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Olympic Freestyle Wrestling - The strictly prohibited holds and actions

The following holds and actions are illegal and strictly prohibited:

-Throat hold

- Twisting of arms more than 90 degrees

- Arm lock applied to the forearm

- Holding the head or neck with two hands, as well as all situations and positions of strangulation
Double Nelson, if not executed from the side without the use of the legs on any part of the opponent’s body

- Bringing the opponent’s arm behind his back and at the same time applying pressure to it in a position where the forearm forms an acute angle

- Executing a hold by stretching the opponent’s spinal column

- Chancery hold with one or two hands in any direction whatsoever

- The only holds allowed are with the head and one arm

- A SCISSOR-LOCK WITH THE FEET CROSSED ON THE HEAD , NECK OR BODY IS FORBIDDEN

- In standing, holds executed from behind when the opponent is head down (reverse waist hold), the fall must be executed only to the side and never from top to bottom (header)

- In executing a hold, only one arm may be used to hold the opponent’s head or neck -
Lifting the opponent who is in a bridge position and then to throw him onto the mat (severe impact on the ground); that is, the bridge must be forced down

- Breaking the bridge by pushing in the direction of the head

- Generally, if the attacking wrestler is found to have violated the Rules during the execution of a hold, the action in question shall be completely void and on the first offence, the referee shall give an “attention” to the attacking wrestler at fault. If the attacker repeats his violation, he will be punished by a caution and one point will be awarded to his opponent in Freestyle and a caution and 2 points in Greco-Roman Wrestling.
If a defending wrestler, by an illegal action, prevents his opponent from developing his hold, the defending wrestler will be cautioned. His opponent will receive two points

Special Prohibitions

In Greco-Roman wrestling, it is forbidden to grasp the opponent below the hips and to squeeze him with the legs. All pushing, pressing or ‘lifting’ by means of contact with the legs on any part of the body of the opponent is also strictly forbidden.

In Greco-Roman, unlike in Free Style Wrestling, it is necessary to accompany the opponent to the ground and to stay in contact with him in order for a hold to be valid.

All the above mentioned rules are an extract of the OFFICIAL Olympic Wrestling RULES