Regulations

Bureau Tightens Tournament Regulations, 'Pushout' Interpretation

Friday, August 24, 2018 - 18:30 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (August 24) -- United World Wrestling held a meeting of its bureau last month during the Junior European Championships in Rome. 

The bureau discussed several topics around the operation of United World Wrestling including participation in championships, late registrations, obligations of team leaders, obligations of inspectors and updated World Cup regulations. The members also passed a stricter enforcement of the ‘pushout’ rule to promote the use of technical actions on the edge of the competition surface. 

Below is a summary of what was discussed around each topic. 

•    Participation in championships: No title or medal can be given if less than five athletes are registered in a weight category. This new rule will be applied in the United World Wrestling Championships but not in the international tournaments.

•    Late registrations: Countries will not be allowed to register for United World Wrestling events late (after registration deadlines) in 2019. 

•    Obligations of team leaders:  The team leader (or his substitute) shall draw a number for his athlete to be used for pairing. If the team leader (or his substitute) can't attend the draw because of exceptional reason, he must inform the organizer. The organizer will have the responsibility to communicate it to the UWW results' team and the number of his wrestler will be drawn by the technical delegate or the responsible person of the draw. If the technical delegate does not get information from the organizer that your representative cannot attend the draw, he will not pick a number for your athlete. 

•    Obligations of inspectors: During the inspection visit, all the hotels and meals must be controlled by the inspectors. Based on their evaluation, they have the power to propose a reduction of the accommodation fee if the level of services is below the proposed price by the organizers.

•    Updated World Cup regulations: An athlete may opt for the next higher category than their body weight, except for the heavyweight category, for which contestants must weigh over 97kg for freestyle and Greco Roman, and over 72kg for women's wrestling. The intent is to allow a substitute in a lighter weight category to replace an injured athlete in the heavier weight category.

•    Rule changes: Two scoring adjustments were made for the push out and the ordered par terre position (Articles 39 and 45). If a wrestler pushes his/her opponent out of bounds with no meaningful action, no point will be awarded, and the attacking wrestler will not be penalized with a caution anymore. If the top wrestler commits a foul during the ordering of the par terre position, the bout will resume in the standing position without the top wrestler receiving a caution. These rules will be implemented on Sept. 1, 2018.
 

#WrestleBudapest

Grace Bullen Move: Outside Trip That Defines European Champ

Thursday, July 9, 2026 - 10:31 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 9) -- Grace BULLEN (NOR) lost the most important match of her career while attempting her trademark outside trip, trying to finish the bout with a fall. It came in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games semifinal against Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), who countered with a neck bridge, tossing Bullen over for the fall.

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Despite the mixed results the move has produced over the years, Bullen did not hesitate to use it in the 2026 European Championships final against Amina TANDELOVA (RUS). Trailing 9-0, Bullen hooked her left foot behind Tandelova's heel and brought her down for the fall.

Three months after their epic European 62kg final, Bullen and Tandelova will be at the Budapest Ranking Series from July 15 to 19, the last stop to gain ranking points before the World Championships.

They will be joined by a strong field that includes former world champion Qi ZHANG (CHN), world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), and European medalists Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR).

The field also includes Ana GODINEZ (CAN) and former U20 world champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN), who will have the backing of the home crowd. Two Indians, MANSI (IND) and SAVITA (IND), are also entered among others.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) performs the outside trip against Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) during the 62kg final at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The same move also rescued Bullen at the Tirana Ranking Series, where she trailed Mansi before winning 6-5.

Speaking after winning European gold, Bullen acknowledged both the risk and the reward of the move.

"I know it's my go-to when I'm down, but I also lost in that situation, the same place," Bullen said. "I know how it is being on the receiving end, also being an attacker in that situation. But glad it worked out for me.

"It's more risky that way and just locking the leg and going forward it's much less risky, especially for me."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Grace Bullen (@gracebullen7)

 

A pivotal career decision saw Bullen relocate her training base to Georgia under coach Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI. Since moving to 62kg, she has won world and Olympic medals and established herself as one of the division's most dangerous wrestlers. The demanding training in Georgia and the move up in weight have transformed her wrestling and her mindset, even if the results have occasionally fluctuated.

"I'm also getting older," she said. "I have to be wise with how I train and so I keep my shape."

That experience has also made Bullen more patient than she was five years ago.

"I've years of experience in wrestling," she said. "I take losses with a greater smile than I ever did before. Just knowing that this year I was in two ranking series competitions and only won one match, I am more patient with everything. I know that even though I lose, I can win in the future."