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WELCOME IN THE NEW WORLD OF WRESTLING

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF ASSOCIATED WRESTLING STYLES


 

INTERNATIONAL WRESTLING RULES

GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLING
FREE STYLE WRESTLING
WOMEN’S WRESTLING

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, MARCH 2006


 

FOREWORD

Wrestling, like all other sports, obeys Rules which constitute the "Rules of the Game" and define its practice, the aim of which is to "pin" the opponent or to win on points. These regulations apply to all the styles recognised by modern wrestling controlled by the FILA.

The Greco-Roman Style and the Free Style basically differ as follows:

In Greco-Roman Wrestling, it is strictly forbidden to grasp the opponent below the belt line, or to trip him or to use the legs actively to perform any action.

In Free Style wrestling, however, it is permissible to grasp the legs of the opponent, to trip him and to use the legs actively to perform any action.

Double Nelsons are strictly forbidden in women’s wrestling.

Beach wrestling is dealt with by a specific rule.

Traditional wrestling, as practised world wide, are subject to specific rules.

Frequently modified and always subject to further modification, the Rules set forth herein must be known and accepted by all wrestlers, coaches, referees and leaders. They call upon those who practise the sport to fight totally and universally, with complete honesty and fair play for the pleasure of the spectators.

FILA

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF ASSOCIATED
WRESTLING STYLES

INTERNATIONAL WRESTLING RULES


 

GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLING - FREE STYLE WRESTLING -
WOMEN’S WRESTLING

INDEX

GENERAL RULES ............................................................................................................6
Article 1 Object...................................................................................................6
Article 2 Interpretation ........................................................................................6
Article 3 Application............................................................................................7

CHAPTER 1 - MATERIAL STRUCTURE..........................................................................8
Article 4 The mat................................................................................................8
Article 5 Dress....................................................................................................9
Article 6 Competitor's licence .............................................................................10
Article 7 Age and weight categories - competitions............................................11

CHAPTER 2 - COMPETITIONS AND PROGRAMMES....................................................14
Article 8 Competition method .............................................................................14
Articles 9 Competition programme.......................................................................17
Article 10 Awards ceremony.................................................................................17

CHAPTER 3 - COMPETITION PROCEDURE...................................................................19
Article 11 Weigh-in ...............................................................................................19
Article 12 Drawing of lots .....................................................................................19
Article 13 Initial classification list ..........................................................................20
Article 14 Pairing off .............................................................................................20
Article 15 Elimination from the competition ..........................................................20

CHAPTER 4 - OFFICIALS ................................................................................................22
Article 16 Composition .........................................................................................22
Article 17 General duties......................................................................................22
Article 18 Dress....................................................................................................23
Article 19 The referee...........................................................................................23

Article 20

The judge .............................................................................................25

Article 21

The mat chairman ................................................................................26

Article 22

The Person responsible for refereeing .................................................26

Article 23

Penalties against the officials ...............................................................26

 

CHAPTER 5 - THE BOUT .................................................................................................27

Article 24 Duration of the bouts............................................................................27
Article 25 Call.......................................................................................................27
Article 26 Presentation of wrestlers......................................................................27
Article 27 Start......................................................................................................27
Article 28 Interrupting the bout .............................................................................28
Article 29 End of the bout.....................................................................................28
Article 30 Stopping and continuing the bout.........................................................29
Article 31 Extra time (free and female wrestling)..................................................30
Article 32 Types of victories .................................................................................30
Article 33 The coach ............................................................................................31
Article 34 Classification by team during individual competitions...........................31
Article 35 Classification during team competitions ...............................................32

CHAPTER 6 - POINTS FOR ACTIONS AND HOLDS ......................................................34

Article 36 Evaluation of the importance of the action or hold ...............................34
Article 37 Danger position ....................................................................................35
Article 38 Recording the points ............................................................................35
Article 39 Grand amplitude throw.........................................................................35
Article 40 Value assigned to actions and holds....................................................36
Article 41 Decision and vote.................................................................................37
Article 42 Decision table.......................................................................................38

