Official's Guide to Wrestling Canada Lutte Officiating 2026

According to the WCL Spectator Guide (Freestyle technical points, awarded depending on the level of control or difficulty of the move):

• 1 point: stepping out of bounds, or a reversal where a wrestler in the defensive par terre position executes an action that puts them behind and in control of the opponent on the mat.
• 2 points: a takedown, where a wrestler from the standing or neutral position takes the opponent to the mat without back exposure.
• 4 points: a takedown or throw to the danger position, where the opponent is taken to the mat with direct back exposure to the mat.
• 1 point to the opponent for each caution, including after the passivity procedure.

The referee makes the initial call on points, the judge verifies, and the mat chair has the final say if they disagree. The guide lists only these values; other actions are scored under the UWW International Wrestling Rules that WCL adopts.

According to the WCL Spectator Guide (Freestyle):

• Cautions: wrestlers who flee the mat, flee a hold, apply an illegal hold or assume an incorrect par terre starting position may be given a caution, which gives the opponent one technical point. The opponent of a wrestler who receives three cautions in a complete match is declared the winner.
• Passivity: passivity is behaviour by one or both wrestlers that, contrary to the spirit of continuous wrestling, avoids or obstructs the progress of the match. The referee encourages activity with gestures and words identifying the passive wrestler.
• If passivity continues, the match is interrupted and a verbal and visual official warning is given.
• If the wrestler stays passive, the referee declares the wrestler "passive" (upon confirmation from the judge or chair), interrupts the match as long as no scoring is imminent, and indicates this to the wrestler (and may indicate it to the coach).
• A 30-second activity period starts. If either wrestler scores in it, the passivity penalty is suppressed. If no one scores, the match is interrupted immediately, the identified wrestler receives a caution and the opponent is awarded one point.

WCL domestic events (2026 WCL Rulebook, Article 22):

• Video review is mandatory at WCL sanctioned events.
• The CAWO-assigned Video Review Jury Designate (the head clinician or head official in charge of each mat per session) or the mat chair for that bout can request mat-side video review.
• The mat chair and the Designate review the situation. Normally the judge and referee are not involved, but in exceptional circumstances they may be asked for their opinion. The Designate makes the final determination.
• The mat chair shows the points to everyone, and the result is recorded on the bout sheet and score clock before the bout continues.
• If the official video replay is unavailable, the head official may allow the WCL webstream video to be used.

Coach challenge (WCL Spectator Guide): the coach asks for a challenge by throwing a soft object on the mat immediately after the refereeing body has awarded or failed to award points. Each wrestler gets one challenge per match. If the jury of appeal changes the decision, the challenge can be used again. If the jury confirms the decision, the wrestler loses the challenge and the opponent receives one technical point. The jury's decision is final.

Under the 2026 WCL Rulebook (Article 11), in the Canadian U17 (ages 15-16) and U15 (ages 13-14) age groups the suplay, the salto, the full nelson from the front and the side, and the west point ride are illegal. They are stopped immediately and considered brutality, which the rulebook describes as "given a caution one point". Side throws are allowed. Repeated occurrences during a single event could result in disqualification.

Wrestlers must compete in the age group they were born in. Age is counted in the calendar year of the event: U19 is 17-18, U17 is 15-16 and U15 is 13-14. Weigh-in for Canadian age categories lasts one hour the day before competition.

Under the 2026 WCL Rulebook (Articles 6 and 8):

• The event physician can stop a bout when there is danger to either athlete and has sole authority to decide whether an athlete may continue. Without a physician, the event medical personnel decide.
• With no medically qualified personnel present, the head official may prevent an injured athlete from continuing, but cannot force an athlete to continue against their wishes.
• A team physician or team medical personnel may treat their own athlete, but the final decision on continuing rests with the event physician or medical personnel.
• The athlete stays on the mat for treatment unless the physician directs otherwise, and the physician may stop the match before the injury or blood time limits end. The decision to continue must be made within the time allocated.
• An athlete withdrawn for medical reasons must be re-assessed and cleared in writing by the event physician before wrestling later matches.
• A medical withdrawal needs a completed medical withdrawal form signed by event medical personnel for the athlete to be ranked on points earned; without it the withdrawal counts as a forfeit with no final placement.
• At medical control the physician eliminates athletes with a contagious skin disorder or an ailment that prevents them competing safely. Braces must have no rigid, abrasive or sharp parts (such as metal or hard plastic) and are approved at medical control or weigh-in.

Under the 2026 WCL Rulebook (Article 11):

• Visually and/or hearing-impaired wrestlers: the officials must ensure forearm-to-forearm contact and/or use hand signals, appropriately touching the wrestlers as necessary, and ensure continuous physical contact between the wrestlers for the whole bout. The referee should allow the wrestlers to make contact if separation occurs, or stop the bout and restart with contact.
• Visually impaired wrestler: starts using a forearm-to-forearm start in the standing position. The wrestlers re-establish and maintain contact if separated. If contact is not re-established, the bout is stopped and restarted in a contact position (standing or par terre).
• Hearing-impaired wrestler: must be tapped on the shoulder to indicate whistles to start or stop any wrestling action. The referee starts the bout with a clear hand signal in direct view of the athlete as well as the whistle, and makes any verbal commands or hand signals in direct view of the athlete.

