Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Wrestling Committee Elects New Board

Tuesday, April 17, 2018 - 13:14 By Tim Foley

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GOLD COAST, Australia (April 17) -- The General Assembly of the Commonwealth Wrestling Committee met last week during the final day of wrestling at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast to elect a new board of directors and set out an agenda of growth for the next four years. 

Twenty two nations attended the assembly and worked together to create and approve a new organizational constitution. The group also elected the new board of directors, led by Don RYAN (CAN) who is the president of the Canadian Wrestling Federation. Olympic champion wrestler Danial Igali was one of four vice presidents elected.

"I am looking forward to working with our board to move our sport forward and strengthen commonwealth wrestling at all levels," said Ryan. "We want to improve our efforts on behalf of the athletes, coaches and officials, especially given that wrestling has been recently added as a core sport at the Commonwealth Games."

The board also stated that it would be improving outreach and upping its efforts for promotion and the development of wrestling within the Commonwealth.

"As we continue to develop our sport, I have spoken with representatives from United World Wrestling and the CEO of the Commonwealth Games, David Grevemberg, regarding opportunities to strengthen our sport in the commonwealth and the world," said Ryan. "It's a very exciting time for our athletes."

Commonwealth Wrestling Board of Directors, Secretary General and Members:

Don RYAN (CAN) – President
Sakkie BOSSE (RSA) – Vice President
John SAUL (AUS) – Vice President
Daniel IGALI (NGR) – Vice President
Ian WIGGETT (GBR - Wales) – Secretary General
Marlene POURI-LANE – Member
Ilai MANU (TKL) – Member

#UnitedWorldWrestling

Cuba’s Trujillo Diaz honored with IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 09:29 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (November 24) — Wrestling coach Raul TRUJILLO DIAZ (CUB) received the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award on Monday during a ceremony at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The award was presented by IOC President Kirsty COVENTRY and Sergii BUBKA, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission.

Trujillo Díaz has been one of the key figures in the inexorable rise of Cuba as one of the leading nations in Greco-Roman, with more than 52 years of coaching experience. He coached the Cuban and Portuguese national teams across five editions of the Olympic Games.

Cuba

“I am very honoured to receive this extraordinary recognition, Trujillo Diaz said. “I would like to thank the IOC, all the athletes I have coached over the past 50 years, the other wrestling coaches and people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes in the sport to which I have dedicated my life. All were my motivation and example. I also want to take the opportunity to thank United World Wrestling (UWW). And a big thank-you to someone very special who has always been with me – my family – for their great support.”

One of the legends he has trained is five-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB), who at Paris 2024 became the first athlete in any sport to win five consecutive Olympic gold medals in the same event. Others who have been trained by Trujillo Diaz are Rio 2016 champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) and Luis ORTA (CUB), the 60kg champion at Tokyo 2020.

As well as introducing training innovations that have helped lead his nation to success, Trujillo Díaz has published numerous research papers and articles on wrestling science and pedagogy. He has also worked widely for UWW across Latin America as an educator, bringing the breadth of his knowledge and experience to new generations of athletes and coaches.

Alongwith Truillo Diaz, volleyball coach Lang PING also received the IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award.

"It's really special to be here with all of you and to celebrate our two coaches for their incredible commitment and their lifetime of work in serving their athletes to become the best athlete, but also the best humans that they can be," said IOC President Kirsty Coventry during the ceremony. "So many of us who compete in sport know and understand that the lessons that we learn in sport will guide us in our everyday life after and this is where the role of coaches is so important,” she added.