CHAPTER 7 - CLASSIFICATION POINTS AWARDED AFTER A BOUT........................40

Article 43 Classification points..............................................................................40
Article 44 The fall .................................................................................................41
Article 45 Technical superiority ............................................................................41

CHAPTER 8 – NEGATIVE WRESTLING..........................................................................42

Article 46 “Par terre” position during the bout.......................................................42
Article 47 Red zone..............................................................................................42
Article 48 Ordered hold ........................................................................................43

CHAPTER 9 - PROHIBITIONS AND ILLEGAL HOLDS...................................................48
Article 49 General prohibitions .............................................................................48
Article 50 Fleeing a hold.......................................................................................48
Article 51 Fleeing the mat ....................................................................................49
Article 52 Illegal holds ..........................................................................................49
Article 53 Prohibited holds for the schoolboy and cadet categories .....................51
Article 54 Special prohibitions ..............................................................................51
Article 55 Consequences affecting the bout.........................................................51

CHAPTER 10 - THE PROTEST ........................................................................................52

Article 56 The protest ...........................................................................................52

CHAPTER 11 - MEDICAL .................................................................................................53
Article 57 Medical service ....................................................................................53
Article 58 Medical service involvement ................................................................53
Article 59 Doping..................................................................................................54

CHAPTER 12 - INTERNATIONAL RULES SPECIFIC TO WOMEN’S WRESTLING.......56
Article 60 Age categories and weight categories..................................................56
Article 61 Dress....................................................................................................56
Article 62 Weigh-in ...............................................................................................57
Article 63 Length of the bout ................................................................................57
Article 64 General technical rules.........................................................................57
Article 65 Illegal holds ..........................................................................................57

CHAPTER 13 - INTERPRETATION OF WRESTLING RULES.........................................58

APPENDIX 1 - BASIC VOCABULARY.............................................................................59

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF ASSOCIATED
WRESTLING STYLES

INTERNATIONAL WRESTLING RULES

GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLING - FREE STYLE WRESTLING -
WOMEN’S WRESTLING


 

GENERAL RULES

Article 1 Object

The article is drawn up to implement the provisions of the following FILA Statutes:

-        Financial Regulations

-        Disciplinary Regulations

-        Regulations governing the organisation of international contests

-        All the specific Regulations

The International Rules of Wrestling have, as their specific objectives, to:

-        define and specify the practical and technical conditions under which bouts are to take place

-        determine the value to be assigned to wrestling actions and holds

-        list situations and prohibitions

                        -           determine the technical functions of the officials

                        -           determine the competition system, methods of victory, defeat, classification, penalty, elimination of competitors, etc.

 

Being subject to modification in light of practical observations as to their application and research into their effectiveness, the international Rules set forth in the following document constitute the framework within which the sport of wrestling is conducted in all its styles. Traditional wrestling, Sambo and Beach Wrestling are governed by rules specific to the various styles.

Article 2 Interpretation

In the event of disagreement as to the interpretation of the provisions of any article in the following Rules, the Executive Bureau of FILA is solely empowered to determine the exact meaning of the article(s) in question. Only the French text shall be held as true.

Article 3 Application

Application of these Rules to the Olympic Games, to Championships and to all international competitions under the control of FILA is compulsory.

During international tournaments, a competition procedure that differs from that set out in the Rules may exceptionally be used, provided that permission has been granted by FILA and all participating countries.


 

CHAPTER 1 - MATERIAL STRUCTURE

Article 4 The mat

A new FILA approved mat, with a nine metre diameter and surrounded by a 1.50m border of the same thickness, is obligatory in the following contests: Olympic Games, Championships and Cups. For all international competitions, mats must be homologated, but not necessarily new.

For the Olympic Games and World Championships, warm up and training mats must also be new and approved by FILA and be of the same quality as the competition mats.

