1. Bout/match duration

  1. Varies based on the age-groups involved, but the following are general guidelines:
    1. Youth events, U-15, U-17: Two periods of two minutes with a 30 second break between periods
    2. U-19, Junior and Senior events: Two periods of three minutes with a 30 second break between periods.
    3. Notes:
      1. These events feature ‘stop-time’, where the clock stops at each whistle/break (e.g. out of bounds). Some local events will use what is known as ‘run-time’ where the clock does not stop.
      2. Some local youth events may shorten the match to two periods of 1.5 minutes with a 30 second break.

2. Scoring methodology

  1. Values assigned to the Actions and Holds.
    1. 1 point
      1. To the wrestler whose opponent goes in the protection zone with one entire foot (in standing position) without executing a hold.
      2. Clarification for stepping out in standing wrestling for both style:
      3. When the attacking wrestler is the first to step into the protection area in the commission of a hold, the following may occur:
        • If the wrestler completes the hold successfully in a continuous action, they shall be awarded the requisite points — 1, 2, 4 or 5 points.
        • If the wrestler is unable to complete the hold successfully, after stopping the action the referee shall award their opponent 1 point.
        • If the wrestler lifts and controls their opponent and they are unable to complete the hold in a continuous action, the referee shall stop the bout but not award their opponent 1 point.
        • When a wrestler deliberately pushes their opponent into the protection area with no meaningful action, they shall no longer be awarded 1 point (only verbal warning).
      4. All the stops of bout by injury without bleeding or any visible injury are penalized by 1 point to the opponent.
      5. To the wrestler whose opponent requested a challenge if initial decision is confirmed.
      6. To the opponent of a wrestler designated as passive who fails to score points during a 30 second activity period in Freestyle wrestling.
      7. Reversal (counterattack by dominated wrestler in parterre position and passing behind)
      8. To the attacking wrestler whose opponent flees the hold, the mat, commits illegal actions or acts of brutality (in Freestyle).
      9. To the attacking wrestler whose opponent flees the hold and the mat (in Greco-Roman)
      10. To the attacking wrestler whose opponent commits an illegal hold during the execution of an engaged hold (in Freestyle).
      11. To the wrestler whose opponent commits offensive foul, after the first warning
      12. To the top wrestler whose opponent refuses correct “parterre” position, after the first verbal warning (in Freestyle).
      13. To the wrestler who finally succeeds in completing the hold even if their opponent is doing an irregular hold (in Freestyle).
      14. To the wrestler whose opponent is called for a first or second passivity in Greco-Roman wrestling.
    2. 2 points:
      1. To the wrestler who overcomes and then controls their opponent by passing behind (three points of contact: two arms and one knee or two knees and one arm or head or elbow).
      2. To the wrestler who applies a correct and complete throw that brings their opponent into a prone position or lateral position or a position with three points of contact. The defensive wrestler must lose control during the throw.
      3. To the wrestler who executes a hold that places their opponent's back at an angle of less than 90 degrees, including when their opponent is on one or two outstretched arms.
      4. To the attacking wrestler whose opponent rolls onto their shoulders.
      5. To the wrestler who blocks their opponent in the execution of a hold from the standing position, in a position of danger.
      6. To the attacking wrestler whose opponent commits any illegal actions or acts of brutality (in Greco-Roman).
      7. To the attacking wrestler whose opponent commits an illegal hold during the execution of an engaged hold (in Greco-Roman).
      8. To the top wrestler whose opponent refuses correct “parterre” position, after the first verbal warning (in Greco-Roman).
      9. To the wrestler whose opponent flees the mat in a danger position.
      10. To the attacking wrestler whose opponent commits a foul in a danger position.
    3. 4 points
      1. To the wrestler performing a hold in a standing position, which brings their opponent into a danger position in a continuous and fluid manner.
      2. For any hold executed by raising a wrestler from the ground and bringing their opponent into a danger position, over a short amplitude, even if one or both of the attacking wrestler’s knees are on the ground.
      3. To the wrestler who executes a grand amplitude hold which does not place the opponent in a direct and immediate danger position.
      4. For any throw executed from standing or parterre where the opponent is completely lifted from the ground and lands on chest or one/two outstretched arms. The defensive wrestler must rotate (any direction) over a short amplitude.
      5. If, in performing a hold, the defending wrestler maintains contact with the mat with one of their hands, but is immediately placed in a danger position, the attacking wrestler will receive 4 points.
    4. 5 points
      1. All grand amplitude throws executed in a standing position which bring the defending wrestler to a direct and immediate danger position.
      2. The hold executed by a wrestler in the "parterre" position who completely lifts their opponent off the ground with the execution of a high amplitude throw which projects the opponent into a direct and immediate danger position.
  2. OUA Point System
Result of the boutPoints awarded to winnerPoints awarded to loser
Fall50
Technical superiority: bout won – loser scores no points40
Technical superiority: bout won – loser scores points41
Decision: loser scores points31
Decision: loser scores no points30
Injury50
Forfeit: loser is eliminated and does not place50
Disqualification for misconduct or violation of rules: loser can be eliminated and not placed50
Cautions (3): loser records three cautions50
Disqualification where both wrestlers are disqualified for misconduct or violation of the rules: losers can be eliminated and will not place00

