Team USA Pankration
The only U.S. non profit organization recognized by the WPAF and FILA.

 

Class C: Pankration Gi and NoGi (No Strikes) Rules

 

AGE AND WEIGHT DIVISIONS

All contestants shall be able to provide an official document proving their age and nationality. Any athlete found competing in an age group lower than his/her FILA designated age category shall be automatically disqualified from the immediate competition. Those athletes found violating this policy repeatedly may be subject to FILA membership disqualification. Except for veterans, athletes are allowed to compete in the age division directly above their legal age group, provided that they present a medical certificate at registration. Novice, schoolboys, and cadets are also required to present a parental consent confirming they are allowed to compete in an older age group.

Note: If several age divisions are on the program of a FILA sanctioned event, athletes may only compete in one age group.

Novice (12-13 years old)

  • Boys: 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 75, +75kg
  • Girls: 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, +55kg 

Schoolboys/girls (14-15 years old)

  • Boys: 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 80, +80kg 
  • Girls: 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, +60kg 

 Cadets (16-17 years old)

  • Men: 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 85, +85kg 
  • Women: 45, 50, 55, 65, 70, +70kg

Juniors (18-19 years old)

  • Men: 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 90, 110 kg, Absolute 
  • Women: 50, 55, 60, 65, 75 kg, Absolute 

Seniors (20 and older)

  • Men: 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 90, 110 kg, Absolute 
  • Women: 50, 55, 60, 65, 75 kg, Absolute 

Veterans (35-60 years old)

  • Men: 65, 70, 75, 80, 90, 110 kg, Absolute 
  • Women: 55, 60, 65, 75 kg, Absolute

COMPETITION UNIFORM

For all FILA sanctioned events, competition uniforms shall be FILA approved.

No-Gi - grapplers shall appear on the edge of the mat wearing FILA approved board shorts and a tight-fitting sleeveless, short sleeve or long sleeve rashguard. The shorts shall not be excessively baggy or have pockets or button/snaps that may be unsafe during competition. The first grappler called shall wear an overall red uniform and the second grappler called shall wear an overall blue uniform.

Gi -  grapplers shall appear on the edge of the mat wearing a FILA approved competition Gi. The Gi must be made of cotton or similar material and in good condition. It may not be unusually thick or stiff to the point of obstructing the opponent. The jacket must be longer than the hips, but no longer than the thighs. When extending the arms forward, the distance between the sleeves and the wrists must not exceed 5 cm. The pants must be of proper size and reach to the ankles in upright position. The pants may not be unusually tight or loose to the point of affecting the opponent’s ability to make holds or move. The first grappler called shall wear a white Gi and the second grappler called shall wear a Gi of color. The belt shall be tied tight around the waist to secure the jacket.

DURATION OF THE MATCHES
  • The novice, schoolboys/girls and veteran matches last 4 minutes. 
  • The cadet, junior, and senior matches last 5 minutes.
CALL AND START OF THE MATCHES

Both grapplers’ names shall be called in a loud clear voice to the mat. Grapplers shall be called 3 times with at least a 30-second time interval between each call. If after the third call a grappler has not checked in at the mat, he shall be disqualified and default the match. When their name has been called, the grapplers shall stand in the corner corresponding to their assigned color and wait for the central referee to call them to his/her side. The central referee shall inspect their competition uniform and give them 2 minutes to change them in case they are not compliant with the present regulations. In case an athlete does not come back to the mat with a satisfactory uniform or protection gear after 2 minutes, he/she shall lose the match by forfeit. The central referee shall also inspect the combat grapplers to make sure that their skin is not covered with any greasy or sticky substance, or with perspiration. After the central referee has completed his/her inspection, the two grapplers shake hands and begin the match as the referee’s whistle.
START AND RESTART POSITIONS

Neutral Position - Neutral position occurs at the beginning of the regular period. Both grapplers stand opposite one another in the centre of the mat with on foot touching the inner circle and wait for the referee’s whistle to start grappling. Neutral position is ordered when neither grappler has earned advantage in the standing position, but both were taken out of bounds.

Open Guard Restart Position - Open Guard Restart occurs at the centre of the mat with the bottom grappler on his back, the hands resting on his thighs and his feet flat on the mat in the inner circle. The top grappler kneels in front his feet and places his hands on the bottom grappler’s kneecaps. Once the referee approves the position, the match restarts at his whistle. The Open Guard Restart is ordered when both grapplers went out of bounds when no points were awarded for either side, full or back mount position. The grappler who was on top when the action went out of bounds (or who had a partial back control) will take top position in the Open Guard Restart. When the action is restarted in the Open Guard position, all the dominant control positions can be scored again.

