Explained: How points system works in wrestling at Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games have always been a happy hunting ground for the Indian wrestlers, who have won medals in all the 12 categories (men’s and women’s freestyle combined) over the last three editions prior to ongoing Birmingham Games. Such has been the dominance in the absence of the wrestling powerhouses in Japan, Russia, Iran among others that even the Greco Roman wrestlers (last included in 2010 Delhi) had medals in all the six categories from India. The expectations are no dissimilar on Friday and Saturday when 12 Indian wrestlers will vie for medals across all the categories. Click here for our complete coverage of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. What are the 12 categories in wrestling at the Commonwealth Games? Six for each of the sexes, the men’s category in Birmingham includes 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, 97kg, and 125kg. The women’s category has 50kg, 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 68kg, and 76kg. The two lightweight categories among men have the strongest representations in Tokyo silver medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya and bronze winner Bajrang Punia. The 86kg also includes Deepak Punia, who missed on his Olympic medal literally by a second last year. Apart from them, 74kg category will have Naveen Malik, who made the semi-finals of the prestigious Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in June amid a tough field of reigning World Champion Tajmuraz Salkazanov and runner-up Nurkozha Kaipanov among others in participation. The 97kg category saw a 21-year-old Deepak qualify. The expectations are high from the heavyweight category lifter as he is also the reigning World U-23 Champion (in June). The 125kg category has Mohit Grewal, who made it to the CWG amid controversy as his final bout during the Wrestling Federation of India trials saw his losing rival slap and punch a senior referee over alleged wrong decisions. The women’s category has no dearth of star value as well with 2016 Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik (62kg), former World No. 1 Vinesh Phogat (53kg) and rising star Anshu Malik (57kg) among its ranks. The 68kg will also see strong participation from Divya Kakran as the two-time Asian Champion returned to form recently after injuries and bouts with COVID-19. The story is very similar for 50kg qualifier Pooja Gehlot, who is aiming to make her mark at the senior level as her success at the junior level have become a thing of past with serious injuries threatening her career at the top early. How the rules and points system works in wrestling? A wrestling bout is of 6 minutes with a 30-second interval separating two equal halves. During the bout a grappler can earn from one to upto five points from a single move. And as per United World Wrestling, the point system is as follows:

