fightpedia/Styles/Olympic

Wrestling, as practiced at the olympic games, is a high intensity competitive sport form of wrestling where the aim is to score points by throwing or turning the opponent or to win outright by pinning their shoulders to the mat. Submission holds are not permitted. Wrestlers compete, typically wearing singlets (one red, and one blue) and wrestling shoes. It is notable for the use of the suplex throw.

The olympic styles of wrestling take place take place in a matted area covered with a canvas. The canvas is marked with a circular ring showing the boundary for the match.

The international governing body for the sport is United World Wrestling. Until June 2014, it used to be known as the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA).

Olympic wrestling has two distinct styles:

• In the Greco-Roman style, wrestlers are restricted to attacking and defending using holds above the waist. They cannot use their limbs to grab or control below the legs.

• In freestyle wrestling, the wrestlers are also allowed to attack the legs. The name "freestyle" derives from the fact that it is considered "free" of the restrictions that greco-roman wrestling imposes. It can be considered similar to folkstyle wrestling as practiced in american colleges and high schools, however the there are differences in the rules and there is a greater emphasis on throws such as the suplex.