Side Control Restart Position - Side Control Restart occurs at the centre of the mat with the bottom grappler on his back (his elbows visibly free and his hands placed on the opponent’s side) and the top grappler with his torso flat on his opponent and elbows and knees on the mat. The Side Control Restart position is ordered when a grappler has been awarded points for side mount and then action goes out of bounds while maintaining control over the opponent. When the action is restarted in the Side Control position, then only full mount and back mount points can be scored.

Mount Restart Position - Mount Control Restart occurs at the centre of the mat with the bottom grappler on his back, hands placed on the side of his head, and the top grappler mounting him with his legs on the side and his hands placed on the opponent’s chest. The Mount Control Restart position is ordered when a grappler has been awarded points for full mount and then action goes out of bounds while maintaining control over the opponent. When the action is restarted in the Mount Control position, then only back mount points can be scored.

Back Control Restart Position - Back Control Restart occurs at the centre of the mat with the bottom grappler kneeling, hands on his thighs, and the top grappler kneeling behind him, one leg up and in an over-under lock position. The Back Control Restart position is ordered when a grappler has been awarded points for the Back Mount and then action goes out of bounds while maintaining control over his/her opponent. When the action is restarted in the Back Control position, then the top grappler may no longer score points for dominant control positions.

Note: If a grappler forces the action out of bounds in an attempt to escape a submission, he/she will be called for a “catch” and lose the match.

SCORING FOR ACTIONS AND HOLDS

Points will only be awarded if a grappler manages to gain control for 3 seconds.

Takedowns – 1 point

When a grappler manages to take his/her opponent down and gains control for 3 seconds. If, with the takedown, the grappler manages to establish a dominant position, he/she will further receive the corresponding points (i.e.: 1 + 2 for takedowns into side mount, 1 + 3 for takedowns into full mount, and 1 + 4 for takedowns into back mount). Situations of guard pulling:  

  • Jumping or sitting into guard from a standing position with contact and with a deliberate attempt of a submission or takedown will not be penalized by a caution and will not award 1 point to the opponent. 
  • Jumping or sitting into guard from a standing position with contact and without a deliberate attempt of a submission or takedown will not be penalized by a caution, but will award 1 point to the opponent. 
  • Jumping or sitting into guard from a standing position without contact to avoid standing or ground fight will be penalized by a caution and will award 1 point to the opponent. 

Dominant positions – 2, 3, 4 points

  • Side Mount (2 points): When a grappler gains control by passing the opponent’s leg defenses while keeping the opponent’s back to the mat for the count of 3 seconds (including north-south and knee on stomach).  
  • Full Mount (3 points): When a grappler controls the opponent who is lying on the back, from the top with both of his/her knees touching the ground on either side of the opponent for the count of 3 seconds (including north or south). 
  • Back Mount (4 points): When a grappler controls the opponent from the back, with his/her chest to the opponent’s back and his/her legs hooked inside both of the opponent’s legs for the count of 3 seconds. 

To ensure a higher level of submissions, points for dominant control positions (i.e., side mount, full mount, and back mount) will follow a system of progression, meaning that positions have to be improved to be awarded points. The dominant control position progression will reset if the top grappler loses dominant control and the bottom grappler re-establishes ground/standing neutral position for at least 3 seconds.

Re-establishing neutral position (1 point)

If a grappler re-establishes neutral ground or standing position for 3 seconds after the opponent has successfully gained points for a dominant position, he/she will be awarded 1 point. Note: Closed guard is the only recognized neutral ground position.

Reversals (1 point)

Reversals from a disadvantaged position or any bottom position without direct establishment of a dominant position will be awarded 1 point if control is maintained for 3 seconds. Reversals from a disadvantaged position or any bottom position with direct establishment of a dominant position will be awarded with 1 point + the points corresponding to the dominant position if control is maintained for 3 seconds (i.e.: 1 + 2 for reversals into side mount, 1 + 3 for reversals into full mount, and 1 + 4 for reversals into back mount).

