Wrestling at the Olympic Games was contested at the first modern Olympics, in the form of Greco-Roman wrestling, held in Athens in 1896. Wrestling would appear at every Summer Olympics held since then, with the exception of the 1900 Summer Olympics when wrestling did not appear on the program. Freestyle wrestling (or catch-as-catch-can wrestling as it was called prior to the 1924 Summer OlympicsNash, S. John. (October 20, 2012). The Martial Chronicles: The Forgotten Olympic History of Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling. cagesideseats.com. Retrieved March 31, 2025.) and weight classes both made their first appearance at the 1904 Summer Olympics. Women's freestyle wrestling competition was first held at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

In 2013, the IOC voted to drop wrestling from the Summer Olympic program. The president of the sport's governing body, FILA (now United World Wrestling), resigned after a subsequent motion of no confidence, and several of the FILA leadership followed suit. After new leadership stepped in and revisions to the program for the 2016 Summer Olympics (including rule changes and additional women's competitions), wrestling successfully campaigned to be readmitted back onto the Summer Olympic program.

Summary Summary of overall best wrestling nation at each Olympics, which includes combining all styles that were contested. Greco-Roman has been contested since the 1896 Summer Olympics, with men's freestyle being contested since 1904 and women's freestyle since 2004.

GamesYear EventsBest Nation 1 1896 1 (1) 2 3 1904 7 (1) 4 1908 9 (1) 5 1912 5 (1) 6 7 1920 10 (2) 8 1924 13 (3) 9 1928 13 (4) 10 1932 14 (1) 11 1936 14 (2) 12 13 14 1948 16 (1) 15 1952 16 (1) 16 1956 16 (2) 17 1960 16 (2) 18 1964 16 (1) 19 1968 16 (2) 20 1972 20 (3) 21 1976 20 (4) 22 1980 20 (5) 23 1984 20 (2) 24 1988 20 (6) 25 1992 20 (1) 26 1996 20 (1) 27 2000 16 (2) 28 2004 18 (3) 29 2008 18 (4) 30 2012 18 (5) 31 2016 18 (6) 32 2020 18 (3) 33 2024 18 (4) 34 2024 18

Removal and reinstatement In an effort to control the size and costs of the Summer Olympics, and make the Games "relevant to sports fans of all generations", the IOC evaluated the Olympic event programme in place for the 2016 Summer Olympics, and voted on 25 "core" sports that would comprise the programme of the 2020 Summer Olympics (which was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). One vacancy was to be left open for a new sport. In February 2013, IOC members voted to remove wrestling from the Olympic programme; The New York Times cited several potential factors in the decision, including the lack of universally-known talent unlike other sports, and concern for the lack of women's competitions in wrestling (having only introduced women's freestyle competitions in 2004). FILA (now United World Wrestling), the governing body of Olympic wrestling, immediately criticized the decision. The organization cited wrestling's long-standing history as an Olympic event, which dates as far back as the ancient Olympic Games.

The decision resulted in immediate backlash; Armen Nazaryan and Sagid Murtazaliev both returned gold medals to the IOC in protest, while Nazaryan also staged a hunger strike until the 2013 European Wrestling Championships. FILA president Raphaël Martinetti resigned after a vote of non-confidence by the organization's staff.

Martinetti was replaced as acting president by Nenad Lalović. Under his leadership, the organization began to make changes to its Olympic programme for 2016, including rule changes designed to make bouts faster and encourage more aggression, as well as additional women's weight classes. These changes were intended to help improve audience interest, and address the shortcomings that likely led to the removal of the sport; wrestling joined baseball/softball, as well as squash, on a final shortlist of three sports to be included in the core Olympic programme for 2020. On 8 September 2013, at the 125th IOC Session, the IOC selected wrestling to be reinstated in the Olympic program for 2020 and 2024. Lalović was largely credited for his role in the reinstatement; he remarked that "normally this is done in a few years, we did it in a few months. It was a question of our survival."

