Duration
FILA and Olympic wrestling matches consist of three periods of two minutes each with a 30-second break in between. Athletes must win two of the three periods to capture a match. The total score does not matter. The match format is a change from previous rules, when wrestlers competed two periods of three minutes each, with a 30-second break in between.

 

Classification points
Classification points are credited at the end of each match in the tournament and serve as the primary tool for ranking wrestlers at the end of the tournament. Classification points are different than technical points, which are the actual points that wrestlers score during the matches themselves with takedowns, reversals, exposures, etc.

 

The following lists the number of classification points a wrestler could receive:

Victory by fall (pin)
• Winner: 5
• Loser: 0

Technical superiority (loser scores no points)
• Winner: 4
• Loser: 0*

Technical superiority (loser scores at least one point)
• Winner: 4
• Loser: 1*

Injury
• Winner: 5
• Loser: 0

Withdrawal
• Winner: 5
• Loser: 0#

Default
• Winner: 5
• Loser: 0#

Disqualification (Misconduct or fourth caution)
• Winner: 5
• Loser: 0

 

Victory on points (loser scores no points)
• Winner: 3
• Loser: 0

Victory on points (loser scroes at least one point)
• Winner: 3
• Loser: 1

 

Double disqualification
• No points for either wrestler

 

*Technical superiority -- often called a "technical fall" -- occurs when one wrestler has gained in one period a 6 points difference, a 5-point hold or 2 holds worth 3points. To win a match by technical superiority, the same wrestler must win two periods by technical fall.

# A wrestler who forfeits a match -- or does not appear at the match at the announced time -- is disqualified from the tournament and cannot be awarded a medal or final place.

 

Technical points
In FILA and Olympic wrestling matches, technical points are awarded as follows:

1 Point
• For taking the opponent down -- three support points of the defensive wrestler must be touching the mat (two arms or hands and one knee, or two knees and one arm or hand).
• For applying a correct hold and maneuver while standing on the mat or in the par terre position. (Does not put the opponent in danger.)
• For reversal of control, when the wrestler underneath comes out on top.
• For turning the opponent toward his or her back, his or her weight supported by one arm or both, but neither his or her head nor a shoulder or elbow touching the mat.
• For the wrestler who is prevented from completing a hold because his opponent is
• maintaining an irregular hold, but who finally succeeds in completing the hold.
• For holding an opponent in a position of danger for at least five seconds.
• For taking a hold and driving an opponent out of bounds while attempting a takedown. If the opponent is considered to be "fleeing the mat," this situation also results in a caution and a point is awarded.
• The penalty for fleeing the mat, executing an illegal hold, refusing to start, or commiting an act of brutality.
• The penalty for stopping the match for injury without bleeding.

 

2 Points
• For exposing the opponent's back -- the danger position -- when the wrestlers are in par terre. The back is considered exposed when it is forced past 90 degrees.
• For a throw to the mat from the standing position, when the defensive wrestler lands on his or her buttocks or side on impact, then is forced over into the danger position.
• For a counter that stops the opponent's throw and results in a takedown directly into the danger position.
• The penalty for an illegal hold, which keeps the opponent from scoring.
• The penalty for an illegal hold used to keep from being pinned.

 

3 Points
• For a "high amplitude" lift and throw from a standing position or from a lift from par terre which does not take the opponent to his or her back.
• For any hold applied from the standing position that takes an opponent to an immediate danger position on the mat, without meeting the criteria for high amplitude.

 

5 Points
• For a high amplitude throw from the standing position or from a lift from par terre that places an opponent in an immediate danger position. The throw must be a high, sweeping action that exposes the opponent's back to the mat. The high amplitude throw is the most spectacular maneuver in wrestling.

 

Tiebreakers
If at the end of a period the two wrestlers are tied, the winner is determined by the following criteria (in order):
 

• Fewest amount of cautions
• Higher value of holds
• Last scored technical point

 

In freestyle wrestling (men's and women's), if two wrestlers are tied 0-0 at the end of a period, the athletes will be put in an single-leg hold position to start an extra time period, which lasts until a point is scored or a maximum of 30 seconds. A drawing of lots or flip of a disk determines which wrestler gets the advantage in the hold position. If after the 30 seconds the wrestler with the advantage has not scored any points, his opponent will receive one technical point and be declared the winner of the period.

 

In Greco-Roman wrestling, a scoreless tie is not possible at the end of each period because the two wrestlers are put in par terre position in the last 30 seconds of each period. If a 0-0 tie remains at the end of the 30 seconds, the top wrestler will be penalized by a caution and one point is awarded to his opponent. In the last 30 seconds of a scoreless first period the wrestler wearing red goes on top and in the last 30 seconds of a scoreless second period the wrestler wearing blue goes on top. But if the wrestlers are scoreless in the last period, a drawing of lots or a flip of a disk, determines which wrestler gets choice of position. Otherwise, the leader of a period always goes on top.

 

A technical fall automatically ends a period, and a fall always ends the match.

 

Officials
During the course of a match, every decision by the referee that relates to points and cautions must be confirmed by either the judge or mat chairman, who sit on opposite sides of the mat from each other. A referee may rule one way, but nothing occurs unless the judge or mat chairman agrees; two of the three officials must agree on any judgment. If there is a disputed call, or the officials are unsure of how the action transpired, they may use video review located next to the mat. After reviewing the sequence of events, the officials discuss the situation and make a ruling based solely on what they saw in the video.