#Grappling

Grappling: Astana to host 2024 World Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (November 23) -- The 2024 Grappling World Championships will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan from October 7 to 12.

The World Championships of all age-groups -- U15, U17, U20, senior and veteran -- will be conducted in the Kazakhstan capital which hosted the 2023 Asian Championships. Specific details of the World Championships will be shared later by UWW.

The 2023 World Championships were held in Warsaw, Poland and saw some of the incredible battles on the mat in Grappling Gi and Grappling No Gi styles.

Astana has the experience of hosting various United World Wrestling competitions and the Grappling World Championships will add to the rich combat sports culture of the city.

Apart from the World Championships, the senior Pan-Am Championships in Grappling will be in held in Miranda, Venezuela on June 15-16.

For the full list of events on the Grappling calendar and all other styles can be accessed at uww.org/events.

Russia, Belarus wrestlers to compete under UWW flag

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 21) -- All eligible wrestlers from Russia and Belarus will now compete under United World Wrestling flag.

The UWW Bureau, which met on February 5, gave a green signal for wrestlers who previously competed under neutral flag as Individual Neutral Athletes, to compete under UWW Flag effective immediately. This also includes the staff of the two countries.

However, UWW will continue with UWW anthem for ceremonies with no reference to the flag, symbols, or coat of arms of Russia and Belarus will be authorized.

Furthermore, no team ranking will be considered of these two countries at any championships.

This is the third major update for eligibility of wrestlers from Russia and Belarus. UWW had announced the first set of eligibility criteria for Russia and Belarus wrestlers in 2023. The criteria was further revised in 2024 to state that 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.