Weigh-ins/Medical Check

MEDICAL CHECK

Athletes must be present in a COMPETITION SINGLET and must submit to a skin disease screening prior to weigh-in. The chief medical officer has full authority without appeal in determining the eligibility of an athlete to compete.

Click here for USA Wrestling Skin Disease Manual.

WEIGH-INS

All athletes must be present at weigh-ins. Weigh-ins will be open for a 30 MINUTE PERIOD. NO late weigh-ins will be accepted.  Athletes must weigh in at the official weigh-in for that style.

All wrestlers must be dressed in a COMPETITION UNIFORM for weigh-ins and no weight allowance is given for the singlet. 

INJURIES

In the event of injury or illness, NO contestant will be permitted to continue the competition without approval of the Chief Medical Officer, whose decision is final and not subject to appeal.

Transgender Policy

USA Wrestling deems it necessary to ensure, insofar as possible, that transgender athletes are not excluded from the opportunity to participate in wrestling competitions. As such, USA Wrestling’s Gender Policy is based on the results and guidelines of the IOC (International Olympic Committee) actions.

Please CLICK HERE to read the transgender policy document in its entirety in order to understand the guidelines USA Wrestling follows in regards to transgender athletes competing at USA Wrestling events. 

CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT and UNCONSCIOUSNESS of COMPETITOR

USA WRESTLING NATIONAL EVENTS COORDINATOR will appoint a designated Medical Services Coordinator and/or Tournament Medical Director for each USA Wrestling International, National and Regional Event. This must be a medical professional licensed or Certified Health Care Provider. All on-site medical decisions by the Tournament Medical Coordinator/Physician Director are not subject to appeal or protest and are made in the best interest of the health and well being of the wrestler.

All competitors in a USA Wrestling International, National and Regional event must receive a copy of the rule related to Medical Coordinator/Physician Director and Concussion Management Protocol prior to competition.

USA WRESTLING CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL

If a wrestler becomes unconscious or referee, coach, athlete or medical provider suspects a wrestler may have received a concussion; the match must be stopped and a tournament medical staff person will assess the wrestler. The tournament medical staff will have unlimited time to determine if the wrestler can continue. (Change from USA Rules to UWW rules).

 If the wrestler is allowed to continue the match; after completion of the match the wrestler must be escorted to the Medical area and must be given a recognized concussion evaluation which is documented by tournament medical staff. The tournament medical staff will complete a YELLOW Medical Alert and until the wrestler is granted GREEN Alert by tournament medical staff the wrestler is on a Medical Hold.

If the Tournament Medical staff determine the wrestler has a concussion or was determined unconscious by the Tournament Medical Staff on the Mat or post match the following procedure must be followed:
 

1. RED Alert is completed and Medical Staff submit to Pairings Official
    

2. Tournament Medical Staff will provide written documentation of findings of Standardized Concussion evaluation and signs and symptoms of wrestler.
    

3. Tournament Medical Staff will determine specific acute care plan. If wrestler is under the age of 18, the coach or club representative will notify parent/legal guardian as soon as possible of incident.
    

4. If Tournament Medical Staff does not send wrestler to Hospital via EMS; Tournament Medical Staff will provide parent, coach and club representative with USA Wrestling Post Concussion Care Recommendation. Prior to release of wrestler the Tournament Medical Staff will complete a serial evaluation process and upon release a final symptom checklist. Under no circumstance does the Medical Staff release a concussed wrestler without transfer of care to a responsible adult with specific instructions. All minor age wrestlers with a concussion must be released to the designated adult assigned by parent/legal Guardian.
    

5. No concussed wrestler will return to competition without a written return to play document from a trained concussion medical professional (as identified by State Law) excluding a parent of the wrestler and cannot return for a minimum of 24 hours ( unless State Law requires longer recovery period). Ideally USA Wrestling recommends a multi-step and multiple discipline return to play procedure. See Post Concussion Instructions.
    

6. If a wrestler is choked out and rendered unconscious during competition the Tournament Medical Staff will determine return to play and written documentation of signs and symptoms must be submitted to National Events Director. If choked out wrestler is not permitted to return to competition; a standardized Concussion test must be administered and findings submitted; a RED Alert is completed and submitted to Pairings. A YELLOW Alert or RED Alert does not remove a wrestler from tournament but does not allow wrestler to compete in tournament.
    

7. Once Tournament is completed, Pairings Official submits all RED Alerts to National Events Director and is available to the Medical Staff of the Next National Events.
    

8. A wrestler that has RED Alert from a USA Wrestling International, National or Regional Event must present a Return to Play Form from a Physician (MD or DO) to USA Wrestling Tournament Medical Check to be cleared for the next USA Wrestling tournament. The National Events Director must maintain a list of all RED Alerts issued at International, National and Regional event hosted by USA Wrestling.