A red band of one metre wide and forming an integral part of the wrestling area is drawn along the circumference on the inside of the circle of nine metres in diameter.

The following terms will be used to designate the various parts of the mat:

The central circle indicates the middle of the mat (1 m diameter)

The inside part of the mat which is inside the red circle is the central surface of
wrestling (7m of diameter)
The red strip (1 m. width)
The area in the protection area is1m50 width

For all Olympic Games, World and Continental Championships, the mat shall be installed on a platform not higher than 1m10.

If the mat lays on a podium and that the protection margin (covering and free space around the mat) does not reach 2 meters, the sides of the podium will have to be covered with 45° inclined panels. In all cases, the colour of the protection area will have to be different from the one of the mat.

The wooden floor near the mat will have to be covered with a strongly well fixed soft cover.

To prevent contamination, the mat must be washed and disinfected before every wrestling session. When mats that have a smooth, uniform and non-abrasive surface are used (canvas included), the same hygienic measures must also be applied.

A circle must be traced in the middle of the mat with an inside diameter of one metre and a surrounding band 10 cm wide. An 8 cm width line splits the circle in two parts. The colour of the line just described and that of the line marking off the wrestling area must be red.

The diagonally opposite corners of the mat are marked out in the wrestlers’ colours, red and blue.

The mat should be installed so that it is surrounded by a wide open space in order to ensure that the competition proceeds normally.

Article 5 Dress

At the beginning of each day, each competitor must be closely shaven or have a beard of several months' growth.

a)      The competition singlet

Contestants must appear on the edge of the mat wearing a FILA approved one-piece singlet of the colour assigned to them (red or blue). It is forbidden to have a mixture of red and blue colours on the singlet.

The wrestler must wear:

-        his country’s emblem on his chest

-        the abbreviation of his country’s name - maximum size 10cm x 10cm on the back of his singlet

                        -           The use of light knee pads containing no metal parts is allowed.

                        -           The wrestler must have a cloth handkerchief with him during the whole of the match.

 

b)      Advertising on clothing

Apart from during the Olympic Games where the IOC Rules apply, competitors can wear one or several sponsor's names. Contestants may also wear their sponsors’ name(s) on the back or sleeves of their robes. Lettering and symbols may not be higher than 6 cm to identify the sponsor.

c)      Ear protectors

For those wrestlers who wish to wear ear protectors, they must be approved by FILA and must not contain any metal or have hard shells. The referee can oblige a wrestler with too long hair to wear ear protectors.

d)      Shoes

Contestants must wear wrestling shoes providing firm support for the ankles. The use of shoes with heels or nailed soles, shoes with buckles or with any metallic part, is prohibited. Shoes may be without laces. Shoes with laces should be wrapped with sticky tape or a system which hides laces so that they do not come undone during the match. Each competitor is responsible for providing the tape himself for the shoes which will be controlled before getting on to the mat.

e)      Bans

It is prohibited to:

                        -           wear the emblem or abbreviation of another country

                        -           wear bandages on wrists, arms or ankles except in the case of injury and on doctor’s orders. These bandages must be covered with elastic straps.

 

-        apply any greasy or sticky substance to the body

-        arrive at the mat perspiring for the beginning of the match as well as at the beginning of each period.

-        wear any object that might cause injury to the opponent, such as rings, bracelets, prosthesis, etc.

Article 6 Competitor's licence

Any male or female senior wrestler who competes in the Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cups, Continental Championships, Cups and Games, Regional Games and the World and Continental League, international tournaments registered in the FILA calendar must hold an international competitor’s licence, as defined by special Regulations. This licence is also used as insurance for medical and hospital expenses in case of an accident taking place during the competition he is participating in.

Any male or female cadet, junior wrestler who competes in the Continental and World Championships must hold an international competitor’s licence. Any male or female junior wrestler who competes in a senior international tournament must hold an international competitor’s licence.

This licence is also used as insurance for medical and hospital expenses in case of an accident taking place during competitions he is participating in.

