Obituary

Bendegúz Tóth, Promising Hungarian Freestyle Wrestler, Dies at 22

By United World Wrestling Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 6) -- Bendegúz Tóth, a silver medalist at the 2014 Cadet European championships, died suddenly on Friday during an outdoor training session with his teammates. The cause of death hasn’t been certified, but medical officials at the training session cited sudden heart failure. 
 
Tóth was seen as the centerpiece of Hungary’s growing freestyle wrestling program. He’d won silver medal on the Cadet European Championships in 2014, silver on the U23 European Championships in 2017, and won silver medals in both styles on the University World Championships in 2018. Tóth was also the member of the adult national team and participated on the Senior World Championships in 2019 and on the Senior European Championships in 2020.


“We are deeply pained and words are of no help in expressing the sorrow we feel at this moment,” said Mr Peter Bacsa Bureau Member of UWW and Vice-president of Hungarian Wrestling Federation. “His kind face remains forever in our image. We lost a great person and a fantastic wrestler.”

The Wrestling Federation of Hungary announced that it has also suspended training through next week.

UWW Bureau Member, World Champion Pelle Svensson Passes Away

By United World Wrestling Press

Pelle SVENSSON (SWE), a former United World Wrestling bureau member and two-time world champion, passed away at the age of 77.

Svensson claimed a silver medal at the 1964 Olympic Games in Greco-Roman competing in the light heavyweight category. He also won a pair of gold medals at the European Championships in 1969 and 1970 before winning world titles in 1970 and 1971.

After his wrestling career, Svensson pursued a career as a lawyer and took on several high-profile criminal cases.

Svensson served as chairman of the Swedish Wrestling Federation from 1993 to 1998 and was UWW (then FILA) bureau member from 1990 to 2007.