What is not allowed in Greco-Roman wrestling?
A · Advanced · Fouls and penalties · 1 of 6Wrestling bans anything meant to hurt and not to control: striking, choking, twisting joints, bending an arm past 90 degrees and holds on the head alone. Greco-Roman also bans holding below the belt line and any use of the legs. A foul costs a caution and points.
How it works
| Kind | What the rules forbid |
|---|---|
| Hurting the opponent | Pulling hair, ears or genitals; pinching; biting; twisting fingers or toes; kicking; head-butting; strangling; an elbow or knee into the stomach |
| Dangerous holds | A throat hold; twisting an arm more than 90 degrees; an arm lock on the forearm; an arm bent up behind the back at an acute angle; stretching the spine; anything that could break or dislocate a limb |
| Head and neck | Two hands or arms on the head or neck; a hold on the head alone (head and one arm is allowed); the chancery, a front headlock; a double nelson, unless from the side and without the legs |
| The bridge | Lifting an opponent out of a bridge and throwing them down; breaking the bridge by pushing towards the head |
| Throws from behind | With the opponent head down, the throw must go to the side, never straight down on to the head |
| Other | Touching the face between the eyebrows and the mouth; holding the singlet; clinging to the mat; seizing the sole of the foot; interlocking fingers to block; talking; agreeing the result |
| Greco-Roman only | Grasping below the belt line; squeezing with the legs; pushing, pressing or lifting with the legs against any part of the opponent; treading on the opponent's feet |
What it costs:
- A foul by the attacker: The hold is void. First time, a verbal warning. If repeated, a caution and 1 point to the opponent.
- A foul by the defender that stops a hold: a caution, and 2 points to the opponent. If the attacker completes the hold anyway, its points are given as well.
- A hold that starts legal and turns illegal is scored up to the foul. The bout restarts standing with a verbal warning, and a second offence brings a caution and 1 point.
- Leg fouls: An attacker whose legs touch or block by accident is warned the first time, and the second time gives away 1 point and takes a caution. A leg foul in defence costs 2 points and a caution straight away.
- Brutality, such as a deliberate head-butt: the wrestler may be disqualified from the competition by a unanimous decision of the officials.
- A wrestler pinned as a result of their own illegal hold loses by fall.
- Under-17 and under-15 wrestlers may not use the double nelson at all.
Tricky cases
Is a headlock legal?
It depends on what is inside it. A hold round the head and one arm is allowed. A hold on the head alone, or with two hands or arms on the head or neck, is not.
Can a wrestler grab the opponent's singlet?
No. Holding the opponent by the singlet is forbidden.
The attacker's leg brushed the opponent by accident. Is that penalised?
It depends on whether it has happened before. The first time the referee stops the bout and warns. The second time the opponent gets 1 point and the attacker a caution.
Why the rule exists
The aim is to control the opponent's body, not to injure it or force a surrender through pain. The list removes the holds that attack the neck, the spine and the joints.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| UWW rules, Greco-Roman | As above | W 47; W 50; W 51; W 52 |
| Freestyle | Leg holds and trips are legal. A defender's foul gives 1 point | W 51; W 50 |
| Women's wrestling | Freestyle rules, with every double nelson banned | W 50 |
| Under-17 and under-15 | The double nelson is banned from the front and the side | W 50 |
From the rule book
United World Wrestling International Wrestling Rules, Articles 42, 47, 50, 51 and 52. Edition dated January 2026. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: UWW International Wrestling Rules (PDF).