INJURY AND BLOOD TIME

The referee must stop the match and call for injury time if a grappler is temporarily injured due to an incidental blow (i.e. eye poke, head collision, etc). Injury/blood time per match cannot exceed 2 minutes per athlete. If the referee feels that a grappler is feigning injury to avoid a submission and/or action, he may declare a disqualification. Similarly, if an injury occurs as a result of an illegal move, the referee shall disqualify the grappler at fault. In the event of a grappler bleeding, the referee shall stop the match and make the medical staff intervene. Proper cleaning utensils and disinfectant solutions must be readily available at the mat table. It is the Head medical officer’s duty to determine whether the bleeding and spread of blood have been effectively stopped and whether or not the athlete may continue competition. The competition cannot resume until all materials used in blood cleanup are properly disposed of and until the medical solution used to clean up the mat has dried. In the case of a bloodied or torn garment that must be replaced, all athletes must have a back up uniform available mat side.

INTERRUPTIONS OF THE MATCH

If for any reason the match must be interrupted (i.e., injury/blood time, referees’ consultation, etc.), the two grapplers shall stand or sit in the centre of the mat facing the referees’ table, without talking to anyone or taking liquids, and wait for the referee to call them back and resume the match.

OVERTIME

Overtime begins at the end of regulation time when the score of the match is tied. All cautions and infractions accumulated during regulation time are carried over to the overtime period. Overtime lasts 1 minute for all age divisions and the victory is determined by “sudden death”, meaning that the first grappler who scores wins the match. The period starts in either one of the three following positions: open guard bottom, open guard top, or standing neutral. The grappler who is given the choice of the position will be determined by the following criteria:

  • Most passivity infractions
  • Lowest value of points * 
  • Coin flip 
If no point is scored after the end of the overtime period, the grappler who was NOT given the choice of the position receives 1 point and wins the match, because his/her opponent did not manage to score when being advantaged by the choice of the position.

* Example for the lowest value of points: If the score is tied 3:3 with the red grappler who scored a 3-point full mount and the blue grappler who scored a 1-point takedown and a 2-point side mount, the choice of the position will be given to the blue grappler, because he scored lower value actions than the red grappler.
PROTEST AND CHALLENGE

No protest may be lodged at the end of a match. A challenge can be called for during the match if the Head Referee or a grappler’s coach deems that a refereeing mistake has been made, but the result of a match may under no circumstances be modified after victory has been declared on the mat. The challenge is the action through which a coach is allowed, on behalf of the grappler, to stop the action and request the refereeing body to watch the video evidence and reconsider its judgment. It is specified that this possibility is only offered during competitions in which the video control is formally established by FILA and the organizing committee.

The coach who wishes to request a challenge shall throw a sponge and remain seated, immediately after the refereeing body has awarded points to the contested situation. The judge shall then interrupt the match as soon as the ongoing action is completed. If the grappler disagrees with his/her coach’s decision, then the match continues. The refereeing body is then invited to watch the video evidence and render its final decision along with the Head Referee in charge of the tournament who will have the final say in case of disagreement. Each grappler is entitled to 1 challenge per match. If after reviewing the video evidence, the refereeing body modifies its decision, then the challenge can be used again during the match. If the refereeing body confirms its initial decision, the grappler loses the challenge and 5 points are awarded to his/her opponent.

Note: Only technical calls or situations can be challenged. Judgement calls, such as cautions, passivity, or brutality cannot be challenged by the coaches or athletes.

MATCH CLASSIFICATION POINTS

The classification points received for their matches will be used to determine their final ranking.

Victory by Submission (5 points to the winner – 0 points to the loser) - A victory by submission occurs when a grappler admits his/her defeat either verbally (by screaming or saying “tap” or “stop”) or physically (by tapping with his/her hand or foot). Except for senior Continental and World Championships, the central referee is entitled to declare a victory by submission if, upon observing a submission attempt, he deems that the grappler caught in the submission hold will not be able to escape without harm.

Victory by Disqualification (5 points to the winner – 0 points to the loser) - A victory by disqualification occurs when a grappler is banned from the match or competition for any reason.

Victory by Default (5 points to the winner – 0 points to the loser) - A victory by default is declared when a grappler cannot continue the match for any reason or is declared unfit to continue by the Head medical officer. A coach may also default the grappler by throwing a red or a blue towel onto the mat.

Victory by Forfeit (5 points to the winner – 0 points to the loser) - A victory by forfeit is declared when a grappler fails to appear on the mat for the match or does not comply with the present rules as far as competition uniform and protection gear. Note: Grapplers who forfeit a match without proper medical certificate will not be allowed to proceed throughout the tournament (even in other styles) and be withdrawn from the final ranking.

Victory by Technical Superiority (4 points to the winner – 0 points to the loser) - A victory by technical superiority occurs when a grappler has scored a 10-point advantage over his/her opponent.

