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WrestlingMark.com
State Rules & Regulations
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State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS REGULATION
Racing and Athletics Division
233 Richmond Street
Providence, RI 02903
RACING AND ATHLETICS REGULATION 7
WRESTLING
Last Updated 06/06/04
Table of Contents
Section 1 AUTHORITY
Section 2 PURPOSE
Section 3 DEFINITIONS
Section 4 LICENSES
Section 5 TERMINATION, SUSPENSION AND REVOCATION OF LICENSES
Section 6 INSURANCE
Section 7 CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION
Section 8 MISCELLANEOUS
Section 9 VARIANCES; WAIVERS
Section 10 TIME; NUMBER OF MATCHES, CONTESTS OR EXHIBITIONS
Section 11 PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Section 12 FORBIDDEN TACTICS, BLOWS AND STRIKES
Section 13 RING AND EQUIPMENT
Section 14 SCORING
Section 15 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Section 1 Authority
These rules and regulations governing wrestling (hereinafter referred to as the "Rules") are
adopted pursuant to the authority granted in R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-1 et seq. (the "Act").
Section 2 Purpose
These Rules are adopted to assist the Department of Business Regulation (the
"Department") in carrying out the administration and enforcement of the terms and provisions of the
Act. In the development of these Rules, the Department relied upon the underlying policies and
purposes of the Act, including, without limitation, the following:
(A) to protect the health, safety and well-being of the competitors;
(B) to protect and promote the integrity of events for the benefit of the consuming
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public; and
(C) to protect the collection of the tax levied upon events by the State of
Rhode Island.
Accordingly, these Rules shall be liberally construed and applied to effectuate and promote
the Act's underlying policies and purposes. To the extent that any part of these Rules is inconsistent
with the Act or fails to address a matter contained within the Act, or is inconsistent with applicable
law or the terms of any other rule or regulation promulgated by the Department, then the Act,
applicable law and/or the terms of such other rule or regulation shall be deemed to apply.
Section 3 Definitions
When used in these Rules, the following words, except as otherwise required by the context,
shall have the following meaning:
(A) "Act" means R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-1 et seq., as amended.
(B) "Closed Circuit Television" means any telecast of an Event which is not
intended to be available for viewing without the payment of a fee, collected for or
based upon each event viewed, for the privilege of viewing the telecast and includes
the terms "pay per view".
(C) "Competitor" means a participant in a Contest, Match or Exhibition.
(D) "Contest" and "Match" are synonymous, may be used interchangeably and mean
an Event between two (2) or more Competitors in which the Competitors strive in
good faith to win.
(E) "Department" means the Department of Business Regulation.
(F) "Director" means the Director of the Department of Business Regulation.
(G) "Division" means the Division of Racing & Athletics of the Department of
Business Regulation.
(H) "Event" or "Events" means a Contest, Match or Exhibition taking place within
the State of Rhode Island where Professional wrestlers display or exhibit Wrestling,
but does not include those events specifically exempted by the provisions of R.I.
Gen. Laws § 41-5-1.
(I) "Exhibition" means an Event in which the Competitors show or display their
skills without necessarily striving to win.
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(J) "Judge" means a Person to be licensed by the Department who attends the Event
and who has the responsibility of scoring or judging the performance of the
Competitors in the Event.
(K) "License" includes the whole or part of any Department license, permit,
certificate, approval, registration or similar form of permission required by law as a
condition of conducting a Match as a condition of conducting a Match.
(L) "Licensee" means any holder of a License.
(M) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability
company, association, sole proprietorship, public or private organization or any other
entity however formed.
(N) "Physician" means an individual currently licensed to practice medicine in the
State of Rhode Island and who has been licensed by the Department for the Event.
(O) "Professional wrestler" means one who competes for a money prize or purse by
engaging in Wrestling.
(P)
"Promotor" means any Person to be licensed with the Department who arranges,
advertises, produces, stages or conducts an Event.
(Q) "Referee" means a Person to be licensed with the Department who has the
general supervision of the Event and is present inside the ring during the Event.
(R) "Regular Business Hours" means the regular business hours of the Department
of 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
(S) "Wrestling" means the sport consisting of hand-to-hand combat between two (2)
or more unarmed competitors who contend by grappling.
