TO ALL THE NATIONAL FEDERATIONS  TO ALL THE BUREAU MEMBERS     Concerns: Clinch application in GR wrestling        Additional explication for the clinch in Free Style    Mr. President,    The application of the new rules and the new system of competition on 1st January 2005 is running smoothly and the changes have entirely modified the image of our sport positively.    However it is obvious that wrestlers are now responsible for creating the show together with the coaches who shall change their training methods and are entirely responsible for their bouts, the referees importance having been reduced drastically.    The clinch philosophy implying that this situation really means a penalty for the wrestlers ending a period 0-0 and that the wrestler who lost random draw in the clinch position will be very likely in a 98% position to lose the bout, works well in free style and very little bouts arrive to the clinch position.    On the contrary in Greco-Roman wrestling, the position is nearly the same as in the past and the clinch is always difficult to apply and very often the referees shall always decide the end of the bout - caution and 1 point, because a wrestler refuses to resume the clinch position.    We shall prevent this situation before the Continental Championships which is opposition to the rules philosophy which state that the wrestlers be responsible.    For this reason and in agreement with the Refereeing Department the application of the clinch position in Greco-Roman wrestling is modified as follows and comes into effect immediately:    Clinch in Greco-Roman wrestling:    "The wrestler who wins the coin toss holds his opponent under his shoulders without grabbing the arm of his opponent after being placed in a chest against chest position in the centre of the mat.    He can execute his action immediately after his hold was carried out whatever the position of his opponent. The hold can be realised on all the part of the body included since under shoulders up to the top of the belt."    The referee-judge has to whistle for the start at once when the wrestler who won the coin toss was able to realise the hold.    The current provision shall prompt the wrestlers to avoid the clinch and to score points during the 2-minute bout.    We thank you for your collaboration and for distributing this new clinch application in Greco-Roman wrestling.     Additional explication for the clinch in Free Style:     The wrestler who won the coin toss can indicate to the referee the leg which his opponent has to put in the middle of the central circle to know the left or right leg.    Yours sincerely,    Raphael Martinetti  FILA President    Mario Saletnig  Responsible for the judges-referees