Any veteran wrestler who competes in the World Championships and other international competitions must also hold an international competitor’s licence, which is also used as insurance.

The competitor must, at the time of the weigh-in, present his licence to the official delegate who, in turn shall submit it for verification to the FILA representative. The latter shall return it on the same day to the team manager of the said competitor.

The licence is valid only when it bears the FILA stamp for the current year, and must be renewed each year.

Article 7 Age and weight categories - competitions

a) Age categories

The age categories are as follows:

Schoolboys 14-15 years (from 13 with medical and parental certificate)
Cadets 16-17 years (from 15 with medical and parental certificate)
Juniors 18-20 years (from 17 with medical and parental certificate)
Seniors 20 years and older
Veterans older than 35 years

Wrestlers in the junior age category are allowed to participate in the competitions for seniors. However, wrestlers aged 18 in the year concerned must provide a medical certificate and parental authorisation. Wrestlers aged 17 in the year in question may not participate in senior competitions.

Age will be verified at all Championships and competitions during the final registration, six hours before the weigh-in.

To do so, the head of each delegation shall submit the following documents to the FILA technical delegate:

                        the wrestler’s licence with the stamp for the current year

                        the wrestler’s individual passport or identity card (group passports are not accepted)

                        an honour certificate for each participant issued by the President of the National Federation attesting to the age of the wrestler; this certificate must be drawn up in accordance with the model supplied by FILA, on the National Federation’s letterhead.

                        a wrestler may participate in a competition only under the nationality appearing on his passport. If, at any time, it is determined by FILA that the statement was false and that fraud occurred, the disciplinary measures provided for to this end will be immediately applied against the Federation, the wrestler and the person whose signature appears on the fraudulent certificate.

                        wrestlers who change their nationality and wish to participate in an international competition with their new country must wait two (2) years after their last competition registered in the FILA calendar.

                        wrestlers can change their nationality only once. Afterwards, they cannot compete for their old country anymore.

                        each wrestler who participates in a competition automatically agrees to FILA to use his filmed or photographed image for the promotion of the

 

competition or of competitions to come. If a wrestler refuses to agree to these conditions, he will have to make this clear at the entry stage and, may therefore be excluded from the competition.

 b) Weight categories

The weight categories are as follows:

SCHOOLBOYS CADETS JUNIORS SENIORS

1                    29-32 kg 1. 39-42 kg 1. 46-50 kg 1. 50-55 kg

2                    35 kg 2. 46 kg 2. 55 kg 2. 60 kg

3                    38 kg 3. 50 kg 3. 60 kg 3. 66 kg

4                    42 kg 4. 54 kg 4. 66 kg 4. 74 kg

5                    47 kg 5. 58 kg 5. 74 kg 5. 84 kg

6                    53 kg 6. 63 kg 6. 84 kg 6. 96 kg

7                    59 kg 7. 69 kg 7. 96 kg 7. 96-120 kg

8                    66 kg 8. 76 kg 8. 96-120 kg

9                    73 kg 9. 85 kg

10               73-85 kg 10. 85-100 kg

 

Each contestant deemed to be taking part of his own free will, and responsible for himself, shall be allowed to compete in only one weight category: the one corresponding to his weight at the time of the official weigh-in.

For categories in the senior age group, competitors may opt for the next higher category than their body weight, except for the heavy weight category, for which contestants must weigh over 96kg.

c) Competitions

International competitions for the various age categories are as follows: Schoolboys 14-15 years International competitions (bilateral and regional)

Cadets 16-17 years                      International competitions Continental Championships (each year)

Juniors18-20 years   International competitions Continental Championships (each year) World Championships (each year)

Seniors 20 years and older          International competitions Continental Championships (each year)

Continental Cups                                (each year)

World Championships (each year,

apart from Olympic Games years)

World Cup                                           (each year)

Golden Grand Prix

Challenge matches

International Grand Prix

Super Star matches

Olympic Games                                  (every four years)

Veterans 35 years and older        Competitions according to the programme, categories and specific regulations

CHAPTER 2 - COMPETITIONS AND PROGRAMMES

Article 8 Competition method

Competition System and Method

The competitions take place by direct elimination system with an ideal number of wrestlers, i.e. 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, etc. If there is no ideal number of wrestlers in a category, qualification matches will take place.

