How are scoring and timing errors corrected in wrestling?

Who can correct an error and when?

Referees may, at any time, stop the match to make corrections, and in-match timing and scoring corrections may be made when discovered. During a dual meet, correction of all in-match errors must be made by the referee before the start of the next match. An error in the last match of a dual meet must be corrected before the referee has signed the scorebook, or, with electronic scoring, before the referee approaches the table and confirms the final outcome.

During a tournament the correction must be made before both wrestlers leave the mat or before the referee asks for the bout sheet to leave the scorer’s table. For extra matches, before both wrestlers leave the mat.

What is final?

The rules book says alleged in-match errors discovered after the deadline are not subject to appeal or review, and that the referee’s decision on any match, score or timing correction is final.

A clerical error in recording the team score may be corrected when discovered, provided the correction does not require changing any match.

How does the referee decide the fix?

The rules book sets a sequence. If available, the referee consults the video review system, using the view of the score clock or an integrated timing system. If not, the referee consults the second referee and the timer. The referee may correct the match if they have reasonable knowledge of the correction needed; otherwise the match restarts at the last known score and time.

If a correction changes the score, the referee makes the scoring correction and notifies both teams before resuming wrestling.

What may a coach do?

A coach may approach the scorer’s table without penalty to correct or ask for an interpretation of the score or time. A coach who believes a rule was misapplied may ask that the match be stopped when there is no significant action. Both wrestlers remain in the center of the mat during the discussion, or a technical violation applies.

A coach who fails to prove a rule misapplication receives a warning for the first two violations and loses a team point for later ones, cumulatively through the event.

What does this mean for tables and hosts?

Table workers should not release a bout sheet until the referee has finished any correction, because release can end the window to fix an error. Hosts using software should confirm how a correction is entered and who may enter it.

Smart Wrestler keeps a score audit trail so a correction the referee orders can be entered and traced. The referee’s ruling, not the software, decides what the correct score is.

The audit trail is described under features. Read the score audit trail.