Award Season

2017 Greco-Roman Matches of the Year

By Eric Olanowski

The top three Greco-Roman matches from 2017 included two age-level bouts and a bronze medal match from the 2017 World Championship.

60kg Asian Junior Championship QUARTERFINAL: Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) v. Seydylla TAZAYEV (TKM)
Tynar Sharshenbekov and Seydylla Tazayev put on a show in the the 60kg Asian Junior Championship quarterfinals that lit up the scoreboard with 27 points.

Tazayev was behind 4-0 early in the first but was able to capture the 9-8 lead heading into the break. Tazayev outscored Sharshenbekov 9-2 in the second period on his way to a 17-10 win.

74kg Junior World Championship GOLD:  Kamal Ameer BEY (USA) df. Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) Makhmudov took the early 1-0 lead off a pushout. BEY (USA) went on to score 11 points, ending the first period with a combined 17 points. With 30 second left, Makhmudov closed the gap and got the match to within two points. A final takedown for Bey with three seconds left sealed the match which ended with a total of 27 points.

71kg World Championship BRONZE: Mohammadali Abdolhamid GERAEI (IRI) v. Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
Mohammadali Abdolhamid Geraei trailed Daniel Cataraga by seven points heading into the second period of the 71kg bronze medal match at the World Championships. Geraei would outscore Cataraga 10-1 in the final three minutes to pick up his first world medal.

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW updates eligibility criteria for Russia, Belarus wrestlers

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 25) -- The United World Wrestling Bureau has decided to update the eligibility criteria for wrestlers and support staff from Russia and Belarus.

UWW had announced eligibility criteria for Russian and Belarussian wrestlers and staff in 2023. However, the Bureau met on September 24 [Tuesday], to review the same and approved the updated criteria.

For future UWW tournaments, only evidence of direct military participation in the war against Ukraine or public declarations [in written or orally] in support of the war and/or of their promoters or participants will be considered to declare an athlete as ineligible.

UWW will also re-examine all cases, according to the new criteria, that had earlier been declared ineligible.

The eligible Russian and Belarussian wrestlers and support staff will continue to compete under the neutral flag as Individual Neutral Athletes.  UWW anthem will be used for ceremonies but no reference to the flag, symbols or coat of arms of Russia and Belarus will be authorized.

The Bureau, however, did not decide on the return of international competition to Russia and Belarus.