                  Pairing is made in the order of the numbers drawn at random.

                  All wrestlers who lost against both finalists will have repêchage matches. There are two separated groups of repêchage : one group of wrestlers who lost against the first finalist, and another group of wrestlers who lost against the second finalist. The repêchage matches begin with wrestlers who lost in the first round including in matches to obtain the ideal number against one of the two finalists up to the losers in the semi-finals by direct elimination. The winners of the two repêchage groups will receive each the bronze medal.

                  Each weight category begins and ends in a day. Each category weigh-in takes place the day before the beginning of the category concerned.

 

The competition takes place in the following manner:

a) qualification round
b) elimination round
c) repêchage round
d) finals

If there are less than 6 wrestlers in a weigh-in category, the Nordic round will take place (each wrestler against each wrestler).

Example of a competition by direct elimination

Let us take the example of a competition with 22 wrestlers in a weight category. The 22 wrestlers draw a number at random from 1 to 22 (draw, annex 1).

Qualification rounds

In order to obtain the closest lower ideal number to apply the direct elimination system (16 wrestlers), qualification matches must take place.

In our example, we have 6 wrestlers with the ideal number of 16. The qualification matches will be disputed by 6 wrestlers who drew the highest numbers after 16, i.e. 17, 18, 19, 20 ,21 and 22 and by 6 wrestlers drawing  the numbers at random directly before 17, i.e. 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11. According to the pairing principle in the order of the numbers drawn at random, the matches take place in the following manner :

                  Number 11 against number 12, match number 1

                  Number 13 against number 14, match number 2

                  Number 15 against number 16, match number 3

                  Number 17 against number 18, match number 4

                  Number 19 against number 20, match number 5

                  Number 21 against number 22, match number 6

 

The winners of these 6 qualification matches are qualified for the elimination round by direct elimination.

Elimination round

We have the ideal number of 16 wrestlers after the qualification matches. The 16 wrestlers competing for the elimination round are the 10 wrestlers who drew the numbers from 1 to 10 and the 6 wrestlers who won the qualification matches, i.e. numbers 12, 13, 15, 17, 19 and 22 (to arrive at 16). According to the pairing principle in the order of the numbers drawn at random, the first elimination round takes place in the following manner:

                  Number 1 against number 2, match number 1

                  Number 3 against number 4, match number 2

                  Number 5 against number 6, match number 3

                  Number 7 against number 8, match number 4

                  Number 9 against number 10, match number 5

                  Number 12 against number 13, match number 6

                  Number 15 against number 17, match number 7

                  Number 19 against number 22, match number 8

 

Repêchage matches

As mentioned above, all the wrestlers losing against the two finalists will make up a repêchage.

The wrestlers losing against the finalist no 5 are as follows:

                  Number 6 (1st round loser)

                  Number 7 (2nd round loser)

                        Number 3 (3rd round loser)

                        The wrestlers losing against the finalist no 15 are:

                  Number 16 (qualification round loser)

                  Number 17 (1st round loser)

                  Number 19 (2nd round loser)

                  Number 12 (3rd round loser)

 

The repêchage phase begins with the wrestlers who lost against the finalists at the lowest level of competition.

1st match: no 6 (1st round loser) against no 7 (2nd round loser) 2nd match: 1st match winner (N6) against no 3 (3rd round loser)

The wrestler 6 is the winner in the repêchage group who lost against the no 5 finalist.

The same system applies to the wrestlers losing against the no 15 finalist. 1st match: no 16 (qualification round loser) against no 17 (1st round loser) 2nd match: the winner of the 1st match (N16) against no 19 (2nd round loser) 3rd match: 2nd match winner (N16) against no 12 (3rd round loser)

The n°16 wrestler is the winner of the repêchage group who lost against the no 15 finalist.

