Freestyle wrestling

Freestyle wrestling is a sport in which two competitors attempt to use their bodies to gain advantage over their opponents. The primary goal of each competitor is to pin his or her opponent to the ground; however, wrestlers may also earn points by successfully completing certain moves. If neither wrestler is able to pin his or her opponent, the wrestler with the most points wins the match. Points are scored by a system that rewards risk-taking. Freestyle wrestling uses elements found in several other fighting sports, including judo, sambo, and traditional wrestling.

Freestyle wrestling is one of two forms of Olympic wrestling, the second being Greco-Roman wrestling. The two sports share many of the same rules and take place in the same setting. However, in Greco-Roman wrestling, competitors must restrict their attacks to above the waist and cannot use their legs to lift, trip, or hold their opponents. Freestyle wrestlers, as the name suggests, are allowed to use their entire bodies in competitions, with maneuvers using both their arms and legs allowable. Although it shares strong similarities with traditional collegiate and high school wrestling in the United States, freestyle wrestling has a different set of rules. Since 2004, women's freestyle wrestling has been part of the Olympic Games.

Origins and History

Wrestling is perhaps one of the oldest sports. Its origins date back to the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia from five thousand years ago. Reliefs and drawings of people wrestling have been found in caves associated with both the Sumerian and Akkadian civilizations. Similarly, the ancient tomb of Egyptian official Baqet III was found containing depictions of four hundred pairs of wrestlers demonstrating various positions of the sport. These drawings are thought to be indicative of a detailed code of rules associated with the sport in antiquity.

Wrestling assumed an even more prominent position in Greek society. According to their origin myths, the Greek god Zeus defeated his father Cronus in a wrestling match to gain control of the universe. Wrestling matches were also often used to indicate a battle of titanic forces in other works of Greek mythology like those featuring such epic heroes as Heracles and Theseus.

Beyond its role in Greek literature, wrestling formed a prominent part of Greek life. It was used as a means of training and strengthening young men. Naked Greek wrestlers coated themselves in olive oil and sand to protect themselves from the elements before taking part in a match. Based on depictions of this early form of wrestling, it seemed to be similar in scope to modern freestyle wrestling.

The first wrestling matches were included in the ancient Olympic Games in 708 BCE, and it was regarded as one of the most popular sports among both participants and fans. It was included in these ancient games as part of two events: individual wrestling, which was called Palé, and as the final marquee competition of the five-event pentathlon. Wrestling was also included in the prestigious Isthmic Games, Nemean Games, and Pythic Games. It remained an integral part of the Olympics under the Romans until the games were banned in 393 CE. Despite the lack of a high-profile platform for the sport, competitors continued to wrestle well into the Middle Ages, when it was depicted in paintings by Caravaggio and Rembrandt.

The modern incarnation of the sport began in England as an event called "catch-as-catch-can." It was regularly practiced throughout Great Britain and was imported to the United States by immigrants in the late nineteenth century. During this period, Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin began a campaign to revive the Olympic Games. Under de Coubertin's plan to copy the ancient version of the Olympics, wrestling was included as one of the ten original sports of the modern games in 1896. This original incarnation of Olympic wrestling more closely resembled Greco-Roman wrestling in form, and all participants competed in one class regardless of weight. Wrestling was not included in the 1900 games in Paris, but saw a return in 1904 as "freestyle wrestling." In 1912, wrestling was again absent from the Olympics, but the establishment of the first international wrestling organization that same year helped to cement its inclusion in all future Olympic Games.

Rules and Regulations

All matches take place on a thick mat measuring 40 feet by 40 feet (12 meters by 12 meters) that has two circles (one inside the other) marked in the middle. The area inside the central ring measures 23 feet (7 meters) in diameter and is known as the fight circle. The outer circle, which measures an extra 3.3 feet (1 meter) outside the circumference of the fight circle, is called the passivity zone. The area outside these circles is the protection area. The match occurs on the inside of the two circles.

