Greek wrestling

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Greek wrestling or Ancient Greek wrestling-- Pale was the most popular organized sport in Ancient Greece. A point was scored when one player touched the ground with his back, tapped out due to a submission-hold or was forced out of the wrestling-area. Three points had to be scored to win the match. The sport is still played in modern Turkey under only slightly different rules.

One particularly important position in this form of wrestling was one where one of the contestants was lying on his belly with the other on his back trying to strangle him. The athlete on the bottom would try to grasp an arm of the one on top and turn him over onto his back while the athlete on top would try to complete the choke without being rolled.

[edit] Rules

These are the rules of the ancient sport Pale according to the latest research of Christopher Miller, University of Western Ontario.

No intentional hitting or kicking is permitted.
No gouging the eyes or biting is permitted, since even the Pankration does not allow these
It is at the discretion of the holders of the games whether or not twisting the fingers with the intention of forcing the opponent to concede defeat is permitted
Grasping the genitals is not permitted
All other holds intended to persuade the opponent to concede defeat through pain or fear are permitted and are an integral part of the contest
Infractions shall be punished by immediate whipping by the referee until the undesirable behaviour is stopped
Three points must be scored to win the match
A point can be scored in any of three ways:
1. the opponent’s back touching the ground at any time
2. by the opponent tapping or in some other way making clear that s/he concedes defeat through pain or fear
3. by the opponent making contact with ground outside the allocated wrestling-match ground with any part of his/her body, or by being lifted and carried out
After scoring a point, the opponent must be given time to rise on his/her feet and a few moments more before the wrestling may continue
The match is both started and ended at the signal of the referee
The referee can at any time stop the match if s/he believes a point has been scored but the contestants have continued to wrestle unaware of the point having been scored
The referee or other officials in charge of the contest, if other officials are presiding, shall resolve any dispute the contestants have over scoring, and their decision shall be final
The wrestling-ground shall be a large square, 28.5 by 28.5 Metres (a PLETHRON: 100 Greek Feet, the typical width of a running-track), or any other size determined by the holders of the games, and it shall be all of sand or earth
The contestants shall begin the match at the center of the wrestling-ground outside of each other’s touching-range, the precise distance being at the discretion of the referee
All other more specific details are at the discretion of the officials presiding over the games