FILA, wrestling’s governing body, is spending the weekend in Moscow cleaning house before an upcoming IOC vote will determine if they end up on the 2020 Olympics schedule. And apparently the meeting has been productive.
On Saturday, acting president Nenad Lalovic, who took over after the forced resignation of president Raphael Martinetti, was officially elected to the position by an extraordinary congress. The FILA bureau also discussed many rules changes that will make the sport more attractive to the IOC.
Significant shifts by FILA Saturday include changing the round format from three two-minute periods to two three-minute periods, and changing to a cumulative scoring system rather than a system where a wrestler has to outscore their opponent in two-out-of-three rounds.
“Cumulative score incentivizes the wrestlers to score more often and consistently…" FILA vice president Stan Dziedzic told the Associated Press Saturday.
“The total score is easier for the spectators to understand. It’s difficult for a spectator, not to mention the athletes, when one wrestler wins the first period 5-0, loses the next two periods 1-0 and loses the match.
“The common view was that two minutes was not sufficient time to execute the requisite tactics and strategies to provide an exciting match. What’s more, it deprives the viewing audience of witnessing the will of the wrestler.”
Another rule penalizes passive wrestlers who may be avoiding contact when they’re in the lead, first with a warning, and then, on second offense, with the mandate they score a point within thirty seconds. Otherwise their opponent is awarded a point. Dziedzic said this is a way to incentivize wrestlers to take more risks in the ring, which will likely make wrestling more entertaining to novice fans.
Many wondered if such significant changes could be adapted immediately. But FILA seems to be open to expediting the process if it means strengthening their position before the IOC executive board chooses which three candidate sports will be voted on by the full membership this September.
No word on FILA giving women a stronger voice in the organization, but those changes are also expected to happen before the IOC votes later this month.