• 1 point - To the wrestler whose opponent goes in the protection zone with one entire foot (in standing position) without executing a hold. - When the attacking wrestler is the first to step into the protection area in the commission of a hold, the following may occur: 1. If the wrestler completes the hold successfully in a continuous action, he shall be awarded the requisite points–1, 2, 4 or 5 points. 2. If the wrestler is unable to complete the hold successfully, after stopping the action the referee shall award his opponent 1 point. 3. If the wrestler lifts and controls his opponent and he is unable to complete the hold in a continuous action, the referee shall stop the bout but not award his opponent 1 point. Note: When a wrestler deliberately pushes his opponent into the protection area with no meaningful action, he shall no longer be awarded 1 point. If he does it second time he will be penalized caution (O) and 2 points to opponent. - To the wrestler whose opponent requested a challenge if initial decision is confirmed. - To the opponent of a wrestler designated as passive who fails to score points during a 30 second activity period in Freestyle wrestling. - Reversal (counter attack by dominated wrestler in parterre position and passing behind)
• 2 points - To the wrestler who overcomes and then controls his opponent by passing behind (three points of contact: two arms and one knee or two knees and one arm or head). - To the wrestler who applies a correct hold while standing on the mat or in the “parterre” position with three points of contact but who does not secure control by passing behind. - To the wrestler who executes a hold that places his opponent’s back at an angle of less than 90 degrees, including when his opponent is on one or two outstretched arms. - To 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. - To the attacking wrestler whose opponent flees the hold, the mat, refuses to start, commits illegal actions or acts of brutality. - To the attacking wrestler whose opponent rolls onto his shoulders. - To the attacking wrestler whose opponent flees the hold out-of-bounds and lands in a position of danger. - To the attacking wrestler whose opponent commits an illegal hold that hinders the execution of an engaged hold or a fall - To the wrestler who blocks his opponent in the execution of a hold from the standing position, in a position of danger. - To the wrestler whose opponent, either top or bottom wrestler, refuses correct “parterre” position, in a position of danger
• 4 points - To the wrestler performing a hold in a standing position, which brings his opponent into a danger position by direct projection over a short amplitude. - For any hold executed by raising a wrestler from the ground, over a short amplitude, even if one or both of the attacking wrestler’s knees are on the ground. - To the wrestler who executes a grand amplitude hold which does not place the opponent in a direct and immediate danger position. NB. If, in performing a hold, the defending wrestler maintains contact with the mat with one of his hands, but is immediately placed in a danger position, the attacking wrestler will receive 4 points. 5 points - All grand amplitude throws executed in a standing position which bring the defending wrestler to a direct and immediate danger position. - The hold executed by a wrestler in the “parterre” position who completely lifts his opponent off the ground with the execution of a high amplitude throw which projects the opponent into a direct and immediate danger position - To the wrestler who overcomes and then controls his opponent by passing behind (three points of contact: two arms and one knee or two knees and one arm or head). - To the wrestler who applies a correct hold while standing on the mat or in the “parterre” position with three points of contact but who does not secure control by passing behind. - To the wrestler who executes a hold that places his opponent’s back at an angle of less than 90 degrees, including when his opponent is on one or two outstretched arms. - To 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. - To the attacking wrestler whose opponent flees the hold, the mat, refuses to start, commits illegal actions or acts of brutality. - To the attacking wrestler whose opponent rolls onto his shoulders. - To the attacking wrestler whose opponent flees the hold out-of-bounds and lands in a position of danger. - To the attacking wrestler whose opponent commits an illegal hold that hinders the execution of an engaged hold or a fall - To the wrestler who blocks his opponent in the execution of a hold from the standing position, in a position of danger. - To the wrestler whose opponent, either top or bottom wrestler, refuses correct “parterre” position, in a position of danger - To the wrestler performing a hold in a standing position, which brings his opponent into a danger position by direct projection over a short amplitude. - For any hold executed by raising a wrestler from the ground, over a short amplitude, even if one or both of the attacking wrestler’s knees are on the ground. - To the wrestler who executes a grand amplitude hold which does not place the opponent in a direct and immediate danger position. Click here for our complete coverage of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. * 5 points - All grand amplitude throws executed in a standing position which bring the defending wrestler to a direct and immediate danger position. - The hold executed by a wrestler in the “parterre” position who completely lifts his opponent off the ground with the execution of a high amplitude throw which projects the opponent into a direct and immediate danger position Note: The points are confirmed when the referee shall indicate his decision by raising his arm and clearly showing the points with his fingers.

Declaring a winner Also, a bout may also end before the regulation time if a wrestler wins the bout by Victory by fall (VFA), where the winner gets 5:0 win. In case of injury to the opponent and thereof discontinuation, the victory by injury (VIN) also sees the winner being awarded 5:0 win. In case a wrestler is cautioned thrice by referee then the opponent is awarded 5-0 victory by caution (VCA) In case of forfeit of match by the opponent, the winner is awarded VFO by same margin as above. In case of an opponent not showing up to the mat, leads to disqualification (DSQ 5:0). In case of unfair behaviour during a match by a wrestler during a bout, 4-0 win is awarded to the rival (VSU 4:0) In case, a freestyle wrester goes to a 10-0 point over his opponent the wrestler is declared winner by technical superiority (VSU). In case of a 10-point gap also, it’s a technical superiority win (VSU1). Victory by technical superiority during one half alone with loser scoring no points also leads to a three points win (VPO 3:0) In case a wrestler wins by 1 to nine points at the end of a bout, he wins by 3 points to 1 (VPO1 3:1)

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