Events Men

+ Men's weight classes, Greco-Roman 1896 1900–1904 1908 1912–1920 1924 1928 1932–1936 1948–1960 1964–1968 1972–1984 1988–1996 2000 2004–2012 2016 2020–2028| rowspan=39 | Openweight | rowspan=39 | rowspan=5 | Heavyweight+93 kg | rowspan=10 colspan=3 | Heavyweight+82.5 kg | rowspan=7 colspan=2 | Heavyweight+87 kg | rowspan=3 | Heavyweight+97 kg | Super heavyweight+100 kg | Super heavyweight100–130 kg | rowspan=3 | Super heavyweight97–130 kg | rowspan=4 | Super heavyweight96–120 kg | rowspan=2 | Super heavyweight98–130 kg | rowspan=3 | Super heavyweight97–130 kg| rowspan=5 colspan=2 | Heavyweight90–100 kg| rowspan=6 | Heavyweight85–98| rowspan=4 | Light heavyweight87–97 kg | rowspan=5 | Heavyweight85–97 kg | rowspan=4 | Heavyweight87–97 kg| rowspan=5 | Heavyweight84–96 kg| rowspan=13 | Light heavyweight73–93 kg| rowspan=5 colspan=2 | Light heavyweight82–90 kg| rowspan=5 colspan=2 | Light heavyweight79–87 kg | rowspan=6 | Middleweight78–87 kg | rowspan=7 | Middleweight77–87 kg| rowspan=7 | Middleweight76–85 kg | rowspan=8 | Middleweight75–85 kg| rowspan=8 | Middleweight74–84 kg| rowspan=6 colspan=3 | Light heavyweight75–82.5 kg| rowspan=6 colspan=2 | Middleweight74–82 kg| rowspan=7 | Middleweight72–79 kg | rowspan=6 | Middleweight73–79 kg| rowspan=7 | Welterweight70–78 kg| rowspan=10 | Welterweight67–77 kg| rowspan=6 | Welterweight69–76 kg| rowspan=7 | Middleweight67.5–75 kg | rowspan=8 | Middleweight67–75 kg | rowspan=7 | Middleweight67.5–75 kg | rowspan=10 | Welterweight66–75 kg| rowspan=5 colspan=2 | Welterweight68–74 kg | rowspan=9 | Welterweight66–74 kg| rowspan=7| Middleweight66.6–73 kg | rowspan=6| Welterweight67–73 kg| rowspan=7 | Welterweight66–72 kg| rowspan=7 | Lightweight63–70 kg| rowspan=6 | Lightweight63–69 kg| rowspan=6 colspan=2 | Lightweight62–68 kg| rowspan=7 | Lightweight60–67.5 kg | rowspan=5 | Lightweight62–67.5 kg| rowspan=4 | Lightweight62–67 kg | rowspan=4 | Lightweight62–67 kg | rowspan=6 | Lightweight60–67 kg| rowspan=14 | Lightweight−66.6 kg| rowspan=3 | Lightweight61–66 kg | rowspan=4 | Lightweight60–66 kg | rowspan=5 | Lightweight59–66 kg| rowspan=6 | Featherweight57–63 kg | rowspan=5 | Featherweight58–63 kg| rowspan=4 colspan=2 | Featherweight58–62 kg | rowspan=5 | Featherweight57–62 kg | rowspan=5 colspan=2 | Featherweight57–62 kg| rowspan=5 | Featherweight56–61 kg| rowspan=9 | Featherweight−60 kg | rowspan=5 | Featherweight55–60 kg | rowspan=9 | Bantamweight−60 kg| rowspan=8 | Bantamweight−59 kg| rowspan=7 colspan=2 | Bantamweight−58 kg | rowspan=4 | Bantamweight54–58 kg| rowspan=4 colspan=4 | Bantamweight52–57 kg| rowspan=5 | Bantamweight−56 kg| rowspan=4 | Bantamweight−55 kg| rowspan=3 | Flyweight−54 kg| rowspan=2 colspan=2 | Flyweight−52 kg | colspan=2 | Flyweight48–52 kg| colspan=2 | Light flyweight−48 kg 1 0 4 5 6 6 7 8 8 10 10 8 7 6 6