Under the 2026 WCL Rulebook (effective March 1, 2026):

• Coaches: each athlete may have a maximum of two people in the corner, and only accredited coaches and team medical personnel count towards the limit. A yellow card (warning) may be given for misconduct or unsportsmanlike behaviour. A second yellow card or a red card (elimination) may be given for continued, repeated or severe misconduct. The official informs the coach and the WCL representative. After a second yellow or a red card the coach's accreditation is taken and the coach must leave the venue for the rest of the event.
• Athletes: an athlete disqualified for brutality or flagrant unacceptable behaviour is suspended from all WCL sanctioned events until the incident is reviewed under the Discipline & Complaints Policy, and gets no final event placement.
• Incident reports: the head official files a report for incidents outside the match but within the field of play. People removed from a competition or venue cannot compete in a later WCL sanctioned event until the incident is reviewed. The Annex A Event Incident Report Form must reach WCL within 14 days of the incident, in person to the WCL representative or by email to info@wrestling.ca with the subject "Event Incident Report Form".
• Weight cutting: dieting and other weight control methods are not permitted for athletes 17 and younger; the penalty is immediate elimination from the event without placement, and coaches who assist or promote it are barred from the competition site for the rest of the event.

According to the CAWO Policies & Procedures Manual (2024 edition), on-mat officials progress through these ratings:

• National Aspirant (ASP): a provincial official sanctioned by their provincial association to attend a national upgrading clinic and tournament. May referee the Canadian Wrestling Championships (U19, U17, U15) after attending a national upgrading clinic that year and receiving a recommendation for CAN C.
• Canada C (CAN C): may officiate any national control tournament and the U19/U17/U15 Championships. Promotion: a recommendation at one national clinic with no recommendation for demotion.
• Canada B (CAN B): a solid official able to handle difficult situations. Promotion: at the U19/U17/U15 Championships, or two recommendations for promotion within a season at national clinics with no demotion recommendation.
• Canada A (CAN A): experience at senior level; may officiate any national control tournament and any Canadian Championships, and after attending a Canadian Championships (Senior, Junior, Cadet) is eligible for CAWO endorsement to join UWW.
• Canada AE (CAN AE): by application to the VP National before December 31 of the season. Requires at least 3 years as CAN A with no demotion recommendations, at least 4 provincial tournaments as clinician or head official (or apprentice), and attendance at the U19/U17/U15 Championships for evaluation. A 3/4 majority of Tier 1 clinicians in attendance is needed.

The usual progression is C to B to A. It can be accelerated only in extenuating circumstances, and only if the official attended two national clinics that year (one a national championships). CAWO's stated aim is to promote officials as soon as they meet the criteria and to demote those who cannot repeat or maintain that level.

According to the CAWO Policies & Procedures Manual (2024 edition):

• Each national official must attend at least one national control (grading) tournament a year. Missing it means demotion of one grade, and missing the following year too means another grade. A pairing master only needs to work a national control tournament every two years (or be the clinician).
• National A and National AE officials must attend at least one Canadian Championship every two years. National AE officials must also attend the Canadian Championships (Senior, Junior, Cadet) at least once every three years.
• To get credit, the official must attend the entire clinic and the entire event, including both styles where applicable. An official who skips the clinic gets no credit and does not work the finals.
• Annual dues in that edition: $85 provincial/territorial association membership, $85 individual membership, plus $150 for individual members with a UWW licence. Aspirant fees for the first year are $50. A $25 early payment reduction applies to payments received by January 1.
• Unpaid amounts after the later of 30 days from the invoice date or March 1 suspend membership privileges, including working the Canadian Championships and sanctioning for international events. An official who lets membership lapse restarts at national aspirant.

According to the CAWO Policies & Procedures Manual (2024 edition), the head official records attendance of on-mat officials at the clinic, oversees the competition (including venue set-up) and weigh-ins, and serves on the Jury. Specific duties include:

• Weigh-in: check the set-up, make sure medicals are done before weigh-ins, and distribute weigh-in sheets and draw numbers. At all National Championships two officials must confirm the weight of each athlete on the scale, and the weight is not recorded until both give the table official the same weight.
• Clinic: check officials' provincial quotas, meet the pairing master about mats and the draw, meet coaches to answer rules questions, and prepare mat assignments for review with the clinician.
• Venue: review the site for safety concerns with the WCL Representative, make sure officials are on their mats on time, ensure the rules are enforced, and discuss any inconsistencies between mats with the clinicians and mat chairs.
• Discipline: enforce disciplinary protocols, including expelling an athlete from the competition and expelling (red-carding) a coach.