2006-07 NFHS Wrestling Rules Interpretations

SITUATION 1: During the second period of a match, Wrestler A pins Wrestler B with 25 seconds remaining in the period. The Team B coach immediately reports to the referee that his wrestler should have had a choice of position after the first period and that all wrestling after that point should be considered bad time. After consultation with the scorer's table, it is determined that A was given the choice of position incorrectly at the start of the period. RULING: Errors requiring bad time to be re-wrestled must be corrected prior to the start of any subsequent period. Since A was awarded the wrong choice of position after the first period, and no subsequent period had started, the error is correctable and all bad time must be re-wrestled. (6-6-1)

SITUATION 2: NFHS weight-management rules require that all wrestlers complete a body-fat assessment in a hydrated state (specific gravity less than or equal to 1.025) to determine a minimum wrestling weight for the season (Minimum 7 percent for males and 12 percent for females). A wrestler's weight loss will be guided by a season-long descent plan that allows for an average weight loss of 1.5 percent per week. Each state association's rules may also require that in order to compete in a weight class at the state championships, that he/she must compete at a weight class for at least 50-percent of his/her matches. Can the state association add the 50-percent restriction? RULING: Yes, under NFHS wrestling rules, state associations have the authority to make playing rules more restrictive in any sport. Since the addition of the 50-percent rule is more restrictive than NFHS rules, it would be allowed. (1-3-2)

SITUATION 3: In the first period, Wrestler A earns a 2-point takedown. No other scoring occurs until a flurry at the end of the first period in which wrestler B earns an escape and a takedown, then wrestler A earns an escape. The scorekeeper does not see the referee award B's escape, and because of the flurry, the scorekeeper believes the referee was unable to give the signal for a reversal and records a 2-point reversal instead of a 1-point escape and a 2-point takedown. The scoreboard operator (not the official scorer) sees B's escape awarded, posts it, and points for the ensuing takedown. At the end of the first period, the scoreboard has a 3-3 score posted - an escape and a takedown for each wrestler - but the official scorekeeper has recorded three points (takedown and an escape) for A and only two points (reversal) for B. Because the scoreboard shows a score of 3-3, the error is not challenged by B or his coach. The match is wrestled to conclusion with each wrestler earning an escape, making the official scorekeeper's score 4-3 in favor of A. At this point, B and his coach point out the recording error claiming the match should be tied 4-4 and should now go into overtime. RULING: It is good practice by a referee to clarify all points awarded at the end of a flurry. Rule 6-6-4a1 and 6-6-5a1 both state, "Any error, other than Bad Time or Positioning, shall be corrected prior to the start of the next period, regulation or overtime." The error in this case was made in the first period and needed to be corrected prior to the beginning of the second period of that match. The fact that the error was not detected because of the posting of the score by the scoreboard operator does not change the rule. It is responsibility of the official scorekeeper to advise the scoreboard operator and visiting team's scorer of the correct score in order to avoid such problems, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the coaches and their scorekeepers to recognize scoring errors as they occur. In this case the official scorekeeper's score of 4-3 in favor of wrestler A would stand. (6-6-4a1, 6-6-5a1)

SITUATION 4: A wrestler advances to the championship finals of a tournament, which will be held the day after the semifinals. On the day of the finals, the wrestler who was not injured or did not become ill during the tournament fails to make weight. Does the wrestler who failed to make weight earn second place? RULING: No, Rule 10-2-7 states that in order to place in a tournament a wrestler must make weight each day of the tournament (EXCEPTION: 10-2-4). The other finalist would be awarded a forfeit for the championship. There would be no second-place finisher. The wrestler who failed to make weight would lose all placement points earned for his team. The wrestler who failed to make weight would retain advancement points as well as points earned for falls, forfeits, defaults, technical falls, decisions and major decisions for his team. (10-2-7)

SITUATION 5: Wrestler A is the offensive wrestler in the ultimate tiebreaker. With five seconds remaining in the ultimate tiebreaker, A is injured and receives his second injury time-out. The referee gives Wrestler B his choice of position. B chooses top, and rides A for the final five seconds, and is awarded the victory. Is this correct? RULING: This is correct. When time elapsed in the ultimate tiebreaker, B was the offensive wrestler. (6-7-1; 8-2-1)

SITUATION 6: Wrestler A turns Wrestler B to his back near the edge of the mat. B bridges off the mat before near-fall criteria are met for two seconds. The referee stops the match and awards A one point for B fleeing the mat. Is this correct? RULING: There is an important difference in fleeing the mat and initiating a move or a counter in the direction of the boundary line. Similarly, while wrestlers are obligated to make an effort to remain inbounds, the boundary line should not serve to handicap a wrestler or place him in a position of disadvantage. In the situation above, if the only reasonable option for B to counter A and escape from his predicament was initiating movement in the direction of the boundary line, then that should not be construed as fleeing the mat. If it were in the center of the mat, initiating a high bridge and sliding and/or turning in a particular direction would be perfectly reasonable. It remains a similarly reasonable alternative if it occurs at the edge of the mat. If the referee feels certain that B had other alternatives, and initiated the bridge that carried him off the mat exclusively for the sake of going off the mat, then the call is correct. (5-28-1a; 7-3-1)

