The UWW doctor in charge has the right and duty to stop a bout at any time through the mat chairman, whenever he considers that either competitor is in danger.

He may also stop a bout immediately by declaring one of the wrestlers unfit to continue. The wrestler must never leave the mat, except in the event of a serious injury requiring his immediate removal. In case of a wrestler being injured, the referee must immediately ask the doctor to intervene and must impose a sanction if the injury is not visible or bleeding.

If a wrestler has a visible injury or is bleeding, the doctor will have the time necessary to treat the injury and will decide if the wrestler can carry on the match or not. There is no time limit.

After the medical treatment, the bout shall resume in the position where the injury occurred.

In the case of any medical dispute, the doctor for the team of the wrestler in question has the right to intervene in any treatment required, or to give his advice on an intervention or decision made by the medical service. Only the UWW Medical Commission delegate may propose to the officials that the bout be stopped.

In competitions where there is no official doctor, the referee can suspend the bout for a maximum of two minutes in a match. The officials decide if the wrestlers are acting intentionally or not, and must apply the procedure mentioned in the above paragraphs.

This stoppage can be allowed on one or more times and is valid for both wrestlers.

The time-keeper for the mat concerned will announce each 30-second interval. The referee must invite the two wrestlers to return to the centre of the mat 10 seconds before the two minutes are up.

In international competitions where the UWW Medical Commission is not represented, the decision to interrupt the bout will be taken by the UWW delegate or by the UWW nominated referee following consultation with the competition doctor and the injured wrestler's team doctor.

In all cases, the doctor making the decision to prohibit the wrestler from continuing the bout shall be of a nationality other than that of the wrestler in question, and the doctor must not be involved in the weight class concerned. (See health regulations.)

The wrestler who deliberately stops the bout without being injured or bleeding, automatically loses 1 point to his opponent.

All the first aid injuries (requiring no hospitalisation) occurring in UWW international competitions are at the organiser's costs. The injuries requiring hospitalisation are covered by the UWW licence, provided that the case has been announced to the insurance company (at the number appearing at the back of the card) the same day.