United World Wrestling have announced changes to their 2019 Ranking Series ©UWW

United World Wrestling (UWW) have announced changes to their 2019 Ranking Series, including to the allocation of points at World and Continental Championships.

The recommendations were made by the UWW Technical Commission at a meeting in Belgrade and will see the points system “rebalanced” to place more emphasis on participation and success at the World and Continental Championships.

“I’m very pleased with the work of our sport department and the Technical Commission,” UWW President Nenad Lalovic said.

“The Ranking Series and seeding process has taken considerable work, but if you look now we are rewarding the best wrestlers for their efforts and their successes.

New worldwide rankings will also be updated on the UWW website, with the 2018 World Championship results used as the basis.

“The continuity from year-to-year, was important for our national federations,” Lalovic added.

“We needed to ensure that should they compete; our very best athletes will meet in the semifinals or the finals.”

Starting in 2019, finishing first at a World Championships will earn the winner 50 points, second place, 30 and third 15.

2019's world rankings will be based on the results from this year's World Championships ©Getty Images
2019's world rankings will be based on the results from this year's World Championships ©Getty Images

At a continental event, first will earn the winning wrestler 12 points, while a Ranking Series event will provide the winner with eight.

However, extra points will be added depending on the number of entrants.

For weight categories with 10 entrants or less, six points will be added, for divisions with 11 to 20 athletes, eight points will be added, while 10 will be added for categories with 20 or more entrants.

Any points awarded will not be transferable to another weight category or athlete and they will reset after the World Championships or Olympic Games.

At that point results from the previous year’s Championships or Games will be used to set the next year’s rankings.

There will also no longer be a plus two kilogram weight allowance granted for Ranking Series, Continental Championships, World Championships, or Olympic Games.

The venues and locations of each event on the 2019 Ranking Series have also been announced by the UWW.

Freestyle and women’s wrestling will begin in Krasnoyarsk in Russia, while the Greco-Roman series will begin in Zagreb in Croatia.