edge of the mat takdown

jreg · #1 (**permalink**) Sun Dec 11, 2005, 06:22pm

Well guys, the edge of the mat being what it is this year, i had one where I don't know if I screwed it up or not. Wrestlers are neutral, battling near the edge. I will call the wrestler who goes out of bounds the "defensive" wrestler and the wrestler attempting the takedown "offensive. Offensive wrestler shoots for a double leg and gets both legs....defensive wrestler turns to break out and away, and offensive wrestler has enough strength that by grabbing his ankles, one hand on each ankle, defensive falls to his belly. His feet are out of bounds, and as he falls, so does offense, but offense hangs on to his ankles. There is plenty of mat, near a corner, and I advise "nothing yet" keep wrestling at which time the offensive wrestler locks his hands and defense stands up and breaks out. As he does, offense leaves the mat and whistle is blown. coach for offense is screming it should be two for a takedown I am thinking with the "extended mat" and defense's reaction it was nothing. What do u think?

officialtony · #2 (**permalink**) Mon Dec 12, 2005, 07:57am

Pretty tough based on the information you gave. If the O wrestler locks his hands around the legs of D wrestler, and D is prone or stretched out on the mat out of bounds, I give the two based on the interpretation of the new rule. It sounds like D was only trying to get away which leaves O in " control ".
BUT . . . . .
You said that D stood up when O locked his hands. So it sounds to me like maybe O did not have control around the legs until D stood up, which means no takedown. Would have had to see this to give a fair observation. If you have more info about positions of O and D on the mat, it might help.
Was D laying prone when he was out of bounds and O had his ankles?
Were O's hands locked around the legs or feet while D was prone and out of bounds?
Was D standing out of bounds when O locked his hands around D?
This might help give a better " view " of what happened.

jreg · #3 (**permalink**) Mon Dec 12, 2005, 09:21am

There were three off officials watching, and they were split on whether to award or not.....there was a moment, five seconds or less when all are prone and hands have ankles trapped down (pressure down) verbal statement nothing yet keep wrestling and the scramble to the feet....

officialtony · #4 (**permalink**) Mon Dec 12, 2005, 01:14pm

Based on the given information, I would say no points. If O had trapped the ankles and D was prone out of bounds, I would give the two ONLY IF O followed him out of bounds and you whistled them both out. In my mind, I only give that special takedown at the edge of the mat when I know I am then going to blow the whistle because they are out of bounds almost immediately after the award. If there is any chance that D will end up back in bounds, then O's responsibility is to improve off the legs to gain the takedown.
Since you did not whistle them out immediately, I would say good call - no takedown.

[Edited by officialtony on Dec 12th, 2005 at 01:16 PM]