A freestyle wrestling match begins with both competitors standing 3.3 feet (1 meter) apart. A wrestler may win a bout in one of five ways: by pin, technical pin, decision, default, or disqualification. A pin occurs when one wrestler is able to hold his or her opponent's shoulders against the mat with control for one to two seconds. A technical pin happens when one wrestler gains a ten-point lead, resulting in the automatic end of the match. If no opponent gains a pin, the winning wrestler is selected by a determination of points, which is called a decision. Any injuries or other matters that force a wrestler to quit is a default. Any wrestler caught breaking the rules or receiving three cautions forfeits the match, handing the other wrestler the win by disqualification.

Scoring occurs through five methods. A takedown, which involves three points of contact (such as two arms and a leg or two knees and an arm), scores between two and five points depending on the execution and style of the move. A reversal, which occurs when a wrestler is able to switch from a defensive stance to an offensive position, scores one point. Any time a wrestler steps out of bounds, the opponent is awarded one point. If one wrestler is able to place an opponent on his or her back for any period of time, the referee—at his or her discretion—will award two or three points. Finally, if one wrestler is deemed to have fled a hold, moved away from the ring, acted with too much passivity, or taken an injury time-out for a reason other than bleeding, the opponent may receive one or two points as penalty.

Wrestlers who spend too much time in the passivity zone are warned by the referee to be more aggressive. Wrestlers deemed to be too passive will be whistled, and their opponents are given the option facing them in the parterre (on their hands and knees) or standing position. Once in this position, the other wrestler grabs the opponent from behind and the match restarts.

Strategy and Tactics

The point system is designed to encourage athletes to take greater chances. As a result, it rewards aggression and wrestlers who use a variety of holds. Wrestlers are advised to continue to attack their opponents as much as possible and to keep the other wrestler within arm's distance (which is called the attacking range). As the sport favors aggressive wrestlers, any demonstration of fatigue or passivity may be called out by the referee; therefore, it is in the wrestler's best interest to maintain an attacking, high-energy stance at all times. Leg attacks for takedowns and throwing actions are preferred methods of attack.

Professional Leagues and Series

Freestyle wrestling is organized and run by United World Wrestling (UWW), which was formerly known until 2014 as the Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées (FILA) or, in English, the Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles. This group is also tasked with organizing a number of other wrestling disciplines, including Greco-Roman wrestling, beach wrestling, Pahlavani wrestling, and belt wrestling.

The highest honor for a freestyle wrestler is an Olympic medal. However, in February 2013, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that it was removing all wrestling disciplines from the Olympics beginning in 2020 over concerns about FILA's poor relationship with the IOC and flagging international participation in the sport. To accommodate the IOC's concerns, the UWW (although the organization still identified as FILA at the time) agreed to simplify the scoring system to increase viewer appeal and to reduce the men's weight classes from seven divisions to six so that two more women's divisions could be added to the tournament program. In December 2013, the organization announced that future Olympic freestyle programs would consist of eighteen weight classes over three disciplines, with six weight divisions in each of the women's freestyle, men's freestyle, and men's Greco-Roman styles. The IOC voted to reinstate the sport due to these changes and concessions.

Popularity

Freestyle wrestling enjoys varying levels of participation and support in different regions around the world. In the United States, wrestling as a whole ranks fourth among all sports in the total number of medals earned since 1896. As testament to the enduring popularity of the sport in the United States, the UWW's International Wrestling Hall of Fame is included as part of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Many American wrestlers who compete in collegiate wrestling move to the freestyle discipline after graduation to continue their careers on a professional level and for the opportunity to compete for an Olympic medal.

The men's incarnation has particularly strong participation levels in Asian and Eastern European countries. It ranks among the most popular sports in Iran, Armenia, Bulgaria, and North Korea. In particular, Iran is often regarded as the cradle of contemporary freestyle wrestling. Women's freestyle wrestling enjoys broader support in countries where women's sports receive greater governmental assistance. In three Olympic appearances, Japan, China, Russia, France, and the United States have emerged as powers in the comparatively new Olympic sport of women's freestyle wrestling, although women have competed at the Women's World Championships since 1987.

Bibliography

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