Victory by Decision (3 points to the winner – 0 points to the loser) - A victory by decision occurs when the margin of victory is less than 10 points.

Victory in Overtime (2 points to the winner – 0 points to the loser) - A victory in overtime occurs after the first point is scored by either grappler or after the central referee has awarded a point according to the overtime criteria.

Note: For Technical Superiority, Decision, and Overtime victories, 1 match classification point will be awarded to the loser if he managed to score 1 or more technical points during the match.

PASSIVITY

It is the grapplers’ duty to maintain action by continuously working to improve their position or submit their opponent and make an honest attempt to keep the actions in bounds. When the central referee feels that a grappler is exhibiting passivity or stalling, he shall attempt to stimulate him/her by verbal commands (“Red/Blue Open” or “Red/Blue Action”) without interrupting the match. If the grappler continues to remain passive after the verbal commands have been issued, the central referee shall indicate the passive grappler by raising the arm bearing the right color band and give him/her a caution. Every caution must be reported on the score sheet. The first warning for passivity is verbal and bears no consequences, the following cautions award 1 point to the opponent up to the third caution which results in the disqualification of the passive grappler.

Passivity includes:  

  • Holding on in an attempt to neutralize or prohibit action or advancement. 
  • Delaying action by communicating with coach/corner 
  • Leaving the mat without permission 
  • Taking too much time to go back to the centre of the mat for restarts 
  • Incorrect restart position 
  • Misusing timeouts 
  • Fleeing the mat (i.e., purposely fleeing the mat to avoid submission will lead to disqualification) 
  • Fleeing the position to avoid stand up or ground fighting 
  • False start (i.e., starting grappling before the whistle blows) 

ILLEGAL HOLDS AND ACTIONS

All offenses fall under the central referee’s authority. If a grappler violates the FILA Code of Ethics in a blatant and unsportsmanlike manner, the central referee shall disqualify him/her from the match or from the competition. The central referee shall report every violator for membership review. If a grappler is injured by an illegal hold and cannot continue the match, the athlete who caused the injury shall lose the match. The first offense results in 1 point awarded to the opponent, the second offense results in 1 point awarded to the opponent, and the third offense leads to disqualification.

Note: Any illegal action executed to prevent the opponent from completing a submission will result in immediate disqualification.

Illegal actions include:  

  • Intentional breaking of bones or joints (i.e. not giving the opponent’s enough time to tap in submission situations) 
  • Punching, kicking, knees, forearms, elbows, head butts, malicious cross faces 
  • Biting 
  • Eye, ear, or nose gouging, fish hooking 
  • Pulling of hair, nose, ears, or attacking the groin 
  • Spikes (i.e., standing throws onto the head or neck) 
  • Slams in defense of submission attempts and if opponent’s body is above waist level 
  • Back splashes from standing position 
  • Combination of joint locks and throws 
  • Use of the fingers for throat/trachea choking techniques 
  • Inside or outside heel hooks 
  • Chin ripping 
  • Crucifix 
  • Full-Nelson 
  • Can opener 
  • Small joint manipulation 
  • Holding less that 4 fingers or toes 
  • Intentional grabbing of competition uniform (in No-Gi grappling) 
  • Coating the skin with any kind of substance or using gauzes or any kind of protective materials without the authorization of the Head medical officer and in agreement with the referee. 
  • Argument/insults towards anybody present in the competition hall 
  • Pretense of injury 

Age restrictions: Novice and schoolboys/girls are not allowed to make guillotines or foot locks.

EJECTION PROCEDURES

The World Grappling & Pankration Committee (WGPC) refers to the FILA Code of Ethics and strongly condemns any form of brutality, violence or harassment on the competition site. If an athlete, coach, or spectator goes beyond the acceptable in his/her words, gestures, or actions, it is the central referees’ responsibility to judge if that behavior is deemed as a conduct violation. Once the central referees have declared the behavior to be a violation, they shall issue a yellow card to the individual at fault as a warning prior to being ejected. A yellow card will deduct 1 classification point to the team the individual is representing. If the violation continues, a red card will be issued and the individual at fault will be ejected from the competition. A red card will cause 2 classification points to the team. If the central referees feel that the behavior goes well beyond the normal violation, they may skip the yellow card and directly issue a red card.

Examples of conduct violations:

  • Cursing during the match 
  • Being aggressive towards the referees 
  • Threatening the referees
  • Physical contact with the referees 
  • Throwing objects 
  • Arguing and interrupting the match 
  • Refusing to stay on the mat for the winner’s declaration
 
 
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