1912 Olympic Games Official Report Part 2

WRESTLING.General Regulations.The competitions will be arranged by the Olympic Sub-Committee for Wrestlingappointed by the Svenska Atletikförbundet (Swedish Athletic Union).The competition shall be confined to amateurs according to the following definition:An amateur is one who has nevera) competed for a money prize or for monetary consideration, or in any waydrawn pecuniary gain from the exercise of his sport;b) competed against a professional;c) taught in any branch of sport for payment;d) sold, pawned, hired out or exhibited for payment any prize won in a competition.Special Rules.1. In all competitions the ring shall not be less than 5 metres square, and shallbe sufficiently soft.2. Competitors must have their finger nails trimmed short, and must not wearrings on their fingers or have any metal substance, such as buckles, in their beltsor on their clothes. The wrestling costume shall cover the body from the shouldersto half of the thigh. Tight-fitting swimming drawers, suspensors, etc., are to beworn under the costume.3. The wrestlers are divided into the following weight classes:Feather weight up to kilos (c:a lbs.)Light weight ( )Middle weight, A ( )Middle weight, B ( )Heavy weight over ( )Weighing, without wrestling costume, takes place on the first day of competitionin the respective classes. A competitor will be allowed to compete in a heavierweight class than that to which he belongs, but in one class only, however. Shoulda competitor be found too heavy for the class in which he has entered, he will havethe right to compete in a heavier weight class on making immediate application.4. At the beginning of the competition, the opponents approach each other,shake each other’s right hand, then leave each other in the direction from whichthey started, whereupon the wrestling begins.5. Wrestlers are forbidden to take hold of each other below the hips, and nopart of an opponent’s body, with exception of the hands and arms, may be seizedexcept with the flat hand. Furthermore, it is forbidden (when done with the soleintention of incommoding an opponent) to touch his face from the eyebrows downto the lower part of the chin, to seize by the throat, belt, or to hold the mat; totrip, strike, kick, tear, pinch etc. Twisting of the arms or the so-called back-hammer-lock,and all painful and dangerous holds in general are also barred. At abackward grasp of the body, head down, the attacker must go on his knee, andmust not dash his opponent’s head on the carpet.6. There shall be three judges, one of whom is to be referee and has todecide in case the other judges disagree. The officials are to intervene when dangerousgrips are used, and have the power to disqualify any one who deliberatelyemploys prohibited or dangerous holds.7. A competitor who touches the carpet with both shoulders at the same timeis defeated. Rolling falls are not counted. If during a rolling fall, a competitorhas rolled from one shoulder to the other without having bridged, and afterwards,in the same way, has been forced back on to the first shoulder, this shall be1094