#development

ASOIF: IFs discuss sustainability, development and education initiatives at ASOIF Forum

Tuesday, May 31, 2022 - 12:51 By United World Wrestling Press

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LAUSANNEE, Switzerland (May 31) --- United World Wrestling's Development Director Deqa Niamkey led the ASOIF’s Forum on Sustainability, Development and Education (ASDEG) in Lausanne last week. Here's what ASOIF.com said about the event

Experts from 27 International Federations (IFs) governing Olympic summer and winter sports gathered this week at ASOIF’s Forum on Sustainability, Development and Education (ASDEG). The event was held on 24 and 25 May in Lausanne, Switzerland, led by the Chair of ASOIF’s ASDEG Group Deqa Niamkey from United World Wrestling (UWW).

For the first time, the Forum addressed the important field of sustainability which had been added recently to the group’s portfolio. The International Olympic Committee introduced the topic and shared best practice. World Sailing presented their Agenda 2030, an ambitious sustainability strategy that covers environmental, economic and social aspects. The International Hockey Federation offered insights into how an IF can kick-start the sustainability initiatives at an early stage.

After the pandemic had forced a two-year pause of the Forum, the participants also discussed how COVID-19 has changed their ways of working. UWW presented how the global health crisis has helped their federation embrace online education and showcased a number of online interactive tools, which are accessible to all sports. Meanwhile, World Curling shared how they financed education modules by offering online training courses for an enrolment fee to future umpires and ice technicians.

Deqa Niamkey said during the Forum: "After two years of pandemic, it was great to meet all the IF colleagues in person again at the Forum. We had insightful exchanges on the common challenges we have been facing. I am glad to see that more and more IFs are eager to work together on these important topics and I am looking forward to even more collaboration in the future."

Another important topic on the Forum’s agenda: how to optimise the support to National Federations (NFs). World Rugby introduced their benchmarking tool that has helped them to distribute funds to their member federations. The Badminton World Federation presented their targeted funding models driven by NF assessment data.

Representatives from Olympic Solidarity also joined in to give an update on their 2021-2024 Plan and the global development programmes. 

Organised annually, the Forum facilitates a united approach of a large number of IFs in the implementation of their projects in the fields of sustainability, education and development. This allows efficiencies in terms of human and financial resources, ensures a certain consistency across the sports and thereby maximises the impact of the related IF activities overall.

To learn more about ASOIF.com, click HERE.

#WrestleTirana

Mirzazadeh dominates his way to Tirana gold; Shiotani impresses

Monday, March 3, 2025 - 04:03 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (March 2) -- There is nothing extraordinary in the 130kg Greco-Roman final in Tirana. World champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) controls the proceedings for six minutes and wins the gold medal.

In Tirana for the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series, Mirzazadeh returned to the mat for the first time since winning bronze medal at the Paris Olympics at 130kg where he lost only to eventual champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB).

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) defends a par terre position against Hamza BAKIR (TUR). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

On Sunday, all four matches Mirzazadeh wrestled followed a similar pattern. He will get the first passivity and score the turn from par terre before defending the par terre in the second period. His winning score in quarterfinal, semifinal and final read 3-1. Only in his first match against Heiki NABI (EST) did Mirzazadeh get both par terre advantages to win 4-0.

Wrestling Paris Olympian and Turkiye's next big hope at 130kg Hamza BAKIR (TUR), Mirzazadeh turned Bakir from par terre for a 3-0 lead before defending the lead and winning 3-1.

While beating Bakir, who has all three age-group world titles, did not take a toll on Mirzazadeh, the same cannot be said about another age-group world champion that Mirzazadeh is preparing domestically.

Although he will not feature in the Asian Championships, Mirzazadeh will be keen on defending his world title in Zagreb in September.

In his path for that are Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) and Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI). Hedayati has been rising in the ranks and seen as the biggest threat to Mirzazadeh's place on the Iran team.

Yousofi, the 2021 world champion, returned after a sabbatical and won the Zagreb Open gold medal three weeks ago to enter the selection process. Now, teh Iran team will be clear by the third Ranking Series in Mongolia in June.

