern game?
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The competition belt is a way for refs to score the match
Put simply, the belt is a way to track who is winning or losing in the match, and who to give points to. If you watch soccer matches, they will often wear kits that don’t clash. If two teams play each other with similar colors, then one will have to opt to wear their second strip. This means the ref and spectators can keep track of what is going on. In soccer, as the game can often be played at a fast pace with lots of running, it can be hard for the referee to keep up with the tempo at the best of times. If you throw in factors such as teams having identical colors, it only adds to the confusion.
This is a similar concept that is applied to sport BJJ. Often one competitor will be given a yellow and green striped belt whilst simultaneously wearing their usual belt. This means, one competitor will wear two belts, whilst the other will wear just one belt. Before the match, the score-checkers will be told what belt matches what competitor to make sure there is no confusion. As the gi covers most of your body, wearing a sweatband isn’t really an option as it may not be visible. Therefore, the green and yellow belt is done as a practical element to competition.
Why it isn’t the green and yellow belt always worn
Generally speaking, the green and yellow competition belt is used in official IBJJF competitions. With this said, you won’t really find it as much at smaller, local competitions. Nor will you find it in other organizations that aren’t IBJJF. For the most part, most smaller, local competitions are less serious and typically have a more casual tone.
This is why there isn’t any urgency for the competition belt here as generally, most refs will be able to keep up with the pace and if there does happen to be a rare mix-up, it doesn’t have the same implications as wrongly awarding points compared to doing so at a big competition such as IBJJF Worlds.
Does the green and yellow belt give an unfair disadvantage to the person wearing it?
For years, the competition belt has gone largely unnoticed and is viewed as little more than a technicality. However, in recent times it has come under some scrutiny. Basically, as BJJ has evolved, so has the competition game and more recently the birth of lapel guards has affected the way in which the gi is played. For instance, positions such as worm guard have grown in popularity over the years.
The issue with lapel guards is that they involve grabbing onto the opponent’s clothing. One big practitioner of this is Andris Brunovskis who has even put out videos on using the belt to enter positions such as the worm and also how to use the belt to retain guard.
With this in mind, having two belts can be seen as a genuine hindrance against a lapel player. Whilst you may think it’s not a big deal, there is a real possibility of the day in which someone wins a tight match at a high level by taking advantage of the competition belt.
Alternatives to the competition belt
If the competition belt is to be scrapped then there needs to be a solution. The point of the belt in the first place is to avoid mistakes, so it isn’t meant to be problematic in the first place. Perhaps the best solution to this would to put one competitor in the green and yellow belt whilst allowing them the option to remove their main belt. Generally, the argument for keeping the main belt is one based on tradition.
In short, a BJJ practitioner should always wear their belt in the gi with pride. However, taking this off them may be seen as disrespectful towards the art. Nonetheless, where practical implications are concerned, you can assume most people would be in favor of this new rule as most competitors would probably favor practicality over tradition whilst competing for a few minutes. Especially if this rule change allows them to succeed and withdraws and possible disadvantages.
Final thoughts on the green and yellow competition belt
In conclusion, the history of the green and yellow competition belt is more of an obscure side-note rather than anything of great significance. However, for those wondering – it is mostly an IBJJF tool to distinguish one competitor from another. Not only this but in recent years the belt has drawn some criticism about the possible disadvantages it brings to those who wear it. Having said this, at this point those criticisms are mostly whispers which will probably stay quiet until someone significantly uses the belt to exploit it as a loophole.
