2021 Olympics Fan Guide: Everything you need to know about Greco-Roman wrestling

Greco-Roman wrestling is the oldest sport in the 2021 Olympics and here is what you need to know enjoy.

One of the first sports added to the modern Olympics in 1896, wrestling, was almost eliminated from the 2021 Tokyo games. Fortunately, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) overturned the decision, and we will have competitions in both Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling this summer.

2021 Olympics: Rules summary

Greco-Roman wrestling forbids holds below the waist, which is the main difference from freestyle wrestling. The difference results in an emphasis on throws because a wrestler cannot use trips or shots to bring an opponent to the ground. It also results in a wrestler’s inability to hook/grab their opponent’s leg to avoid being thrown.

The wrestlers meet in the center of the mat and shake hands as a sign of respect for the sport and each other before the referee blows a whistle to begin the match. A wrestler must outscore their opponent by the end of a possible three three-minute periods to win the match.

Each period is broken up into a phase for wrestling from the neutral position and a maximum of two parterres (ground wrestling) phases. During the neutral position phase, both wrestlers compete for takedowns and points for 60 seconds. At the end of the first minute, the wrestler who has scored the most points is allowed an Olympic lift from an open parterre position on the other wrestler, also known as “the clinch.” If neither wrestler has scored any points at the end of the first minute, the referee tosses a colored disk with a red-colored side and a blue-colored side. The wrestler who wins the colored disk toss receives the clinch.

At the end of the first thirty seconds, the clinch position is reversed, with the other wrestler receiving the Olympic lift for an additional 30 seconds. The period is decided by who accumulated the most points during both phases of the period. If the top wrestler could not score during the ground phases, the other wrestler is awarded one point. If there are no scores during the ground phase with a scoring move, the score will be 1-1. In this case, generally, the wrestler who scored last will win the period.

2021 Olympics: How is Greco-Roman wrestling scored?

Wrestlers can earn up to five points for moves they execute during the match. Takedowns are the most effective way to earn points. A wrestler earns points for a takedown when they gain control over their opponent on the mat from a neutral position (when they are both on their feet). A wrestler must control a minimum of three contact points on the mat to earn takedown points (e.g., two arms and one knee, two arms and the head, or two knees and one arm or the head).

A wrestler also wins points for reversals, exposure (danger position), penalties, passivity, and their opponent going out of bounds. A wrestler can end a match early by pinning their opponent, also known as a fall. Only a fall, injury default, or disqualification ends the match; all other victories happen at the end of a possible three periods.

There are several different ways a wrestler can win a match. A “win by fall” means a wrestler pinned his opponent. A “win by tech fall” is reached when a wrestler has outscored his opponent by eight points at any point in the match. A “win by decision” means the wrestler outscored his opponent by the end of the match. A “win by default” means that a wrestler earned the victory because his opponent did not complete the match for reasons other than injury. A “win by injury” means the opponent was injured during the match and could not continue. Lastly, a “win by disqualification” means the opponent was given three “cautions” for breaking the rules and disqualified.

2021 Olympics: Greco-Roman wrestling teams to know

As the oldest Olympic sport, Greco-Roman wrestling is popular in many countries around the world. However, the sport reigns supreme in Russia. The country holds 22 medals (12 gold medals) in the sport since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It also contributed to 60 held by the USSR. The team has top three competitors in all but one of the weight classes and should walk away with several medals yet again.