Final

The two finalists in the elimination rounds, i.e. no 5 and 15, take part in the match for the 1st and 2 places.

The two winners of the two last repêchage matches (N6 and N16) receive each the bronze medal.

The losers of both finals for the two bronze medals will be ranked 5th ex aequo.

Classification criteria

                  From the 7th place, wrestlers of each category will be ranked depending on their ranking points, retirement or forfeit, injury or disqualification.

                  In case of a ranking tie, they will be ranked by analysing the following criteria successively:

 

1)      The most victories by “Fall”

2)      The most match won by superiority

3)      The most period won by superiority

4)      The most technical points scored in all the competition

5)      The fewest technical points given in all the competition

                  If the place of the wrestlers cannot be determined with the above mentioned criterion, they will be ranked ex aequo.

                  The wrestlers taking part in the repêchage phase will also be ranked according to the ranking points earned during the competition, including qualification matches and repêchage.

 

N.B.

                  Disqualified wrestlers for brutality or unfair behaviour will be eliminated and not classified.

                   Except with a medical certificate controlled by a FILA Doctor, if a wrestler does not present himself to the mat for whatever reason as soon as the competition has started, his opponent(s) will win the match, and the wrestler will be eliminated and not classified.

 

Ranking criteria for the Nordic tournament

                  a.         Only 4 classification points will be attributed for the fall for the Nordic tournament system.

                  b.         In the Nordic tournament the wrestler with the most ranking points is classified first.

                  c.         If two wrestlers have an equal number of classification points, their direct fight will determine the winner. The wrestler who wins against his opponent will be ranked 1st.

                  d.         If several wrestlers have an equal number of classification points, the last of the ex-equo group will be classified following these criterion until only two wrestlers remain :

 

1) The fewest victories by « Fall »

2) The fewest match victories by superiority

3) The fewest period victories by superiority

4) The fewest technical points scored in the whole competition

5) The most technical points given in the whole competition.

Articles 9 Competition programme

The duration of Olympic Games, Senior and Junior World Championships is fixed as follows:

6 days for three styles (L/F, G/R, L/L) and three mats.

However depending on the number of entries received, one mat can be added or withdrawn for all competition types with FILA’s agreement.

In principle, for all competition types, the matches shall not last longer than three hours. For all competition types, a weight category begins and ends after maximum one day.

For each competition round a weight category must in principle take place on the same mat and not on several mats at the same time. All the matches for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places must take place on one mat.

Article 10 Awards ceremony

The first four wrestlers in each weight category shall take part in the awards ceremony, and shall receive a medal and a diploma, according to their ranking.

lst GOLD
2
nd SILVER
There will be 2 BRONZE (two 3
rd)

At the World Championships, the winner will receive the World Championship Belt. (See
Rules governing distinctions and awards).
The wrestlers who are placed 5
th to 10th will receive a diploma.

Awards ceremonies take place immediately after the final match of the category concerned.

CHAPTER 3 - COMPETITION PROCEDURE

Article 11 Weigh-in

The final list of contestants must be submitted to the organiser by the team manager, without fail, 6 hours before the start of the weigh-in. No changes will be accepted after this time.

The weigh-in for each category always takes place on the day before the beginning of the competition concerned and lasts 30 minutes.

No wrestler may be accepted at the weigh-in if he has not undergone medical examination within the period set up in the competition regulations. Medical examinations are always carried out one (1) hour before the weigh-in.

Wrestlers must turn up at the Medical examination and the weigh-in with their licence and passport.

The contestants will be weighed with only their singlet, after having been examined by qualified physicians who are obliged to eliminate any wrestler who presents any danger of contagious disease.

No weight tolerance will be allowed for the singlet.

Contestants must be in perfect physical condition, with their fingernails cut very short.