Section 4 Licenses
B. Licenses-Event
(i) No Event shall take place or be conducted unless the Promotor of the Event has
applied for and received a license from the Department (the "Event License"). The application form
(the "Event Application") shall be supplied by the Division, upon request, during Regular Business
Hours. An Event Application shall be received by the Division at least thirty (30) days prior to the
date of the scheduled Event. The Event Application shall be completed in full, shall be in
compliance with and include all of the information required by R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 41-5-3 and 41-5-
3.1(a) and shall also include the following:
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(a) Proof of compliance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-3.2 with respect to ring
equipment;
(b) Compliance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-6 with respect to the filing of a
surety bond in the amount determined to be satisfactory to the Division;
(c) A copy of the approval of the city or town authorities where the Event is
to be held, pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-5; and
(d) An application fee in the amount as specified by the Division.
(ii) Upon receipt of an Event Application, the Division shall review the Event
Application to determine if it is in compliance with the requirements of the Act and these Rules. In
connection therewith, the Division may require that the Promotor submit such additional
information as the Division may deem necessary to enable it to complete its evaluation of the Event
Application. If the Division determines that the Event Application is in compliance with the
requirements of the Act and these Rules, the Division shall recommend to the Director that the
Event License be issued to the
Promotor. If the Director agrees with the recommendation of the
Division, the Director shall issue the Event License. If the Director disagrees with the
recommendation, the Director shall deny the Event License. If the Division determines that the
Event Application is not in compliance with the requirements of the Act and these Rules, the
Division shall recommend to the Director that the Event License be denied. If the Director agrees
with the Division recommendation, the Event License shall be denied. If the Director disagrees
with the recommendation of the Division, the Director shall issue the Event License.
In making his/her determination as to whether to issue or deny the Event License, the
Director may in his/her sole discretion take into account any factors which he/she deems
appropriate, including, without limitation, whether a substantially similar event has been licensed in
this or any other state; whether there exist generally accepted standards and criteria for the conduct
and scoring of such events; and whether there exist generally recognized sanctioning bodies for
events of such kind. In addition, the Director reserves the right to place such conditions on the grant
of an Event License as the Director deems necessary and reasonable pursuant to these Rules and the
Act. The Promotor may appeal any decision of the Director to the Racing and Athletics Hearing
Board in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-2-1 et seq.
(iii) If issued, the Event License shall be considered conditional and not deemed
valid until the holder of the Event License files with the Division a sworn supplementary application
(the "Supplementary Application") updating the original Event Application pursuant to the terms
and provision of Section 41-5-3.1(b) of the Act. The Supplementary Application shall also contain
such additional information as the Division may request.
B. Licenses-Competitors
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(i) No Person shall be a Competitor in a Wrestling Event unless licensed by the
Department at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the starting time for the first Match or Exhibition
(the "Competitor License"). The application form for the Competitor License (the "Competitor
Application") shall be supplied by the Division during Regular Business Hours. The Competitor
Application shall be complete in all respects and shall be in compliance with and include all the
information required by R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-7.1(a).
(ii) Upon receipt of a Competitor Application, the Division shall review it pursuant
to the same procedures outlined in Section 4(A)(ii).
(iii) If issued, the Competitor License shall be conditional and not deemed valid until
the holder of the Competitor License files with the Division a sworn supplementary application (the
"Competitor Supplementary Application") updating the original Competitor Application pursuant to
the terms and provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-7.1(b). The Competitor Supplementary
Application shall also contain such additional information as the Division may request.
Notwithstanding the foregoing to the contrary, no Competitor Supplementary Application shall be
required when the Competitor Application has been filed within the time frames established by R.I.
Gen. Laws § 41-5-7.1(b).
C. Licenses-Physicians, First Aid Instructors, Practical Nurses
No Person shall act as a physician, first aid instructor, practical nurse or in any other
medical capacity at an Event unless licensed by the Department (the "Medical License"). The
application form for a Medical License (the "Medical Application") shall be supplied by the
Division during Regular Business Hours. The Medical Application shall be complete in all
respects and shall include and be in compliance with the requirements of R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-11.
D. Licenses-Referees
No Person shall act as a referee at an Event unless licensed by the Department (the
"Referee License"). The application form for a Referee License (the "Referee Application") shall
be supplied by the Division during Regular Business Hours. The Referee Application shall be
complete in all respects.
E. Licenses-Judges
No Person shall act as a judge at an Event unless licensed by the Department (the
"Judge License"). The application form for a Judge License (the "Judge Application") shall be
supplied by the Division during Regular Business Hours. The Judge Application shall be complete
in all respects.
F. Licenses-Timekeepers, Managers, Trainers, Seconds
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No Person shall act as a timekeeper, manager, trainer or second unless licensed by
the Department. The application form for the foregoing positions shall be supplied by the Division
during Regular Business Hours.
Section 5 Termination, Suspension and Revocation of Licenses
All Event Licenses issued pursuant to these Rules shall be valid until the termination of the
Event. All other Licenses issued pursuant to these Rules shall be valid until December 31 of the
year the License was issued.