3. Legal scoring techniques

  1. Not applicable. Only Illegal scoring techniques are listed.

4. Legal scoring targets

  1. Not applicable.

5. Illegal scoring techniques

  1. General Prohibitions. Wrestlers are forbidden to:
    1. Pull the hair, ears, genitals, pinch the skin, bite, twist fingers or toes, etc. and generally, to perform actions, gestures or holds with the intention of torturing the opponent or making them suffer to force them to withdraw.
    2. Kick, head-butt, strangle, push, apply holds that may endanger the opponent’s life or cause a fracture or dislocation of limbs, tread on the feet of the opponent or touch their face between the eyebrows and the line of the mouth.
    3. Thrust the elbow or knee into the opponent's abdomen or stomach, carry out any twisting action which is likely to cause suffering, or hold the opponent by their singlet.
    4. Cling to or grasp the mat.
    5. Talk during the bout.
    6. Seize the sole of the opponent’s foot (only seizing the upper part of the foot or the heel is permitted).
    7. Agree with the match result between themselves.
    8. Grasping or interlocking fingers to block the opponent and prevent Active Wrestling.
    9. To spit the water out during the break.
    10. These general prohibitions are sanctioned based on the severity of the foul (disqualification, caution-1(2) point or verbal warning). Disciplinary sanctions might also be applied after the competition against the athlete at fault.
  2. Illegal holds
    1. Throat hold
    2. Twisting of arms more than 90 degrees
    3. Arm lock applied to the forearm
    4. Holding the head or neck with two hands, as well as all situations and positions of strangulation
    5. Double Nelson, if not executed from the side without the use of the legs on any part of the opponent’s body
    6. Bringing the opponent’s arm behind their back and at the same time applying pressure to it in a position where the forearm forms an acute angle
    7. Executing a hold by stretching the opponent’s spinal column
    8. Chancery hold with one or two hands in any direction whatsoever
    9. Holds done only by taking the head (the only holds allowed are with the head and one arm)
    10. In standing, holds executed from behind when the opponent is head down (reverse waist hold), the fall must be executed only to the side and never from top to bottom (header)
    11. In executing a hold, only one arm may be used to hold the opponent’s head or neck
    12. Lifting the opponent who is in a bridge position and then to throw them onto the mat (severe impact on the ground); that is, the bridge must be forced down
    13. Breaking the bridge by pushing in the direction of the head
    14. Generally, if the attacking wrestler is found to have violated the Rules during the execution of a hold, the action in question shall be completely void and on the first offence, the referee shall give an “attention” to the attacking wrestler at fault. If the attacker repeats their violation, they will be punished by a caution and 1 point.
    15. If a defending wrestler, by an illegal action, prevents their opponent from developing their hold, the defending wrestler will be cautioned. Their opponent will receive one point in Freestyle and two points in Greco-Roman.
    16. Prohibited holds for Women’s wrestling:
      1. All double Nelsons holds in the "parterre" or standing position are forbidden in Women’s wrestling.
    17. Prohibited holds for U15 and U17
      1. Double Nelson from both the front and side
      2. In freestyle, a leg hook on the opponent’s leg, in addition to the double Nelson
  3. Special Prohibitions
    1. In Greco-Roman wrestling, it is forbidden to grasp the opponent below the hips and to squeeze them with the legs. All pushing, pressing or ‘lifting’ by means of contact with the legs on any part of the body of the opponent is also strictly forbidden.
    2. In Greco-Roman wrestling, if the offensive wrestler in the execution of a manoeuvre inadvertently makes contact or blocks with their legs, the referee shall:
      1. On the 1st offense, stop the match and warn the guilty wrestler.
      2. On the 2nd offense, the guilty wrestler's opponent shall be awarded 1 point and the guilty wrestler shall receive a caution.
    3. In Greco-Roman wrestling, if a defensive wrestler commits a leg foul, the referee shall:
      1. On the 1st offense, stop the match and award the guilty wrestler's opponent 2 points and the guilty wrestler shall receive a caution.
      2. On the 2nd offense, the guilty wrestler will lose the concerned bout.
    4. In freestyle, a scissor-lock with the feet crossed on the head, neck or body is forbidden.
  4. Consequence affecting the Bout
    1. The illegal hold of the attacked wrestler shall be stopped by the referee without interrupting the hold if possible. If there is no danger, the referee allows the development of the hold and waits for the result. The referee then stops the match, gives the points and a caution to the wrestler at fault.
    2. If the hold begins properly and then becomes illegal, the hold should be evaluated up until the beginning of the infraction, then the match should be stopped and wrestling should be made to continue in a standing position with the attacking wrestler receiving an amicable caution.
    3. If the wrestler attacks again with an illegal hold, the referee will stop the match, give a caution (0) to the wrestler at fault and one point to their opponent.
    4. In all cases, in the event of any willful butting with the head or any other brutality, the wrestler at fault may be eliminated immediately from the bout by a unanimous decision of the officiating team and disqualified from the competition and placed last with a comment "eliminated for brutality". The offending wrestler will receive a red card.
  5. Safety
    1. Safety will continue to be the primary consideration. The official is always to err on the side of caution and protect the athlete(s). Any situation which the official feels is potentially dangerous or has the potential to be dangerous is to be stopped. Even if the action is not explicitly illegal, the official(s) will stop the action and wrestling will resume in the standing position. Such a decision is to be considered a discretionary call and therefore cannot be protested and should not be questioned by the coach.
  6. Rules Modifications - Novice and Kids and Bantam
    1. Rules of the Current WCL Rulebook U-17 age group will be used at Age Group events with the following exceptions:
    2. No amplitude (5 point) throws are permitted in Age Group Wrestling.
  7. Illegal Moves For All Age Group Wrestlers
    1. Illegal/dangerous holds as per current WCL Rulebook for U-17
    2. All back-bending throws (including side Suplay and Salto) and in turn the locking of the hands on a double underhook (the set-up for chest to chest throwing techniques)
    3. Full nelson and 3/4 nelson
    4. Any hold on the legs where the offensive wrestler's leg or arm is in the crux of the knee of the opponent while attempting to collapse the knee (such as German Leg Ride)
    5. No locking or placing of both hands on the opponent's neck
    6. West point ride
    7. Slam
    8. The OAWA Youth rules ban the use of the ‘Gabori’ technique at all levels, Tyke to Bantam. This is also known as the ‘Alligator roll’. Wrestlers may take a head and arm control from the front in parterre but may not attempt any sort of roll from the head and arm (the Gabori). The referee will watch for this and stop the action immediately as soon as any attempt at a roll is made.
  8. Age Specific Rules - In addition to the above, the following are in place for the age groups noted:
    1. Tykes and Novice
      1. Bout times: 2 x 2-minute periods with 30 second rest between periods
      2. No shot clock
      3. No head and arm throw
      4. No gabori head and arm roll/gator roll etc. or similar rolling head and arm technique
      5. No consecutive repetitions of any legal tilt. The defensive wrestler must return to a fully defendable position and offensive wrestler must modify their grip before a technique is repeated
