Ground Wrestling Rules

Art. 1. Athletes

Athletes must:

– Have passed the physical fitness assessment required by the health regulations in force;

– Have a federal membership card, valid for the current year, issued in favor of a Sports Club affiliated with a federation or a sports promotion body

– If they are minors, they must have the written consent of their parent(s) or legal guardian

All athletes must show up at the weigh-in with an original VALID MEDICAL CERTIFICATE for the current year.

Art. 2 COMPETITION AREA

Ground Wrestling matches take place on a square of tatami with a minimum thickness of 2 cm, 6/8 meters on each; a ring conforming to those used in shoot boxing or a cage conforming to those used in MMA may also be used.

Art. 3 UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT

3.1-Uniform

Ground Wrestling athletes must show up at the competitions equipped with regulation uniform, the uniform must be clean, not torn and not unstitched.

– The uniform for Ground Wrestling athletes consists of “Bermuda” type shorts and a Rashguard with both long and short sleeves. The Rashguard of the uniform can bear the name of the club or the club sponsor. No belt is worn by the athletes.

Alternatively, a tight T-Shirt and short or long trousers can be used

Long hair must be “fixed” in such a way that it does not disturb the regular progress of the match and does not cause continuous interruptions of the same for their “fixing”.

At the third interruption the athlete will be officially recalled.

Athletes will take care to cut their nails (hands and feet) before participating in any race. It is forbidden to wear any metal object (watches, chains, earrings, rings, glasses, various piercings, hairpins, etc.) that could cause injury to oneself or to the opponent. The athlete who is not in compliance with the above will have 2 minutes to remedy the situation. In case of failure to comply with the rules within the time limits, the penalty will range from a verbal warning, to penalty points up to disqualification.

3.2-Groin protection

Hopeful, cadet, junior and senior male athletes must show up for the fight wearing a shell of resistant material under their trousers that must completely cover the genitals.

For female classes, the shell is not mandatory but is recommended.

3.3-Mouth guard

The mouth guard is mandatory for all male and female classes.

Fabric protections for the knees and elbows are authorized but not mandatory. Any athlete who shows up on the square not in compliance with the rules described above will have 2 minutes to remedy the situation. After this time, if the athlete does not show up on the square in order, he will be disqualified.

Art.4. Ground Wrestling Weight categories

Demo: 6/7 years old males and females: 23 – 26 – 30 – 34 – 39 – over

Experimental: 8/9 years old males and females: 24 – 27 – 31 – 35 – 40 – over

Yang Cadet: 10-12 years old

Boys: -28, -32, -37, -42, -47, -53, 60,+60

Girls: -28, -32, -37, -42, -47, -53, 60, +60

Old Cadet: 13-15 years old

Boys: -42, -47, -52, -57, -63, -69, -76, +76

Girls: -42, -46, -50, -55, -60, -65, -71, +71

Junior and Senior

Males: 56 – 60 – 65 – 71 – 78 – 86 – 95 – 105 – Over

Females: 50 – 55 – 61 – 68 – 76 – Over

Masters: 40 – 55 years

Men: – 65 – 71 – 78 – 86 – Over

Women: -60 – 68 – 76 – Over

Art. 5 Age Classes

the minimum age to officially start competing in competitive races is 10 years old.

Demo 6/7 years;

Speranze 8/9 years;

Yang Cadet 10/12 years;

Old Cadet 13/15 years;

Juniors 16/18 years;

Seniors 19/40 years;

Male Masters 40/55 years;

The Female Masters category 40/55 years:

Art. 6 Initial position

The athletes, having performed the standing salute, are made to stand facing each other at a distance of about one meter from each other, with one knee on the ground and one raised. It is not permitted to raise oneself on both legs during the fight.

Art. 7 Fixed assets

In “Ground Wrestling” it is permitted to block the opponent to the ground in any way, provided that the score will be awarded to the one who is in an advantageous position. All positions above the opponent are considered advantageous positions, except for the rear “montada” which is still considered an advantageous position. The central referee, having ascertained the stability of the position

(about 5 “of clinch), signals with an arm stretched above the fighters any blocking and counts out loud, so that the athletes can hear, up to 5 (5 coincides with the stop and therefore is not pronounced) after which he makes the athletes stand up and assigns the score. If during the count the situation is unblocked or reversed, the referee interrupts the fight anyway and has it restart from the initial position. If during the count the type of blocking by the person who is already doing it changes, the count continues and the score will be assigned based on the final position. If the immobilized athlete involuntarily leaves the fighting area completely, the count is interrupted. In this case the fight restarts from the initial position.

Art. 8 Finalizations

In Ground Wrestling, finalization through suffocation, strangulation, compression and joint lock is permitted except: Heel twist, Spinal lock, cervical lock. You cannot put your hands on the opponent’s face (eyes, nose, mouth). You cannot compress the opponent’s throat with your hands. The central referee can interrupt a finalization in progress if he deems it dangerous for the athlete who is undergoing it. This will result in the end of the match with the attribution of the victory to the athlete who was performing the finalization. In the event of loss of the mouth guards during the fight, the referee will stop the fighters in the position in which they are and have the mouth guards put back on. It is not permitted to “tear” the joint locks. They must always be pulled in progression. Micro levers “finger locks” are not permitted. The finalization ends the match.

Art. 9 Clinch

A clinch is considered a stalemate situation during which, for approximately 5”, neither of the contenders is in an advantageous position or takes actions aimed at turning the fight to their advantage. N.B. a prolonged attempt at finalization that does not lead to the opponent’s surrender is also a clinch. In the event of a clinch, the referee stops the match and has the athletes restart from the starting position.

Art. 10 Scores

– Landing on the back 1 point

– Immobilization 1 point

– Lateral immobilization 2 points

– Immobilization in mount 3 points

– Second voluntary exit minus 1 point on the card

– Third voluntary exit Disqualification

– Penalty minus 1 point on the card

– Third penalty Disqualification)

Art. 11 Duration of match

10/12 years old – Young cadet two minutes

13/15 years old – Old cadet three minutes

16/18 years old – junior, four minutes

19/39 years old – five minutes

40/55 years old – four minutes

for elimination and finals.

Art. 12 Prohibited actions

To grab the tatami, the shorts and the t-shirt, the ropes, the cage.

Voluntarily leave the competition area

To bite, to rub, to scratch

Shouting for no reason.

Shout while being hit is considered surrender.

Speak during the match.

Do not immediately follow the referee’s orders

Spitting out the mouthguard on purpose

All that actions are punishable by:

verbal warning

1st official warning (useful for preference purposes)

2nd verbal warning: minus one point;

3rd verbal warning: Disqualification..