Q:  We wrestled last night.  They showed up 20  minutes before weigh ins and had ample time to check their weights. The official drew out 126 for our starting weight. 126 lb. was called to the  scales where they were checked for nails, skin condition, etc.  When the  last wrestler was weighed both teams were told that 126 was now closed and we  went to 132 lb. The same procedure was done for all of the following weight  classes.  We get to the last weight class of 120 lb.  The opposing team weighed in a young man that weighs 122.6 lb. and they record him in the  120 lb. section of the weigh in sheet.  The official said that the wrestler is eligible for 126 since he weighed over 122 lb. I say not eligible as he had time to weigh himself before and knew that he was a 126 lb. wrestler  and not a 120 lb. wrestler and needed to step on the scale at 126 lb. and not wait for the 120 lb. class to be weighed in knowing that he is not an eligible  120 lb. wrestler.

A:  I would refer you to rule 4-5-8 on page 19:  ART. 8. . . Any contestant failing to make weight during the weigh-in period shall be ineligible for that weight class. That contestant may wrestle in the weight class for which his/her actual weight qualifies the contestant, or in the next higher weight class as long as either of these weight classes are permitted by the contestant‚s individual weight loss plan on that given date. An additional weigh-in is neither required nor allowed. He is eligible for 126 and 132. A wrestler is eligible for the weight class that their actual stripped weight qualifies them + the next one up - Rule 1-4-5. It does not matter that the wrestler weighed in at a lower wt. class where they were not qualified.The key is their actual stripped wt. Now if that same wrestler weighed in at the 132# class (he weighed 122.6), he would only be eligible for the 132# class and not the 126#. It is always better to weigh in one weight class early rather than a one wt class late.