[elton]

Interestingly enough I am currently working on a translation of the 'Kendo Shiai Shinpan Administration Essential Guide' (Kendo Shiai Shinpan unei yoryo no tebiki, 剣道試合・審判・ 運営要領の手引き) which unfortunately does not exist in English. I hope to have it completed by the FIK Shinpan Seminar coming up in Canada. There is no discussion of this situation in the 'Tebiki'..

Regarding valid datotsu-bui targets for striking, in the 2006 Japanese/English Rule Book, Article 13 of the Subsidiary Rules, it states;
2. The target area of Kote shall be the right forearm (the left forearm, if the opponent holds Shinai with his or her left hand forward) in the case of Chudan-no-kamae, or the left and right forearms in the case of other Kamae. Same text in the 1996 & 2000 editions, as well.

In the past I have attended shinpan seminars where indeed the concept of left kote is valid above the mune, not valid below the mune, was presented. When I consider the actual wording of the rules, it seems this explanation was designed to delineate chudan from jodan with an exact position. But in practice, I think it falls to the shinpan to determine when a kamae other than chudan has been assumed.

The point about a yuko datotsu after the hand leaves the shinai, or a hand not on the shinai is very interesting. Perhaps the FIK seminar will shed light on this for all of us. For me I would apply the subsidiary rules and not take a kote hit to a hand not holding the shinai. If the hand just left the shinai, I think the shinpan has to work out if the release was a dodge and therefore still part of the kamae, or if a one handed katate kamae was being assumed which would not be a point, since by definition it was no longer chudan.

I think the decision to wear the sling falls under Article 7, of the Subsidiary Rules " Shiai-sha may use supporters or others only in case of medical need, provided that they are tidy and not hazardous to their opponents, subject to the approval by Shinpan-shunin or Shinpan-cho". If this situation was presented to me as Shinpan-cho, I would most likely approve the sling and lack of a kote based upon safety and need. Safety of both the competitor and his opponents, and the medical need of the competitor to use the sling and not wear a kote. View in this way the lack of kote does not trouble me.

For me, the rules cover the situation and it would not be an issue. Now that I have publicly stated as much, it will be interesting to see if I managed to figure it out, or I missed by a mile.