#WorldClubsCup

Iran's Bimeh Razi Wins FS World Clubs Cup Title for the Third Time

By Ali Feizasa

Iran’s team Bimeh Razi Babol captured the Freestyle Clubs World Championships for the third time in the last five years.

Bimeh Razi Babol defeated Turkey, 10-0, in the final match to win the title. The five-time world and Olympic medal winner Hassan RAHIMI (61kg), 2016 world champion Magomed KURBANALIEV (70kg), 2018 world bronze medal winner Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (79kg) and two-time world bronze medal winner Alireza KARIMI (86kg) were titled wrestlers of the Iranian side who won the team title. 

“I had knee surgery after the Rio Olympic Games and I missed the events for about two years. I am very happy to be competing again. I love wrestling and it is like blood in my vessel.” Hassan Rahimi said after defeating Saban KIZILTAS (TUR) by technical fall.

“I cannot imagine my life without wrestling and I don’t know how I should retire in future. Surely that day will be the worst day of my life.”

“It was my first appearance at 61kg and I am satisfied with my performance. I had a successful surgery but it’s difficult to compete like the past times. The wrestlers who had knee surgery understand what I say,” Rahimi added.

“I have aimed to compete at 61kg in next World Championships but I should think for Olympic Games. I should choose between 57kg and 65kg and it depends on the future situation.”

For third place, Iran’s Setaregan Sari beat Georgia’s Raindi, 9-1, In the fifth-place match, Ukraine beat Kyrgyzstan, 7-3, while India finished in seventh after winning their match against Hungary by a final score of 7-3.

Final: Bimeh Razi Iran df. Turkey, 10-0
57kg- Reza ATRI (Bimeh) df. Ali KARABOGA (TUR) by forfeit

61kg- Hassan RAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Saban KIZILTAS (TUR)  by Tech Fall, 10-0|
Competing after about two years absence, five-time Olympic and world medal winner Hassan Rahimi collected four points in first 30 seconds by a single leg takedown and gut wrench. Rahimi added another takedown to win first period 6-0.

In the second period, Rahimi scored four additional points from a takedown and gut wrench to win by 10-0 technical fall victory.

65kg-Meysam NASIRI (Bimeh) df. Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR) by Tech Fall, 13-2
With a four-point throw, 2016 Asian champion Nasiri finished first period 6-2. Nasiri added seven points by several takedowns to win the match by 13-2. 

70kg- Magomed KURBANALIEV (Bimeh) df. Mustafa ZOPALI (TUR), 12-2
Just ten seconds after starting the match, 2016 World Champion Kurbanaliev collected eight points by a four-point throw and two gut wrench. The Russian wrestler added four more points to earn 12-2 technical fall victory and gave his team the 4-0 lead. 

74kg- Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI df. Nazim KARA (TUR) by forfeit

79kg- Akhmet GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (Bimeh) df. Muhammet NURI KOTANOGLU (TUR) by Tech Fall, 10-0
Two and a half minutes was enough for 2018 World bronze medal winner Gadzhimagomedov to beat KOTANOGLU 10-0. Gadzhimagomedov took four points by two headlocks.

86kg- Alireza KARIMI (Bimeh) df. Ahmet BILICI (TUR), 5-0
Two-time world bronze medal winner Alireza Karimi didn't find himself in any trouble and defeated BILICI, 5-0.

92kg-Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Semih YAZICI (TUR), 12-1
Asian champion Ebrahimi finished the first period 7-1 by consecutive gut wrenches. Ebrahimi added five points to finish the match, 12-1.

97kg- Hamed TALEBI ZARRINKAMAR (Bimeh) df. Fatih YASARLI (TUR) by forfeit

125kg- Amin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Bekir ERYUCEL (TUR) by Tech Fall, 11-0
In the first minute of the match,  Taheri gathered six points with a takedown and two gut wrenches. The two-time U23 world bronze medalist added three more points, finishing the first period with the 9-0 advantage. Taheri earned two points by takedown and won the match, 11-0. 

