New weight categories. Amendments to the International Mas-wrestling Rules

In January, a new edition of the International Mas-wrestling Rules will be presented. It includes new weight categories, terms, age adjustments, and disciplinary measures. They will already come into effect this year. The decision was made at the level of the International Mas-wrestling Federation. Details of the innovations in an interview with YSIA were told by the Secretary General of the organization Innokentiy Grigoriev.

— Innokentiy Yurievich, when and where were the new International Mas-wrestling Rules discussed?

— We held a discussion of the new edition of the International Mas-wrestling Rules in Bishkek. Some of the proposals were made by representatives of the All-Russian Mas-wrestling Federation in 2023. We, the International Mas-wrestling Federation, along the way decided to make a wide range of adjustments in those moments that needed changes. The entire set was widely discussed in the federation commission. Therefore, these are not changes and additions to the rules, but a new edition.

Back in 2022, the head of Yakutia, Aisen Nikolaev, gave instructions to promote our mas-wrestling in the program of the Olympic Games. Therefore, we try to comply with the requirements of the main IOC document — of the Olympic Charter. One of the requirements is to create equal conditions for athletes.

The glossary of mas-wrestling has been updated. For example, if a equipment was previously called a stick, it now has a specific new name: mas. For athletes, a special point has been added: athletes must not throw or hit the mas. They are obliged to treat the sporting equipment with respect. There have been instances where, in defeat or victory, athletes have thrown or hit the platform with it. This will no longer be permitted. The athlete is required to hand the equipment to the referee after the match.

— Will there be any disciplinary action for an athlete in case of a violation?

— Yes, the referee will have to warn the athlete if they show disrespect for the equipment. The chief referee, their deputy, or head of the platform will have the right to issue a yellow or red card for violations. This mechanism will be in operation soon. A card can be shown for various violations not only to the athlete, but also to the coach, representative, referee, or second. A red card will mean disqualification fr om the competition, while a yellow card will serve as a warning.

The term "orto" also appeared in the glossary. It is given after the command "olor". By the command "orto" athletes must equate the equipment to the center. It will be a short and understandable command for all foreigners. The warnings will now be referred to as "seretii" and "ikkis seretii". Everything will be in the Yakut language.

There will also be new concepts of "starting grip" and "pre-start position". After the referee's command to grip, the athletes must take the "mas" and do not have the right to let it go. Otherwise, a warning is already given.

– Will there be any actions from the referee when twisting the equipment?

– The referee must carefully monitor the grips and warn in case of violations. In general, the referee was given quite a lot of powers, so it is necessary to carry out thorough work in the future in the preparation of referees, their training. We plan to soon publish an official video manual with a new edition of the International Mas-wrestling Rules.

There is a new development in the pre-start position. Previously, it was stated that the athlete must take a static position at the start, meaning not moving. In such a position, one can get injured. In the new edition, upon the command "belem" athletes are required to cease any movements of their body and legs, taking the pre-start position – sitting upright with their arms evenly stretched to keep the mas above the jamb board, and maintain this position until the referee's command "che." At the same time, we have prohibited starting the match from a semi-reclined position.

One of the important innovations is the positioning of the legs at the start. Now they can be below or above the jamb board. Previously, the heels had to touch the platform. This has also been adjusted to avoid injuries.

- What other changes will there be this year?

- We have introduced form No.3. Gradually, we may allow T-shirts or tights for men. They can have the athlete's name, their country, as well as the logo of the national federation. At the same time, it must be clear which corner the athlete is competing from, meaning at least 50% of the uniform must correspond to the color of the corner. The new edition of the International Rules will be published soon on the website of the International Mas-Wrestling Federation. I advise everyone to familiarize with it thoroughly.

- The age categories for world championships, continental championships, and other international competitions have been changed. What will they be in the future?

- At the international level, boys and girls aged 12-13 will compete, junior boys and girls aged 14-15, senior boys and girls aged 16-17, juniors aged 18-21, men and women over 18 years old, veteran men and women aged 40 to 49 years, as well as veteran men and women (second category) aged 50 and older.

Athletes competing in junior or adult competitions must be at least 18 years old at the time of the competition. This means they are not allowed based on their year of birth.

— What are the new weight categories in mas-wrestling, and will they be present at the upcoming World Championship in Mongolia?

— Men will now compete in ten weight categories, while women will compete in seven. Previously, men competed in nine weight categories at World, European, Asian, and other tournaments, while women determined the best in five categories. A new weight category up to 85 kg has been added for men, and for women, new categories up to 60 and 70 kg have been introduced.

This means men will now compete in categories up to 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 105, 125, and over 125 kg. Women will now have weights up to 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 85, and over 85 kg. New categories have also appeared among boys and girls, mainly in the lighter weights.

All of this constitutes the basic weight categories. Depending on the country, popularity, and international tournament, the organizers (the hosting party) have the right to reduce the number of categories in agreement with the presidium of the International Mas-wrestling Federation in advance. However, at major official competitions, such as the World Championship, Europe, Asia, and other continents, we will maintain all weights. At the World Championship in mas-wrestling in Mongolia, we will determine the winners and prize-winners in all these weight classes.

— The next World Championship will be held in Mongolia at the end of July and the beginning of August. How is the preparation for this competition going?

— Mongolia will try to host the World Championship at the highest level. It will take place in the Arkhangai aimag, which is located 500 km from Ulaanbaatar, a very picturesque place. Mongolia is ready to organize free transfer from Ulaanbaatar International Airport to the venue, accommodation and meals for teams.

The World Championship will be held among boys and girls born in 2008-2009, and the — World Championship among men and women. We hope that a large number of athletes from countries around the world will come.

— If we talk about mass participation, how many people are engaged in mas-wrestling in the world?

— We are just making our annual report. We tentatively estimate that about 45 thousand people are currently engaged in mas-wrestling. Data from African states has not yet been received.

The largest number of mas-wrestling people is now in Mongolia — 15 thousand people. Russia is in second place with 5.5 thousand athletes. Then comes Pakistan, wh ere about 3,800 people are engaged in mas-wrestling, Kyrgyzstan — about 3.5 thousand inhabitants. There is a slight decrease in India. If we look at the general trend, our sport is still being strongly promoted. Many countries are asking for retreats to teach the ropes of mas-wrestling. In the CIS countries, we see that measures of state support for mas-wrestling have appeared.