Fargo, North Dakota, is once again the epicenter of wrestling drama as the brigand of the Marine Corps Junior and 16U Wrestling Nationals face a fresh controversy. This prestigious event, often known simply as “Fargo,” showcases the nation’s top young wrestling talent, who earn their spots through a qualification process. The championships are being held from July 13-20 at the FARGODOME in Fargo, North Dakota. Wrestlers can qualify by placing in the top four at state tournaments. Automatic qualifiers from regional and national events, such as the USA Wrestling Regionals and UWW Cadet Nationals, add to the competitive mix without counting against the state quota.

Hosted by USA Wrestling, with its 226,000 members and 4,500 chartered clubs, the organization is now facing significant backlash. The qualification process ensures a high level of competition, but this year, a coach has called out an allegedly unfair ruling, bringing the tournament’s integrity into question. As tensions simmer over the latest controversy, wrestlers are also voicing frustration over rematches due to mismanagement.

Wrestlers complain about rematches due to mismanagement 

Recently coach KD of the KD training center let his thoughts about the wrestling rules known. He tweeted, “Ridiculous @USAWrestling” and went on to explain, “My wrestler, representing Team NY, won his Round of 16 match against Team Indiana and advanced to the Round of 12. However, USA Wrestling informed him that the match didn’t count.” This was because the previous match between Team Indiana and Team Ohio was protested and upheld. During the match between Ohio and Indiana, there was a simmering controversy. Lincoln Rohr was awarded two points in the match for Indiana’s Peyton Schoettle. However, Ohio’s coaching staff protested by claiming that the move was worth 4 points.

Team Indiana in retaliation threw the protest brick which violated the rules. Referees still took the two points back off the board which gave Schoettle a 9-8 win. Team Ohio protested to the head table, leading to the re-wrestling of the second period of the match. However, Schoettle did not appear, which made the first period of the match with Rohr at a 6-3 lead the final score. Now, Rohr was slated to wrestle Kumar Tounkara of New York. KD said, “As a result, my wrestler from Team New York must re-wrestle the Round of 16 match against Team Ohio and then immediately compete in the blood round match”. The majority consensus holds that resolving the controversy before scheduling the next match was necessary. The NY wrestler had no time to recover between the two matches.

Earlier at the 2024 US Marine Corps Junior and U16 2024 Fargo Freestyle Wrestling Nationals, the event came under scrutiny. There was a lack of support for young wrestlers. Former Olympic wrestler and PanAm Games medalist, Andy Hrovat recounted how a wrestler from his club, representing Texas, was without a coach in his corner during round 32. When Hrovat stepped in, USA Wrestling complained about his involvement. In contrast, other more established wrestlers had much more support. Additionally, Hrovat accused USA Wrestling of displaying disorganization and maintaining a completely negligent attitude toward junior wrestling. He described it as “pure evil behavior”. This has caused widespread troubles which may lead USA wrestling to reorganize their policies to provide better guidance in the future. 

USA wrestling has faced backlash for a long time

In addition to the recent controversies, it’s important to note that the wrestling community has faced longstanding backlash. In the early 2000s, 14 female wrestlers with a combined pool of 23 Olympic medals left the Olympic training center. They felt frustrated with the situation. Wrestling community had to deal with inflexible training schedules, harsh disciplinary actions as well as very little financial incentives when compared to the men. They complained about the substandard guidance they got by national coaches. 

The complaints against USA wrestling hint at a deeper issue within the management, which takes its wrestlers for granted. They should not oversee the situation, and management should conduct a review. Since the event carries the name of the Marine Corps, they should share the core values of them as well.