Throughout the entire weigh-in period, wrestlers have the right, each in turn, to get on the scale as many times as they wish.

For all competitions, a weigh-in by weight category shall only take place.

Referees responsible for the weigh-in must check that all the wrestlers fulfil all the requirements of Article 5 - Dress and to inform any wrestler of the risk he runs if he presents himself on the mat in incorrect dress. Referees will refuse to weigh a wrestler who is not dressed correctly.

Article 12 Drawing of lots

Participants shall be paired off for each round according to the numerical order
determined by the drawing of lots during the weigh-in.

The drawing of lots must be conducted in public. Numbered tokens corresponding to the number of wrestlers who underwent a medical examination must be enclosed in an urn, a bag or any other similar object. If a different system is used, it must be clear.

The wrestler shall be weighed, and, as he leaves the scales, shall draw his number, on the basis of which he shall be paired off. This number must be immediately entered on a notice board visible to the public, as well as on the starting and weigh-in list.

Important:            When the person responsible for the weigh-in and drawing of lots observes an error in the regulation procedure as outlined above, the drawing of lots for the category in question is to be cancelled. Drawing of lots for this category will then be repeated with the agreement of the technical delegate.

Article 13 Initial classification list

If one or more wrestlers do not attend the weigh-in or are too heavy, after the weigh-in, wrestlers are regrouped in a precise order of classification from the lowest to the highest

number.

No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4

E H B A

No. 7 No. 8 No. 9 No. 10

J L I G

Wrestlers are therefore regrouped by numerical order.

No. 5

D

No. 11

K

 

No. 6

C

No. 12

F

 

 

Article 14 Pairing off

Wrestlers shall be paired off in the order of the numbers they drew. A document establishing the correct procedure and time schedule of the bouts must be drawn up, and it must provide all the relevant information concerning the manner in which the competition is to be conducted.

The pairing for each round, as well as the results, are recorded on a board for use by the competitors, who must be able to consult it at all times. See table enclosed with this rules.

Article 15 Elimination from the competition

-        The loser is eliminated and ranked according to the classification points marked, except wrestlers who lost against one of the finalists as they take part in the repêchage for the 3rd or 5th places.

-        A wrestler who, without medical advice and without notifying the official Secretariat, does not present himself to his opponent when his name is called is disqualified and not placed. His opponent(s) will win the match.

                  -           If a wrestler commits an obvious offence against fair play within the spirit and concept of total and universal wrestling enunciated by FILA, and openly cheats, commits a serious error or engages in brutality, he will be disqualified immediately from the competition and eliminated by a unanimous decision of the officiating team. In this situation, he will not be placed.

                  -           If two wrestlers are disqualified for brutality during the same match, they will be eliminated as above. The wrestler who must be paired with one of these wrestlers, will win the match. The pairing for the following round will not be modified.

                  -           If this qualification perturbs the ranking in a final match, the following wrestlers will move up the table to establish the final classification.

                  -           If the 2 finalists are disqualified, then it will be necessary to make the bout between the two bronze medallists to determine the 1st and the 2nd place. All others participants will go up in the ranking, the two in 5th position will become 3rd.

 

Placing of the competitors in the event of doping violations:

If the 1st or 2nd ranked wrestler is disqualified for doping, the bronze medallist who lost by elimination from the repêchage group of that particular finalist shall move up to second place.

The loser of the repêchage group from the finalist disqualified shall move up and will receive the bronze medal. For the rest of the ranking, the other wrestlers will move up in placing according to the ranking system.

In case of positive doping control, the wrestler will be disqualified, and not placed.

CHAPTER 4 - OFFICIALS

Article 16 Composition In all competitions, the officials for each bout shall consist of the following:

                  -           1 mat chairman

                  -           1 referee

                  -           1 judge

 

i.e.: three officials qualified or designated by the Regulations for international judges and referees.

Replacement of an official during a bout is strictly prohibited, except in the case of a serious illness that is medically confirmed.