      6. 10-point decision by evident technical superiority
      7. A fall will be one full second
      8. No full nelson or 3/4 nelson
      9. Any hold on the legs where the offensive wrestler's leg or arm is in the crux of the knee of the opponent while attempting to collapse the knee (such as German Leg Ride) is not permitted
      10. No locking or placing of both hands on the opponent's neck
      11. No west point ride
      12. When a wrestler is in any potential pinning situation, the offensive wrestler must complete the pin within 15 seconds or the action will be halted and wrestling will resume from the standing position. The referee will draw attention to the action by visibly counting to 15 using a sweeping motion of their hand.
      13. No amplitude (5 point) throws are permitted in any level of Age Group wrestling
      14. Any wrestler, when in any pinning situation, who calls out will be taken as a making a forfeit and the referee's decision to end the match will be final. Similarly, if the coach yells for their athlete to be let off their back it will also be taken as a forfeit and the referee's decision to end the match will also be final.
      15. Illegal or dangerous holds are illegal in Age Group wrestling.
      16. Additionally, locking of the hands in a double underhook (either from the front or side), back bending throws either to the back or to the side, a reverse leg ride, any hold on the legs where the offensive wrestler's leg or arm is in the crux of the opponent's while attempting to fold the knee creating a fulcrum (a high potential for injury of the opponent's knee) are illegal for Novice, Kids and Bantams.
      17. For Novice and Kids aged wrestlers, the standing head and arm throw is not allowed. As an example, during wrestling, as soon as an attempt at a head and arm throw is apparent as evidenced by a hip tossing action or a rotation of the hips, the referee will stop the action and warn the offending wrestler. A repetition of this rule violation will bring about a caution to the offending wrestler and one point awarded to the opponent. Action will resume from the standing position. This includes the situation wherein the action starts from standing and goes to the knees and continues in a throwing action in an attempt to circumvent the intent of the rule.
      18. The head and arm is permitted for all wrestlers if the action is from a "scramble" situation wherein both athletes have both knees on the mat. This technique is considered a tilt.
      19. In the off case that, at the end of the second round and if the score is still tied 0-0, the referee will immediately call the wrestlers to the center and toss a colored disc. (Red and Blue). Wrestling will resume in the standing position. The wrestler who wins the toss must score within 30 seconds or the opponent will be awarded one point and the match.
    2. Kids
      1. Same as novice minus the 15-second pin rule
      2. Two repetitions of any technique other than the front head and arm tilt will be permitted. If a third repetition is commenced, the referee will stop the action and wrestling will resume in the standing position.
    3. Bantam
      1. Same as Kids but,
      2. A head and arm throw and a side Salto are both permitted at this level under close scrutiny by the on-mat official. As with all other Youth Rules, if the official feels there is potential danger to either wrestler, they may stop the action without penalty.
      3. Unlimited repetitions of any legal technique except the front head and arm tilt.
  9. Officials
    1. If there is any doubt about the safety of a situation involving young wrestlers, even if it is not illegal in nature, the referee should stop the action immediately. Safety must be a key goal of youth wrestling.
  10. Awards
    1. It is recommended that every athlete in the competition get some sort of participation award. Examples might include ribbons, crests, pennants, certificates.
    2. Medals for top three placing are optional.
    3. Team titles may be used but should not be emphasized.

