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U.S. cherishes Greco-Roman bronze - Rebecca Sun - SI.com
Quoting from article:
If I understand the issue correctly, the problem is that the wrestler who wins the first interval period (standing) has a significant advantage if he draws bottom position in the first par terre interval, as he then has only to prevent his opponent from scoring to win the period. Is this right? What do people think about these rules?
Quoting from article:
Byers was considered a medal contender and actually outscored Sjoberg in technical points 5-3, but Sjoberg was awarded the win because of rule changes that were baffling to many spectators and unpopular among many teams.
The new rules, implemented by the international wrestling federation (FILA) in 2005, now divide matches into three two-minute periods, with the first wrestler who takes two matches [sic -- assume they mean two periods?] declared the match winner. A tied period, barring deciding factors like penalties and power moves, goes to the wrestler who scored the last point, and that's where it gets really confusing:
Each period is divided into three parts: The first minute consists of wrestling from a standing position, followed by two 30-seconds intervals par terre, where wrestlers take turns assuming the defensive position with hands and knees on the mat. In par terre, if the wrestler in the top (offensive) position fails to score within the 30-second interval, he receives a caution and a point is awarded to his opponent for defending successfully.
Defending tends to be the easier task, particularly among the heavier weight classes, where attempting to throw an opponent who is hugging the mat for dear life tends to be "like trying to pick up a bale of hay -- a squirming bale of hay," says Bill May, wrestling information specialist for the Olympic News Service.
The point of contention for many wrestlers and their coaches is that par terre order is left, literally, to the luck of the draw -- the referee draws from a bag either a red or blue ball, representing the singlet color of the wrestler who will start on offense -- and, more significantly, end the period par terre.
Thirty-four out of the 164 Greco-Roman matches wrestled in these Games came down to defensive ties in the last period, where the only scores were the single points awarded to wrestlers when they were par terre. In those situations, the wrestler who got to finish par terre won the period and therefore the match.
"I'm not satisfied with the rules," said 84-kilo bronze medalist Nazmi Avluca of Turkey. "I don't think the red-ball and blue-ball system is fair for the wrestlers."
Although the Americans were no fans of the lottery either, Fraser was careful to note that ultimate responsibility still lay with the wrestlers.
"It came down to the last point, basically," he said of Byers' final match. "Sure, his opponent was a tough guy but to win you can't leave it down to the draw. You've gotta make your own breaks."
Byers agreed, calling the ball drawing "an occupational hazard."
"I should have been more up on my feet. I missed a couple of key opportunities to score," said Byers, who is an army staff sergeant. "This leaves a bitter taste in me; this is fuel for something bigger. There's something in us that makes us keep going. I don't know if this drive and determination is the American spirit, or me being a soldier."
Byers, who is 33, said he would resume training and planned to try again for the Olympic team in 2012.
The new rules, implemented by the international wrestling federation (FILA) in 2005, now divide matches into three two-minute periods, with the first wrestler who takes two matches [sic -- assume they mean two periods?] declared the match winner. A tied period, barring deciding factors like penalties and power moves, goes to the wrestler who scored the last point, and that's where it gets really confusing:
Each period is divided into three parts: The first minute consists of wrestling from a standing position, followed by two 30-seconds intervals par terre, where wrestlers take turns assuming the defensive position with hands and knees on the mat. In par terre, if the wrestler in the top (offensive) position fails to score within the 30-second interval, he receives a caution and a point is awarded to his opponent for defending successfully.
Defending tends to be the easier task, particularly among the heavier weight classes, where attempting to throw an opponent who is hugging the mat for dear life tends to be "like trying to pick up a bale of hay -- a squirming bale of hay," says Bill May, wrestling information specialist for the Olympic News Service.
The point of contention for many wrestlers and their coaches is that par terre order is left, literally, to the luck of the draw -- the referee draws from a bag either a red or blue ball, representing the singlet color of the wrestler who will start on offense -- and, more significantly, end the period par terre.
Thirty-four out of the 164 Greco-Roman matches wrestled in these Games came down to defensive ties in the last period, where the only scores were the single points awarded to wrestlers when they were par terre. In those situations, the wrestler who got to finish par terre won the period and therefore the match.
"I'm not satisfied with the rules," said 84-kilo bronze medalist Nazmi Avluca of Turkey. "I don't think the red-ball and blue-ball system is fair for the wrestlers."
Although the Americans were no fans of the lottery either, Fraser was careful to note that ultimate responsibility still lay with the wrestlers.
"It came down to the last point, basically," he said of Byers' final match. "Sure, his opponent was a tough guy but to win you can't leave it down to the draw. You've gotta make your own breaks."
Byers agreed, calling the ball drawing "an occupational hazard."
"I should have been more up on my feet. I missed a couple of key opportunities to score," said Byers, who is an army staff sergeant. "This leaves a bitter taste in me; this is fuel for something bigger. There's something in us that makes us keep going. I don't know if this drive and determination is the American spirit, or me being a soldier."
Byers, who is 33, said he would resume training and planned to try again for the Olympic team in 2012.
If I understand the issue correctly, the problem is that the wrestler who wins the first interval period (standing) has a significant advantage if he draws bottom position in the first par terre interval, as he then has only to prevent his opponent from scoring to win the period. Is this right? What do people think about these rules?