+ Men's weight classes, freestyle 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932–1936 1948–1960 1964–1968 1972–1984 1988–1996 2000 2004–2012 2016–2028| rowspan=17 | Heavyweight+ | rowspan=15 | Heavyweight+73 kg | rowspan=42 | rowspan=10 | Heavyweight+80 kg | rowspan=5 colspan=4 | Heavyweight+87 kg | rowspan=2 | Heavyweight+97 kg | Super heavyweight+100 kg | Super heavyweight100–130 kg | rowspan=2 | Super heavyweight97–130 kg | rowspan=3 | Super heavyweight96–120 kg | rowspan=2 | Super heavyweight97–125 kg| rowspan=3 colspan=2 | Heavyweight90–100 kg| rowspan=3 | Light heavyweight87–97 kg | rowspan=5 | Heavyweight85–97 kg | rowspan=4 | Heavyweight86–97 kg| rowspan=5 | Heavyweight84–96 kg| rowspan=5 colspan=2 | Light heavyweight82–90 kg| rowspan=6 colspan=4 | Light heavyweight79–87 kg | rowspan=7 | Middleweight78–87 kg| rowspan=8 | Middleweight74–86 kg| rowspan=6 | Middleweight76–85 kg| rowspan=6 | Middleweight74–84 kg| rowspan=5 colspan=2 | Middleweight74–82 kg| rowspan=9 | Lightheavyweight69–80 kg| rowspan=5 colspan=3 | Middleweight72–79 kg | rowspan=4 | Middleweight73–79 kg | rowspan=6| Welterweight70–78 kg| rowspan=6 | Welterweight69–76 kg| rowspan=6 colspan=2 | Welterweight68–74 kg | rowspan=9 | Welterweight66–74 kg | rowspan=11 | Welterweight65–74 kg| rowspan=7| Middleweight66.6–73 kg | rowspan=6| Welterweight67–73 kg| rowspan=7| Welterweight66–72 kg | rowspan=9| Welterweight65–72 kg | rowspan=7| Welterweight66–72 kg| rowspan=7| Welterweight| rowspan=8| Lightweight63–70 kg| rowspan=10| Middleweight61–69 kg | rowspan=7| Lightweight63–69 kg| rowspan=7 colspan=2 | Lightweight62–68 kg| rowspan=6| Lightweight62–67 kg| rowspan=8| Lightweight60.3–66.6 kg| rowspan=6| Lightweight61–66 kg | rowspan=6| Lightweight61–66 kg | rowspan=8| Lightweight60–66 kg| rowspan=4| Lightweight| rowspan=4| Lightweight61–65 kg | rowspan=8| Lightweight57–65 kg| rowspan=7| Featherweight57–63 kg | rowspan=6| Featherweight58–63 kg| rowspan=6| Featherweight57–62 kg | rowspan=6 colspan=2| Featherweight57–62 kg| rowspan=6| Featherweight| rowspan=8 | Lightweight54–61 kg | rowspan=6 colspan=3 | Featherweight56–61 kg| rowspan=7 | Featherweight54–60.3 kg| rowspan=5 | Featherweight55–60 kg| rowspan=5 | Bantamweight54–58 kg| rowspan=6 colspan=4| Bantamweight52–57 kg | rowspan=9 | Bantamweight−57 kg| rowspan=4 | Bantamweight| rowspan=7 colspan=3 | Bantamweight−56 kg| rowspan=6 | Bantamweight−55 kg| rowspan=5 | Bantamweight−54 kg | rowspan=5 | Featherweight−54 kg | rowspan=5 | Featherweight−54 kg| rowspan=3 | Flyweight| rowspan=3 colspan=2 | Flyweight−52 kg | colspan=2 | Flyweight48–52 kg| rowspan=2 colspan=2 | Light flyweight−48 kg| Light flyweight− 7 5 0 5 7 7 7 8 8 10 10 8 7 6

+ Men's events Weight classes 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 28 Years Greco-Roman light flyweight 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 7 Greco-Roman flyweight 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 54 14 Greco-Roman bantamweight 5858565657575757575757575757575757585555555960606025 Greco-Roman featherweight 606062626161626262626363626262626262626360606023 Greco-Roman lightweight 66.6 67.5 67.5 67 67.5 66 66 67 67 67 67 70 70 68 68 68 68 68 68 68 69 66 66 66 66 67 67 6728 Greco-Roman welterweight 72 72 73 73 73 73 78 78 74 74 74 74 74 74 74 76 74 74 74 75 77 77 7723 Greco-Roman middleweight 73 75 75 75 75 79 79 79 79 79 79 87 87 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 85 84 84 84 85 87 87 8728 Greco-Roman light heavyweight 93 82.5 82.5 82.5 82.5 87 87 87 87 87 87 97 97 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 20 Greco-Roman heavyweight +82.5 +82.5 +82.5 +82.5 +87 +87 +87 +87 +87 +87 +97 +97 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 97 96 96 96 98 97 97 97 26 Greco-Roman super heavyweight +93 +100 +100 +100 +100 130 130 130 130 120 120 120 130 130 130 13015 Greco-Roman open X 1 Freestyle light flyweight (47.6) 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 8 Freestyle flyweight (52.2) 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 52 54 15 Freestyle bantamweight (56.7) 54 56 56 56 56 57 57 57 57 57 57 57 57 57 57 57 57 57 58 55 55 55 57 57 57 5727 Freestyle featherweight (61.2) 60.3 54 61 61 61 61 62 62 62 62 63 63 62 62 62 62 62 62 62 63 60 60 6024 Freestyle lightweight (65.8) 66.6 61 66 65 66 66 67 67 67 67 70 70 68 68 68 68 68 68 68 69 66 66 66 65 65 65 6527 Freestyle welterweight (71.7) 72 72 72 72 73 73 73 73 78 78 74 74 74 74 74 74 74 76 74 74 74 74 74 74 7426 Freestyle middleweight 73 69 79 79 79 79 79 79 79 79 87 87 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 85 84 84 84 86 86 86 8626 Freestyle light heavyweight 80 87 87 87 87 87 87 87 87 97 97 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 18 Freestyle heavyweight (+71.7) +73 +80 +87 +87 +87 +87 +87 +87 +87 +87 +97 +97 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 97 96 96 96 97 97 97 9728 Freestyle super heavyweight +100 +100 +100 +100 130 130 130 130 120 120 120 125 125 125 125 15 Total 1 0 7 9 5 10 13 13 14 14 16 16 16 16 16 16 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 16 14 14 14 12 12 12 12

Women