Quarterly Update Q3: A message from the President

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STRATEGY 2022-2026

UPDATE FOR NATIONAL

FEDERATIONS

Quarterly Update Q3

OCTOBER 8th, 2024

A MESSAGE FROM

THE PRESIDENT

Dear Wrestling Family Worldwide,

As we conclude this remarkable chapter at the Paris Olympic Games, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the entire wrestling community. These Games beautifully showcased not only the strength and spirit of our sport but also the incredible progress we've made since Tokyo 2021. The crowning moment was witnessing the extraordinary achievement of our champion and living legend, Mijaín López (CUB), who secured his fifth Olympic gold medal, from Beijing to Paris, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest athletes in Olympic history. The growth of wrestling in every corner of the globe was on full display, with new nations embracing our noble sport. Now, as we set our sights on LA 2028, we do so with the renewed enthusiasm and confidence. We are firmly on the right path, but there is always room to grow, and I encourage each of you to contribute to our collective efforts and successes.

I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Paris 2024 Organising Committee, the International Olympic Committee, the volunteers and the wrestling body and staff who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of our sport at these Games.

As we look toward the future, we are excited about the upcoming U23 World Championships and Congress, which will take place next month in Tirana, Albania. These events will provide us with an invaluable opportunity to celebrate the stories of our shared success and continued growth. From regional and youth initiatives through the national federation’s development programmes, we’ve seen significant advancements. Our communication and digital transformation efforts have reached new heights, further strengthening the global wrestling community.

Furthermore, we celebrate the growth of our traditional styles and the remarkable rise in female participation across all levels of the sport-from athletes, coaches and referees, and beyond. This progress underscores our unwavering commitment to inclusivity and diversity.

Together, we will continue to build on this momentum and propel wrestling into an even brighter future.

Thank you once again for your dedication, passion, and hard work.

Nenad Lalovic

United World Wrestling President

1. ELEVATE & INSPIRE

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

MORE THAN MEDALS 2024

The More than Medals 2024 edition concluded with a total of 113 participants across 3 continents for the 2024 edition. Jordan, Dominican Republic, Serbia hosted the events following the continental championships. The full week event dedicated to the U17 category achieved its objectives in line with the UN SDGs and Olympic Values. Youth across 3 continents were gathered in an immersive experience of training, education, cultural and culinary experiences to promote wrestling values of respect, tolerance, friendship and humanity.

These sessions were schedule on a daily basis, balancing training, lectures and fun activities in a relaxed and safe atmosphere to learn and share knowledge among the participants. The programme in collaboration with the IOC Sports Department, launched in 2016 is one of the most successful programmes of the UWW Development Department.

2. ENHANCE & EMPOWER

WOMEN'S WRESTLING

WOMEN REFEREES AT THE PARIS OG 2024

These Paris Olympic Games were historic as they marked the first edition in which as many female athletes as male athletes participated. For United World Wrestling, these Games were also a remarkable success due to the number of referees selected for the event. The strategy implemented by United World Wrestling since 2022 has focused on the inclusion of women in the sport, and refereeing is an essential part of ensuring equity.

The Tokyo Olympic Games saw the participation of 5 female referees out of 50 selected for that Olympiad. Over the past three years, considerable efforts have been made towards the training of female referees (training courses, skill enhancement, financial assistance for travel...), which led to more than double the number of female referees being selected for Paris.

United World Wrestling will continue to provide targeted support to female referees in order to further increase the number of officials selected for Los Angeles 2028. We also take this opportunity to encourage all the retired athletes to start their refereeing career and stay into the Wrestling Family.

3. SUPPORT & CONNECT

ASSOCIATED STYLES

NEW IRANIAN AND TURKISH WRESTLING STYLES JOINING UWW

United World Wrestling (UWW) continues its mission to unite the global wrestling community through new partnerships aimed at bringing traditional styles under one umbrella. In a recent development, Iranian 'Choukhe' has officially joined the UWW wrestling family, following a partnership with the Iran Wrestling Federation. Additionally, UWW has formed a collaboration with the Turkish Traditional Wrestling Federation to promote and develop 6 more traditional styles of wrestling.

ASO President Rodica Maria Yaksi remarked, "Each style of wrestling reflects a unique aspect of our sport. With every new addition to our umbrella, we move closer to truly uniting the world wrestling. Iranian and Turkic styles form some of the strongest foundations of wrestling, and we believe these partnerships will help expand the reach of UWW and Olympic Wrestling to rural areas while welcoming new attention and more potentian olimpians into our growing wrestling family."

With UWW Associated Styles such as Alysh, Qazaq Kures, and Goresh already featured in recent international games, the promotion of traditional wrestling will continue with new collaborations, including Chinese and European styles, coming soon!

4. REVAMP & REINFORCE

IMAGE OF WRESTLING

WRESTLING HOUSE IN PARIS

Wrestling House, the hospitality venue of United World Wrestling at the Paris 2024 Olympics, successfully achieved all of its key objectives. It was an exceptional venue where:

- Wrestling Community, sports friends and partners met to celebrate the sport of wrestling.
- Olympic champions and prize winner celebrated their success.
- Wrestling House partners had a place to engage.
- Business meetings and negotiations where happening.
- The Hall of Fame event was held.

With around 2,600 guests, Wrestling House was a central hub, fostering camaraderie within the wrestling world and amplifying the sport’s presence at the Olympic Games.

5. EMBRACE & FOSTER

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

The Paris 2024 Olympics marked a milestone for wrestling’s digital strategy, with United World Wrestling (UWW) successfully expanding the sport's global reach. Through strategic initiatives and digital innovation, UWW pushed wrestling into new territories and attracted a broader audience. This included enhancing accessibility with online platforms and partnerships that allowed fans from all over the world to engage with the sport like never before. The Games highlighted wrestling’s growing popularity in regions traditionally less involved, showcasing the success of UWW’s outreach efforts, and creating lasting momentum for the sport’s future.

DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE?

strategy@uww.org

Strategic Plan 2022-2026

Rue du Château 6

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