In no case may two officials be of the same nationality.

Furthermore, it is strictly forbidden for an official to officiate in bouts involving compatriot wrestlers.

Article 17 General duties

a)      Officials shall perform all the duties set forth in the Regulations governing wrestling competitions and in any special provisions which might be established for the organisation of particular competitions.

It is the duty of officials to follow each bout very carefully and to evaluate the actions of the wrestlers so that the results shown on the judge’s score sheet accurately reflect the specific nature of said bout.

b)      The mat chairman, referee and judge shall evaluate the holds individually in order to arrive at a final decision. The referee and judge must work together under the direction of the mat chairman, who co-ordinates the work of the officials.

c)      It is the duty of the officials to assume all of the functions of refereeing and judging, to award points and to impose the penalties stipulated in the Rules.

d)      The score sheets of the judge and mat chairman are used to tally all the holds executed by the two opponents. The points, cautions (0) must be recorded with the greatest accuracy, in the order corresponding to the various phases of the bout. These score sheets must be signed by the judge and mat chairman, respectively.

e)      If a period does not end in a “fall”, the decision shall be made by the mat chairman. It shall be based on an evaluation of all the actions of each competitor, recorded from beginning to end on the judge’s and mat chairman’s score sheets.

f)          All the points awarded by the judge must be announced to the public as soon as             they are determined, either by means of bats or by an electric scoreboard.

g) Officials are required to use the basic FILA vocabulary that is appropriate to their respective roles when conducting the bouts. However, they are forbidden to speak to anybody during the bout, except, of course, amongst themselves when the occasion requires them to do so for consultation and to perform their tasks properly.

Article 18 Dress

The refereeing body: referees, judges and mat chairmen must be dressed in the following manner when exercising their function:

-        classic navy jacket with FILA logo

-        grey trousers (no turn-ups) with a black belt

-        long or short sleeved light blue shirt

-        yellow tie with the FILA logo

                  -           black socks

                  -           black plimsolls

 

-        The refereeing body may not wear the name of a sponsor. However, the number on his jacket may include the name of the FILA sponsor.

The dress must be a model homologated by FILA.

Article 19 The referee

a)      The referee is responsible for the orderly conduct of the bout on the mat, which he must direct according to the Rules.

b)      He must command the respect of the contestants and exercise full authority over them so that they immediately obey his orders and instructions. Similarly, he must conduct the bout without tolerating any irregular and untimely outside interventions.

c)      He shall work in close co-operation with the judge and must carry out his duties in supervising the bout while refraining from any impulsive or untimely interference. His whistle shall begin, interrupt and end the bout.

d)      The referee shall order the return of the wrestlers to the mat after they have left it, or the continuation of the bout in the standing or "par terre" position (on the mat), with the approval of the judge, or failing that, with the approval of the mat chairman.

e)      The referee is required to wear a red wristband on his left arm, and a blue wristband on his right arm. He shall indicate with his fingers the points corresponding to the value of a hold after its execution (if it is valid, if it has been executed within the limits of the mat, and if a wrestler has been put in a danger position, etc.), either by raising his right arm if the wrestler in blue scored the points, or by raising his left arm if the wrestler in red scored them.

f)       The referee must never hesitate to:

-        interrupt the bout at exactly the right time, neither too soon nor too late

-        indicate whether a hold executed at the edge of the mat is valid

-        visibly count the five seconds during which the wrestler is held in a bridge position and award the additional point for this situation

-        signal and announce TOUCHE (fall) after seeking the agreement of the judge, or if this is not possible, of the mat chairman. In order to determine whether a wrestler has actually been pinned to the mat by both shoulders at the same time, the referee must say the word ‘touche’(fall), raise his hand to secure the agreement of the judge or the mat chairman, strike the mat with his hand and then blow the whistle.

45)    The referee must:

-        rapidly and clearly order the position in which wrestling must be resumed, when he sends the wrestlers back to the centre of the mat (their feet must be in the central circle)