Any License may be revoked or suspended prior to termination in accordance with the
provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-17. Any License suspended or revoked may be appealed to the
Racing and Athletics Hearing Board in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-2-1 et seq. Any
License suspended or revoked may be appealed to the Racing and Athletics Hearing Board in
accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-2-1 et seq.
The Division official in attendance at the Event shall be empowered to immediately suspend
or revoke any License on an emergency basis if the Division official determines that any of the
Licensees, including the Event Licensee, is in material non-compliance with the conditions of the
License, these Rules or the Act.
Section 6 Insurance
A. Event Licensee
All Event Licensees shall furnish to the Division evidence of insurance at least
thirty-six (36) hours prior to the starting time for the first Contest, Match or Exhibition of the Event
as follows:
(i) Public liability insurance in such form and in such amount as the Division deems
satisfactory; and
(ii) Such other policies of insurance in such form and in such amounts as the
Division shall reasonably require.
All insurance shall be in force not less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the starting time for the
first Contest, Match or Exhibition. Failure to produce the required insurance shall be grounds for
revocation of the Event License.
B. Competitor Licensee
All Competitor Licensees shall furnish within twenty-four (24) hours prior to the
Event satisfactory proof of health insurance and life insurance in such form and in such amounts as
the Division deems satisfactory in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-11.2. Failure to produce
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the required insurance shall be grounds for not granting a Competitor License or for the revocation
of a Competitor License.
C. Sunday and Holiday Events
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 6(A) and Section 6(B) to the contrary, if
an Event is permitted to be held on any day on which the evidence of insurance required by Section
6(A) and Section 6(B) would by the terms of these sections not need to be furnished during Regular
Business Hours, then such evidence of insurance shall be furnished to the Division at least six (6)
hours before the end of Regular Business Hours on the last business day before the Event.
Section 7 Closed Circuit Television
No Closed Circuit Television broadcasts of an Event shall be permitted unless the Promotor
or Person who intends to broadcast the Event has first obtained a License from the Division. The
application form for a Closed Circuit Television License shall be supplied by the Division during
Regular Business Hours. The application shall be completed in full, shall be in compliance with the
requirements of R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-3.7 and shall also include any other information the Division
may require.
Section 8 Miscellaneous
(A) No Person under eighteen (18) years of age shall be licensed as a Competitor.
(B) No Person may participate in a Wrestling Event against or with an animal.
(C) No male Competitor may participate in a Wrestling Event against a female Competitor
or vice-versa.
(D) No Person over the age of thirty-five (35) shall be licensed as a Competitor without a
hearing before the Division concerning his/her physical ability to perform.
(E) Any Person applying for a Competitor's License without significant professional or
amateur experience may be required to show proof of proper training as a wrestler.
(F) The Referee or the Division official at ringside pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-9.1
may disqualify a Competitor before or during the Event for
(i) the use of profanity, including
gestures, by the Competitor, his manager, or his second or
(ii)unsportsmanlike behavior including,
but not limited to, arguing with a Referee or the Division official or refusing to obey either the
Referee or Division official's orders.
(G) In addition to the Physician who shall be in attendance at the Event, an ambulance and
two (2) paramedics must be on standby, or in the discretion of the Division, at ringside.
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(H) The administration or use of drugs, stimulants or alcohol, either before or during an
Event by any Competitor is prohibited. The Division shall revoke the Competitor License of any
Competitor who uses drugs, stimulants or alcohol. For the purpose of verifying compliance with
this rule, the Director or his Division designee may require that any Competitor submit to a
urinalysis or blood test prior to or after the Event, or if recommended by the Physician, any other
post-Event examination. All costs associated with the foregoing tests shall be borne by the
Competitor or the
Promotor.
In addition, the Division may require that any Competitor submit to an
H.I.V. test in
accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-11.1. The Division may, in its sole discretion, waive the
H.I.V. test if the Competitor presents original or certified laboratory test results performed within
thirty (30) days of submitting his completed application reflecting that he or she has been tested
negative for the presence of the
H.I.V. virus.
All medical reports and tests required to be performed pursuant to these Rules or the Act
shall be open to examination only to the Department or its duly authorized representatives, to the
Competitor and, upon written authorization of the Competitor to all such designated persons.
(I) No liquid refreshments of any kind may be sold at the Event except in paper containers.
Chairs must be securely attached so they are not portable.
