The NCAA News - News & Features

Wrestling Committee seeks major changes in weight-loss procedures

Plans to enhance the safety of NCAA wrestlers by changing championships weight-loss procedures and regular-season rules were formulated by the NCAA Wrestling Committee April 8-12 in Kansas City, Missouri.

With three members of the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports present to lend assistance, the Wrestling Committee constructed a five-part proposal that will be submitted to the NCAA Executive Committee for consideration in May.

The competitive-safeguards committee also will review the proposals and send its recommendations to the Executive Committee.

"The proposal recommended by the Wrestling Committee represents a significant change for the wrestling community," said Kevin A. McHugh, chair of the committee for the sport and director of athletics at Trenton State College. "We hope that since we have taken into account the input from the competitive-safeguards committee, the plan will receive the endorsement of the Executive Committee and will go on to make a positive impact on the sport."

If approved, the following changes will take effect next season. Championships rules apply only to national championships and NCAA regional qualifying tournaments. Such rules are recommended for conference tournaments.

* Wrestlers must weigh in at the weight at which they plan to compete in the NCAA qualifying tournaments and championships for at least 75 percent of the matches during the second half of the regular season. The number of competitions will be determined by the number of the wrestler's completed weigh-ins -- not scheduled contests, dates of competition or calendar days. Any fractions in the 75 percent formula would be rounded up.

For example, if a student-athlete weighs in 15 times during the season, that wrestler would have to weigh in six times (75 percent of 7¹/₂ times equals 5.625, which rounds upward to six) at a weight in order to be eligible to wrestle in that weight class in the postseason.

The stipulation between "weigh-in" weight and class wrestled will allow a student-athlete to compete in classes above his "weigh-in" weight during the regular season without sacrificing postseason opportunities. In other words, a competitor will receive "credit" for the weight recorded at the weigh-in, not the class in which the student-athlete actually competes. This "weigh-in" weight will be reported by coaches on the official season record form that is submitted at the end of the season.

The purpose is to prevent wrestlers from attempting to lose excessive water weight in order to gain eligibility for a class in which they met qualifications only a few or no times during the regular season. The practice results from the belief that a wrestler with a larger frame has an advantage, even though he may weigh the same.

The committee's rationale is that if a wrestler can make a weight consistently throughout the season, that competitor should be able to make the weight for the championships without overexertion or excessive dehydration.

A grid similar to the following would appear in the 1997 Wrestling Championships Handbook to assist coaches in determining how many matches would be required in order to compete in a given class in the postseason. If a wrestler has not weighed in at all during the season (because of injury, for example), the institution may petition the committee for a ruling as to the class in which that student-athlete may compete in the respective NCAA qualifying tournament.

Total -- 75 Percent
Weigh-ins -- of Second Half

16 -- 6

15 -- 6

14 -- 6

13 -- 5

* During the second half of the season, any weigh-in that is not from the weight class in which the wrestler will compete in the NCAA qualifying tournament (the weight at which he weighs in for 75 percent of his second-half weigh-ins) may vary only one class from the desired NCAA qualifying tournament class.

Like the first part of the proposal, this rule is intended to prevent wrestlers from dropping to a lower weight class for championships competition.

* Rule 3-5 from the NCAA Wrestling Rules, "Weight Allowance," will be made unalterable. It currently is alterable upon mutual agreement by participating coaches. The proposed rule recommends a three-pound weight allowance in November and a two-pound allowance in December. After the first of the new year, weight allowances of one pound in January and zero in February will be required.

The rationale is that wrestlers will lose weight naturally through practice and competition in the early part of the season, then will have to maintain a relatively consistent weight while maintaining a healthy food intake in the latter portion, after they have lost substantial body fat. As a result, a wrestler's weight will be more consistent throughout the season.

Last year, a three-pound allowance was recommended for November and December, two pounds in January, and one pound in February -- not including NCAA qualifying tournaments, which were to be wrestled at scratch weight. With an alterable rule, coaches could ask opponents for, and be granted, extra pounds for dual meets at various times during the year. Some coaches would not grant the allowance. The inconsistency could result in drastic weight-cutting.

The net result of the alterable rule has been that for some student-athletes, the qualifying tournament is the first time in a season they are required to be at scratch weight. This result is a potentially unsafe situation in which student-athletes try to lose weight they have carried all season.

The committee had recommended a zero allowance for the season in the 1994-95 rules book, but with the rule still alterable, many coaches were able to manipulate it.

* The weigh-ins at the three NCAA division championships and regional qualifying tournaments will take place the night before the start of competition. No second- or third-day weigh-ins will take place, as in the past.

With this system, wrestlers will have to make weight only once during the championships. The intent is to eliminate excessive dehydration problems that have have occurred more commonly during the championships than before the initial weigh-in.

Additionally, having only one weigh-in will allow wrestlers to be at their best while competing. When finished wrestling for the day, student-athletes will be able to relax rather than worrying about making weight for the next day. This change also is expected to result in better media coverage, since wrestlers will have less reason to rush through an interview.

* The wrestling committee will continue to work with the competitive-safeguards committee to create an educational program to maximize the health of wrestlers.

In addition to these five proposals, the committee recommended that these policies remain in place for a minimum of three years to allow for an accurate evaluation of their effectiveness. The committee also recommended that any further changes in these policies allow for a one-year adjustment period before taking effect.

Other rules changes

The committee made three other major rules changes in addition to the those regarding weight.

* The term "match termination," which describes the result when a bout is stopped after a 15-point differential is reached, will be replaced by "technical fall." The committee instituted "match termination" to replace "technical fall" and reduced the team point value from five to four for dual meets in 1993-94, in an effort to encourage pins. The wrestling community did not universally accept the term and pinning did not appear to increase, so next year the old term becomes official again.

The point value of a technical fall also will change. In dual meets, when a 15-point differential has been reached, the match will end and an additional point (five points) will be awarded to the winner if he has recorded a near fall. If he has not, four points will be scored. In tournaments, when a 15-point differential is reached, the match will end and an additional one-half point will be awarded if the winner has recorded a near fall (1¹/₂ points). If no near fall has been recorded by the winner, one point will be scored.

* In tournaments, the official videotape of a match can be used as part of a formal protest to correct an error in the mechanics of scoring. If a tournament designates that there will be an official video, all matches must be recorded. Previously, referring to videotapes to settle a protest was not permitted. Because of inconsistencies in the taping of matches, videotapes may not be used for protests in dual meets.

* The offensive wrestler may keep his hands locked after a bodylock takedown or double-leg takedown when there is an imminent near fall. Appropriate language will be added to Rules 2-6 (Takedown) and 6-11 (Interlocking Hands) to facilitate the change. The rationale is to increase the likelihood of pins.