SITUATION 7: When the referee arrives at the school, he/she finds Wrestler "A" running in the parking lot with a vinyl sweatsuit. What should the referee do? RULING: Get the wrestler's name and school name and then disqualify the wrestler. The jurisdiction time of the referee begins upon arrival at the site. (3-1-3; 4-4-3)

SITUATION 8: Wrestler B reports to the scorer's table without his shoelaces secured. What should the referee do? RULING: B is charged an injury time-out and has a maximum of 1½ minutes to correct the problem and Wrestler A is awarded a match point. (5-28-1e; 7-3-6; 8-2-1)

SITUATION 9: The visiting school shows up for a dual meet. The scale the home team initially provides does not work. The visiting coach offers to let the home school use his scale, which is certified, that he happened to bring along. RULING: Correct procedure. While Rule 2-4-1 specifies, "...the scale shall be provided by the home team," the home team is actually providing a scale they borrowed (from the visiting team) for the match. (2-4-1)

SITUATION 10: During a match in a prestigious tournament, the head coach from School A occupies one of the two chairs at the edge of the mat. The assistant coach occupies the other chair. A student videographer is seated next to these chairs. RULING: Incorrect procedure. A maximum of two team personnel (coaches and/or non-participating wrestlers) will be permitted on chairs at the edge of the mat. The videographer needs to be removed from the mat area. Note: Referees need to enforce this rule at all times. (2-2-2; 7-5-3)

SITUATION 11: Wrestler A has just put Wrestler B in a pinning situation at the edge of the mat. In B's attempt to keep from being pinned, he quickly moves his shoulders out of bounds. No near-fall points were earned prior to B going out of bounds. RULING: If near-fall points were earned before B went out of bounds, the near-fall points would be scored by A. If no near-fall points were earned, then a technical violation for fleeing the mat would be added on B and A would receive a match point. (5-28-1a; 7-3-1)

SITUATION 12: During a tournament, Wrestler A hits Wrestler B in the head during the match. The referee does not see this action. B retaliates by hitting A and is penalized by the referee for unnecessary roughness. At the conclusion of the match, B, using profanity, tells the referee that he disagrees with the referee's call. The referee penalizes B with unsportsmanlike conduct and deducts one team point. Then, B refuses to shake A's hand. The referee penalizes B for unsportsmanlike conduct, deducts two team points and ejects B from the tournament. B then shakes A's hand, but as he is leaving the mat he (a) throws his headgear; (b) uses profanity again towards the referee showing his dislike for the calls. RULING: In both (a) and (b), the referee should rule this as flagrant misconduct, even though the wrestler has been ejected for the two unsportsmanlike acts. This action should not be tolerated and flagrant misconduct should be assessed and have three more team points deducted. (5-31-2; 7-4-1, 2, 3)

SITUATION 13: The Team A coach asks the referee (a) to check the match score; (b) what happened in a flurry of moves; (c) to watch for a move that the coach feels is illegal and being used on his wrestler, (d) if the toes were in on a takedown. What would be the ruling on each of these questions? RULING: All of these questions would be considered proper for a coach to ask; therefore, no coach misconduct would occur. (5-5-1)

SITUATION 14: In the middle of the first period of wrestling, the headgear of Wrestler A comes off. The referee notices that A is wearing an earring in his right ear. What is the correct procedure for the referee to follow? RULING: The rule states that any illegal equipment that is detected after the match has started shall result in disqualification to that wrestler if it is not removed or corrected. A is charged with an injury time-out and has a maximum of 1½ minutes to correct the problem and Wrestler B is awarded a match point. If A cannot correct the illegal equipment in the 1½ minutes of injury time, then he will forfeit the match. The head coach of A will also be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for not having his wrestler properly equipped and ready to wrestle and one team point will be deducted from Team A. Note: The head coach is only penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct if his wrestler is not properly equipped or not ready to wrestle after the start of the first period. (1-2-7; 7-3-6; 7-5-3; 8-2-1)

SITUATION 15: During the third period of the 125-pound match, a scoring error occurred. The coach and/or wrestler stayed in the wrestling area and the following occurred: (a) Before the start of the 130-pound match, the coach goes to the scorer's table and requests that the referee review the scoring in the third period; (b) Once the 130-pound match starts, the coach reviewed the scoring of the 125-pound match and discovered a possible scoring error in the third period and goes to the scoring table to have the referee review the third period of the 125 match. RULING: In (a), the referee may review the third period and correct any scoring error in the third period of that match. In (b), the referee would not be able to review the scoring error because the next match had already started and any scoring error of the previous match must be corrected prior to the start of the next match. (6-6-4a)

SITUATION 16: At the end of the one-minute sudden-victory period of the overtime, the match is still tied. The referee flips a disk to determine which wrestler has the choice of starting position for the first 30-second tiebreaker period. It is determined that Wrestler A has the choice and the three options of choice are top, bottom or defer. Wrestler A defers and Wrestler B chooses the bottom position. At the start of the second 30-second tiebreaker period, who has the choice for position? RULING: Wrestler A will have choice of position in the second 30-second tiebreaker period since he deferred his choice to this period. He may choose top or bottom position only. (6-7-1c)

PUBLICATION CORRECTIONS:

Rules Book Revisions/Clarifications:
(Underlining shows additions; strikethrough shows deletions.)

