…on Flagrant Misconduct during Dual-Meet Competitions
By Dr. Bill Welker
Today, I am going to expose you to the Flagrant Misconduct Rule for wrestlers during dual meets and dual-meet tournaments. Please read carefully. It can get confusing.
Situation 1: In a dual meet, Wrestler A bites his opponent in the second period. Wrestler A is disqualified from the event and must leave the premises. For his flagrant misconduct offense, there are three points deducted from his team and his opponent scores six team points in the dual meet. Wrestler A would also have to leave the premises. This situation would be the same for a dual-meet tournament.
Situation 2: After the conclusion of wrestling in a dual meet match where Wrestler A wins by a fall, Wrestler A slaps his opponent's face when shaking his hand. The referee hits Wrestler A with a flagrant misconduct. Wrestler A is disqualified from the event and must leave the premises. His penalty is both a 3 team-point deduction and he loses the 6 team points he scored during the match for his team. There is
no winner in his match. This situation would be the same for a dual-meet
tournament.
Situation 3: Wrestler A, who won his 106-pound match by fall, commits a flagrant misconduct act after the official signs the scorebook following the dual meet. The referee files a report of Wrestler A's inappropriate behavior to the state athletic association. Since the dual meet was officially over and the official's jurisdiction time has passed, there are no team points deducted.
Note, if Situation 3 occurred during a dual-meet tournament in the third round of a five round event, no team points would be deducted. Furthermore, any team points Wrestler A scored in rounds one and two would also not be deducted. Of course, Wrestler A would be removed from the premises. In other words, he would not be allowed to compete in rounds 4 and 5.
Hopefully, this will make you more aware of the difficult responsibilities that all officials have to deal with. Before you demean a referee, be sure you know what you're talking about - or later you may be eating crow.
The Sudden Death Overtime Procedure
Whether the competition is a dual meet, tournament or any other multiple-team event, if there is a tie at the end of an individual match, we go immediately to sudden death to settle the issue.
Sudden death consists of a one-minute overtime period and, if necessary, three
30-second tiebreaker periods.
In the one-minute overtime period, the wrestlers start in the standing or neutral position. The wrestler who scores the first point(s) wins the match.
If no points are scored, the wrestlers go directly to two 30-second tiebreakers, which start in the referee's (or down) position. The referee flips the disk to see who has choice the first tiebreaker. Each of these two tiebreakers goes the entire 30 seconds, unless there is a fall.
If the score is tied after the first two tiebreakers, we proceed to the final "Ultimate Tiebreaker." At this point in the match, the wrestler who scored the first point(s) in the regulation match, or his opponent committed an unsportsmanlike act during the regulation match, will be given the choice of up, down, or defer by the referee. If the match is scoreless, the referee will flip his disk to determine who gets the choice.
Should the top man ride out his opponent, he wins by the ride-out point (RO). If the bottom man scores an escape, reversal, or penalty point(s), he wins.
In my opinion, this is the best advancement in wrestling since I have been involved with the sport. Everyone understands sudden death, and it makes the sport even more exciting.
Min-Mat Quiz
Q: In the overtime period, Wrestler A scores a takedown but uses an illegal headlock to do so. Does Wrestler A win the match?
A: No. Wrestler B would win the match with the penalty point he received for Wrestler A's illegal headlock. You can not score a takedown with an illegal hold.
Mat Message
"If you can't make a mistake, you can't make anything."
- Marva N. Collins
(Dr. Bill Welker can be reached via e-mail at: mattalkwv@hotmail.com)
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!