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) performing his signature reverse lift move. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), a world bronze medalist from 2022, returned to international wrestling after three years and secured the gold medal at 60kg.

"It's been a long time since I last competed, but I'm happy that we were able to finish with gold [today]," Shiotani said.

In his elements, Shiotani launched massive reverse lift throws in all his bouts, barring the final. And he only gave up points in his first bout -- against U20 and U23 world champion Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI).

"I wasn't moving much," he said of the match against Ahmadi Vafa. "I think that's why the match turned out like that. I was probably a little nervous. Of course, the opponent was also strong, but I think I was a little nervous and couldn't play the match as well as I wanted."

Shiotani wrestled Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO) in the final and did not wait for any passivity warnings. He scored a takedown and went for his signature reverse left, exposing Shavadze's back on the mat for two more points. Just before the break, he scored a takedown to make it 6-0.

Just over a minute in the second period, Shiotani pressured Shavadze who stepped backwards till he was out of the zone. One point for stepout and another for fleeing resulted in Shiotani winning 8-0. Georgia challenged the fleeing but lost, giving one more point to Shiotani.

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) defeated Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) in the opening bout at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In his first match against Ahmadi Vafa, Shiotani was in forced par terre in the first period but he didn't let give up any points. The referees were about to give Ahmadi Vafa the second par terre as well but Shiotani scored a takedown.

A reversal in the same sequence was scored one point for Ahmadi Vafa. But Shiotani with a big lift and throw for two points. Shiotani challenges and gets two more points for a foul from Ahmadi Vafa to lead 6-2. From par terre, Shiotani would score three more points and lead 9-4 with 35 seconds on the clock.

Shavadze was one of the five wrestlers to reach the finals Sunday but only one -- Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) -- managed to win the gold medal.

Lomadze wrestled four bouts and never looked in any trouble. In his first match, he defeated former world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB) 5-1, before a 13-2 win over Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU).

Lomadze then defeated fellow countryman Otar ABULADZE (GEO) 6-3 in the semifinals, the win more or less confirming his European Championships spot on the Georgian team.

In the final, Lomadze got the better of Mehmet SAHIN (TUR), beating him 6-3 for the gold medal.

Former European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL) denied Georgi MELIA (GEO) and Georgia another chance to win a gold medal after he defetaed the Georgian 4-0 in the 97kg final bout.

Milov scored a beautiful takedown and transitioned into a gut wrench to get a 4-0 lead. There were no par terre positions in the match and Milov's move remained as the only scoring action.

Turkiye won two gold medals as Emre MUTLU (TUR) and Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) finished on the top at 55kg and 82kg.

Mutlu denied Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), 7-4 in the 55kg final while Akbudak won the gold medal after Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) injury defaulted in the 82kg final.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Emre MUTLU (TUR) df. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), 7-4

BRONZE: Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ) df. Andi MUCA (ALB), 9-0
BRONZE: Yersin ABYIR (KAZ) df. Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ), via fall (9-1)

60kg
GOLD: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) df. Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO), 9-0

BRONZE: Haodong TAN (CHN) df. Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ), 9-0 
BRONZE: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ), 12-3

72kg
GOLD: Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) df. Mehmet SAHIN (TUR), 8-3

BRONZE: Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ) df. Ivo ILIEV (BUL), 10-0
BRONZE: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) df. Otar ABULADZE (GEO), 4-3

82kg
GOLD: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Svetoslav NIKOLOV (BUL) df. Beksultan NAZARBAEV (KGZ), 10-1
BRONZE: Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) df. Ramon BETSCHART (SUI), 3-2

97kg
GOLD: Kiril MILOV (BUL) df. Giorgi MELIA (GEO), 4-0

BRONZE: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER), 8-2
BRONZE: Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) df. Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR), 8-0

130kg
GOLD: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Hamza BAKIR (TUR), 3-1

BRONZE: Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) df. Yuta NARA (JPN), 4-1 
BRONZE: Heiki NABI (EST) df. Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 2-2