Major Changes:
1-3-1; should be 1-3.

4-4-4 should be 4-4-1.

5-18-2 - A match begins when the proper wrestler reports to the scorer's table in dual matches and tournaments until the conclusion of wrestling.

7-1-5 - Hand(s) to the facein the eyes and or raking the eyes have been added to the listing of illegal holds.

Other Changes:
7-3-2; should be 7-3-1.

Page 25, 5-18-2: A match begins when the proper wrestler reports to the scorer's table in dual matches and tournamentsis considered to be the time from the start of the first period until the conclusion of wrestling…

Page 28, 5-25-4c: ..., or is for the purpose of securing a fall, or is to prevent an escape or reversal, is stalling ...

Page 30, 6-1-3: Overtime matches, in tournaments and dual meets, shall consist of one, one-minute period followed by two, 30-second tiebreakers, if necessary, and onea 30-second ultimate tiebreaker, if necessary.

Page 39, 7-6-4c: ...or for the purpose of securing a fall, or to prevent an escape or reversal, is stalling...

Page 41, 8-2-1 EXCEPTION: during the tiebreakers ...

Page 43, Penalty Chart: Summary of Technical Violations - 7-3-2, should be 7-3-1; 7-3-3, should be 7-3-2; 7-3-4, should be 7-3-3; 7-3-5; should be 7-3-4; 7-3-6; should be 7-3-5.

Page 55, 285-Pound Weight Class: 4-4-4, should be 4-4-1

Page 56, Fleeing the Mat: 7-3-2, should 7-3-1

Page 78, Pictures: 99. - 7-3-4, should be 7-3-3; 100. - 7-3-4, should be 7-3-3; 101. & 102. - 7-3-4, should be 7-3-3; 103. - 7-3-6, should be 7-3-5

Case Book Revisions/Clarifications:
(Underlining shows additions; strikethrough shows deletions.)

Page 4, 285-Pound Weight Class: 4-4-4, should be 4-4-1

Page 5, Fleeing the Mat: 7-3-2, should be 7-3-1

Page 7, 1.1.2 SITUATION A: ... to supervise the weigh-inweight-in only...

Page 8-9, Weight Management - 1.3.2 SITUATION A and 1.3.2 SITUATION B: Delete

Page 10, 3.1.3 SITUATION: Following the last285-pound match...

Page 22, 5.11.2 SITUATION F: Delete

Page 23, 5.11.2 SITUATION J and K: Change rule reference from 7-3-3 to 7-3-2

Page 26, 5.15.2 SITUATION C: Change rule reference from 5-2-2, 3 to 5-15, 16

Page 26, 5.15.2 SITUATION D: ...B is supporting all of B'sfo the A's weight...

Page 30, 6.2.2 SITUATION A: RULING: ...without being disqualified and the weight class forfeited. However, once both wrestlers have properly reported to the scorer's table in proper sequence, neither can be withdrawn nor replaced without disqualification and the weight class forfeited.

Page 31, 6.2.2 SITUATION B: RULING: ...without being disqualified and the weight class forfeited.

Page 34, 6.6.2 SITUATION D: ...Would this penalty be deleted because...

Page 34-35, 6.6.3 SITUATION: RULING: ...then all points and time must be placed back on the clock...

Page 35, 6.6.4 SITUATION C: ...a three-two-point team deduction...

Page 40, 6.7.1 SITUATION B: DELETE

Page 40, 7.1.1 SITUATION B: ... accidentally slams BA to the mat. RULING: ...

Page 43, 7.3.2 SITUATION A, B, C and D: Should all be 7.3.1, not 7.3.2

Page 43-44, 7.3.3 SITUATION A, B, and C: Should all be 7.3.2, not 7.3.3

Page 44, 7.3.4 SITUATION: 7.3.4, should be 7-3-3

Page 45, 7.4.2 SITUATION C: 7-3-2, should 7-3-1

Page 49, 8.1.1 SITUATION B: RULING: Wrestler A is charged an injury time-out and ... Also need to delete 5-25-1f and add 5-28-1e

Page 50, 8.1.3 SITUATION A: ...RULING: If the unsportsmanlike call occurs from the start of the first periodmatch until the conclusion...
Page 57, 9.2.2 SITUATION: RULING: ... as they have "accumulated the greater total number of points for falls." An ...

Page 57-58, 9.2.3 SITUATION A: RULING TwoThree team points will be deducted...

Wrestling Preseason Guide Revi-sions/Clarifications:
(Underlining shows additions; strikethrough shows deletions.)

Page, 7, New Overtime Procedure: Third column, fifth bullet - At the conclusion of the first 30-second tiebreaker period, the opponent may select top or bottom or defer the choice to the opponent.