#WrestleTokyo

Al Obaidi of IOC Refugee Team Makes Winning Olympic Debut at Tokyo 2020

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 - 04:37 By Tim Foley

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CHIBA, Japan (August 3) --- Aker AL OBAIDI (EOR) of the IOC's Refugee team earned the first victory in his Olympic career Tuesday morning at the Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba.

Al Obaidi, an Iraqi refugee now living and training in Austria, looked superb in his first round 67kg weight class match besting Souleymen NASIR (TUN) by technical fall, 8-0.

"I felt really good in the bout," said Al Obaidi. "My wrestling was good and my mind and body were working perfectly together."

In his second match, Al Obaidi dropped the quarterfinal against Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), 10-0. Should Zoidze win his semifinal match on Tuesday night, Al Obaidi will compete in the repechage.

"I am disappointed, but I will go step-by-step. I don't have enough words to thank UWW and the IOC. I am really happy to compete and that was because of them. I am very young and I look forward to competing for a long time."

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW decision on neutral athlete inclusion

Tuesday, April 4, 2023 - 17:05 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 4) -- United World Wrestling Bureau held an extraordinary meeting to discuss the possibility of wrestlers from Russia and Belarus returning to competition after the recommendations made by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board last week.

United World Wrestling's Bureau reiterated the organization's commitment to promoting peace and brotherhood through sports and its solidarity with the people of Ukraine. UWW will continue to support the Ukrainian wrestling community, as it has done since the war broke out.

As a general principle, the Bureau unanimously favored the return of wrestlers to competition from Russia and Belarus under the conditions of participation set forth by the IOC.

For the Senior age categories, an independent panel shall be formed to verify the eligibility of all athletes from Russia and Belarus based on the IOC’s recommended conditions of participation. The exact criteria and the members of the panel shall be decided in the coming weeks.

The Bureau approved to immediately allow wrestlers in the U15 and U17 age categories to compete as neutral athletes in international competitions.

"Sports, over history, has been a medium to bring people closer," Nenad LALOVIC, UWW President, said. "Wrestling, as a sport, has a unique ability to bring people from different cultures and backgrounds together. It has great potential to help in peacebuilding and tolerance among different communities, countries, and regions".

The sanctions on the Russian and Belarusian governments or state officials remain, and no international event under the UWW auspices shall be held in or allocated to the Russian Federation.