6. Illegal scoring targets

  1. Not applicable.

7. Scoring fouls/penalties

  1. Cautions are awarded for illegal actions. These may include one wrestler refusing to engage with their opponent (called Fleeing the Hold) or running off the wrestling mat (called Fleeing the Mat) or for use of any illegal hold.
  2. Each Caution is recorded and a point is awarded to the opponent. Three Cautions in a match by either wrestler results in a disqualifying loss to the offending wrestler.

8. Result declarations

  1. Types of Victories
    1. A bout may be won:
      1. by "fall"
      2. by injury
      3. by 3 cautions given to the opponent during a bout or two leg fouls in Greco-Roman Wrestling
      4. by technical superiority following a forfeit
      5. by a disqualification
      6. by points (by having at least 1 point more after addition of the two periods) refer to the Article 41 for the details of each victory
    2. In case of tie by points, the winner will be declared by successively considering:
      1. the highest value of holds
      2. the least amount of cautions
      3. the last technical point(s) scored
    3. A wrestler receiving 3 cautions (0) during a match lost the bout. 3rd caution must be given unanimously by the refereeing body. Challenge request should be accepted for all kinds of cautions.

9. Athlete attire and required equipment

  1. The Uniform
    1. To participate in United World Wrestling events, athletes of ALL age categories must comply with the UWW Uniform Guidelines. These Guidelines are intended to allow innovative design features in conformity with the rules and regulations for wrestling.
    2. Responsibility of compliance: At all events organized by United World Wrestling, the National Federations are responsible; and at Olympic Games the National Olympic Committees are responsible for ensuring that the items worn or used by the members of their delegation comply with the terms of these rules.
    3. General Considerations: The singlet is the standard uniform which is used across all Olympic styles. The wrestling singlet must be made up of a smooth fabric without any rough edges that does not present any danger of irritation, neither for the user nor for the opponent. The singlet shall provide to each wrestler all possibilities, to execute their holds and technique.
    4. Violations: At the weigh-in, the referee must check that each competitor satisfies the requirements of this article. The wrestler must be warned at the weigh-in if their appearance is non-compliant. If the wrestler fails to comply the wrestlers’ federation will be fined at the conclusion of the competition. If the wrestler enters the mat with the incorrect designated singlet for the match, officials will allow maximum one minute in order for them to comply.
    5. If, after this time, the wrestler is still at fault, they will lose the match by forfeit. It is prohibited to:
      1. wear the emblem or abbreviation of another country
      2. apply any greasy or sticky substance to the body
      3. arrive at the mat perspiring for the beginning of the match and for the beginning of each period
      4. wear bandages on fingers, wrists, arms or ankles except in the case of injury and on doctor’s orders. These bandages must be covered with elastic straps.
      5. wear any object that might cause injury to the opponent, such as rings, bracelets, prosthesis, piercing etc..
      6. wear under-wired bras
  2. Singlet
    1. Please refer to the Uniform Policy for WCL Sanctioned Events.
    2. Please note that a WCL representative and the on-site head official at each of the respective. Championships will have the final authority on approving or rejecting competition singlets at weigh-ins and during competition.
  3. From Ontario Amateur Wrestling Association
    1. All Provincial Championships and OAWA Hosted events:
    2. All athletes must wear a singlet, either red or blue as designated by their placing in the draw.
  4. Mat attire
    1. Organizers of local events are free to set their own policies regarding appropriate mat attire. The minimum expectations for mat attire are above knee shorts with no belt loops, zippers or pockets and a snugly fitting t-shirt.
    2. Ear protectors: The ear protectors must be made of flexible and elastic material without any hard buckle. The ear flaps must be elastic and covered with a shock absorbing material presenting no danger for the opponent.
    3. However, for Provincial events, gender appropriate singlets are mandatory for wrestlers. Wrestling shoes/running shoes (no metal anywhere) must be taped.
  5. All new Wrestling uniforms shall be Red or Blue or school colors as per the USPORTS Wrestling Rule.