Third place match: Setaregan Sari Iran df. Raindi Georgia, 9-1
57kg-Amir PARASTEH (Setaregan)df.  Lasha TALAKHADZE (GEO), 5-4
61kg- Younes SARMASTI (Setaregan) df. Otari GOGAVA (GEO) by forfeit 
65kg- Abolfazl HAJIPOUR (Setaregan) df. Giorgi REVAZISHVILI (GEO) by  forfeit 
70kg- Mehdi YEGANEH JAFARI (Setaregan) df. Levani KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO),6-3
74kg- Hossein ELYASI (Setaregan) df. Daviti TLASHADZE (GEO), 12-9
79kg- Hamidreza ZARRINPEYKAR (Setaregan) df. Aleksandre SATHVADZE (GEO) 
86kg- Masoud MADADI (Setaregan) df. Giorgi KVATADZE (GEO) by forfeit 
92kg- Arashk MOHEBI (Setaregan) df. Mukhran NARSAVIDZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 10-0
97kg- Amir MOHAMMADI (Setaregan)df. Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO), 6-3
125kg- Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO) df. Yadollah MOHEBI (Setaregan) by forfeit 

Fifth place match: Ukraine df. Kyrgyzstan, 7-3
Seventh place match: India df. Hungary, 7-3

#WrestleParis

IOC announces first AINs for 2024 Paris Olympics, 16 wrestlers eligible

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (June 15) -- The International Olympic Committee on Saturday announced the eligible Individual Neutral Athletes for the Paris 2024 with 16 wrestlers making the cut for the Games.

The list of eligible athletes in the first group of sports that finished their qualifying process for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is according to the strict eligibility conditions established by the IOC Executive Board in December 2023.

The IOC EB established the Individual Neutral Athlete Eligibility Review Panel (AINERP) in March 2024 to evaluate the eligibility of each athlete with a Russian or Belarusian passport to participate in the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and that of their support personnel. It delegated to the AINERP and the IOC administration the authority to invite an AIN, and their support personnel, to participate in the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The AINERP reviewed the athletes in accordance with the IOC EB decision and the principles established. The Panel was in a position to benefit from new information from various sources, in particular official lists of athletes affiliated with sports clubs of the military and the security forces published on official websites in Russia and Belarus.

Out of the 16 approved wrestlers, 10 AINs are holders of Russian passports while six are holders of Belarussian passports. During the United World Wrestling qualifying events, AINs with Russian passports earned 16 quotas and holders of Belarussian passports won 10 Paris quotas.

According to the IOC, the number of eligible athletes may be lower than the number of earned quota places. In such cases, these quota places will be reallocated to athletes from other NOCs in accordance with the qualification system of the respective IF.

The wrestlers who are deemed eligible will compete as AINs, without any flags or references to their respective countries. Additionally, the national anthems of Russia and Belarus will not be played in the event of medals being awarded to these athletes.

Participation in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is subject to the athlete’s acceptance of the individual invitation and signature of the Conditions of Participation applicable to all participants. The form contains a commitment to respect the Olympic Charter, including “the peace mission of the Olympic Movement”.

The following are the eligible wrestlers allowed to compete as AINs at the Olympic Games Paris 2024:

Eligible and invited athletes with a Russian passport:

Freestyle
Nachin MONGUSH
Shamil MAMEDOV
Arslan BAGAEV
Abdulla KURBANOV

Greco-Roman
Alan OSTAEV
Magomed MURTAZALIEV

Women's Wrestling
Natalya MALYSHEVA
Veronika CHUMIKOVA
Alina KASABIEVA
Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA

Eligible and invited athletes with a Belarusian passport:

Freestyle
Yahor AKULICH
Uladzislau KAZLOU

Greco-Roman
Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU
Dzmitri ZARUBSKI

Women's Wrestling
Viyaleta REBIKAVA
Krystsina SAZYKINA

Read the full IOC decision regarding Individual Neutral Athletes here.