(J) Matchmakers and announcers may participate in a Wrestling Event without being
licensed. It shall be the responsibility of the Event Licensee to ensure that these unlicensed Persons
comply with the Act and these Rules. These Persons must register with he Division by supplying
their name, address, telephone number and social security number.
(K) No Event shall be ticketed in a general admission style of seating. All Events shall be
ticketed by reserved seating.
Section 9 Variances; Waivers
The Division, upon its own or at the request of any Licensee or of any applicant for a
License, may grant variances or waivers of any portion of these Rules in the Department's sole
discretion as it deems proper or necessary depending upon the facts and individual circumstances of
the request.
Section 10 Time; Number of Matches, Contests or Exhibitions
No Event shall commence later than 8:30 p.m. Each individual Contest, Match or
Exhibition shall be a maximum of thirty (30) minutes. The total number of Wrestling Matches,
Contests or Exhibitions for an Event shall be submitted to the Division for approval, in advance of
the Event.
Section 11 Protective Equipment
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All male Competitors shall be required to wear a foul-proof groin protector. A plastic cup
with an athletic supporter is adequate, but an abdominal guard is preferable. Female Competitors
must wear foul-proof breast protectors. Plastic breast covers are adequate. All Competitors must
wear fitted mouthpieces. In addition to the foregoing, the Division reserves the right to require
Competitors to wear such other protective equipment as the Division deems necessary in
furtherance of the underlying policies and purposes of these Rules and the Act.
Section 12 Forbidden Tactics, Blows and Strikes
No Competitor shall be permitted to engage in any tactics, blows or strikes which the
Division considers unnecessarily dangerous. In order for the Division to evaluate the tactics, blows
or strikes, the Division may require a visual depiction as well as a written explanation of the tactics,
blows and strikes the Competitors will be permitted to use at the Event. The Division shall prohibit
the Competitors from engaging in any tactics, blows or strikes it considers unnecessarily dangerous
in furtherance of the underlying policies and purposes of these Rules and the Act.
Section 13 Ring and Equipment
The ring, platform, covering, posts, ropes and all other equipment and materials to be used,
employed or relied upon by the Competitors or any other Person during a Contest, Match or
Exhibition shall be inspected and examined by the Division at least four (4) hours prior to the
starting time for the first Contest, Match or Exhibition, all in accordance with the requirements and
procedures outlined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 41-5-3.5(b).
In addition to the foregoing, the Division shall require that the ring shall be not less than
eighteen (18) feet nor more than twenty-four (24) feet square within the ropes. The ring floor is to
extend beyond the ropes a distance of not less than two (2) feet. The ring floor shall be padded with
a soft, nongathering material to a thickness of not less than an inch and one-half extending two (2)
feet beyond the ring ropes, with a top covering tightly stretched and secured to the ring platform.
The ring shall not be more than four (4) feet above the floor of the building; and shall be provided
with suitable steps for the use of the Competitors and other Persons who need access. Ring posts
shall be made of metal, extending from the floor of the building to a height of forty-eight (48)
inches above the ring floor. The ring must be properly lighted. There shall be three (3) ropes in
number, not less than one (1) inch in diameter. Ropes shall be wrapped in soft material. Rope
corners shall be padded.
Section 14 Scoring
All Contests, Matches and Exhibitions shall be scored as follows:
(i) In a one-Fall Contest, Match or Exhibition, the Competitor winning the Fall
within the time limit shall be declared the winner. If no Fall occurs during the time period
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prescribed, the Referee or Judge shall render a decision, calling either a draw or awarding a decision
to one of the Competitors.
(ii) In a two out of three Fall Contest, Match or Exhibition, the Competitor to win
the two Falls within the time limit prescribed shall be declared the winner. If only one Fall occurs
within the time limit prescribed, the Competitor scoring such Fall shall be declared the winner. In
the event neither Competitor scores two Falls within the time limit prescribed but each Competitor
has scored one Fall or neither Competitor has scored a Fall, the Referee or Judge shall call a draw or
award a decision to one of the Competitors.
For the purposes of this Section 14, the term "Fall" shall mean a Competitor, who for a
Referee's count of three (3), has both his or her shoulders touch the ring mat at the same time.
Section 15 Conflicts of Interest
No employee of the Department may belong to, contract with, or receive any
compensation from, any Person who sanctions, arranges or promotes Professional Wrestling
Matches or who otherwise has a financial interest in an active Professional Wrestler. For
purpose of this section, the term “compensation” does not include funds held in escrow for
payment to another Person in connection with a Professional Wrestling Match.
EFFECTIVE DATE: May 31, 1985
AMENDED: March 22, 1987
October 21, 1996
April 2, 1997
April 22, 1997
REFILED: December 19, 2001
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