SALZBURG, Austria - FILA president Nenad Lalovic visited Salzburg last week to explore new marketing opportunities, meet with members of the Austrian and German Wrestling Federations and attend a wrestling practice in the Alps. 

The marketing meeting included Austrian Federation vice president Anton Marchl as well as German Federation president Manfred Werner and Secretary General Karl-Martin Dittman. The group discussed the activities of both federations and how they are continuously trying to improve the quality of wrestling within the region.

“Our meetings were productive and the ambition of both federations is an encouraging sign for wrestling. In this region there is a push to improve and drive wrestling to the next level,” said Lalovic. 

Lalovic also met with various international companies to begin talks regarding future marketing partnerships that will help to continuously improve FILA’s ongoing expansion. The proposed partnerships would aim to align wrestling with companies that share FILA’s vision for the future.

“By aligning ourselves with partners that share a similar ethos to FILA, we can work closely with one another and the benefits will be positive for our partners as well as the advancement of wrestling internationally,” said Gordon Templeman, Marketing and Communications Manager for FILA. 

While in Salzburg Lalovic also made time to meet up with German football legend Franz Beckenbauer, who continues to show his support for the sport of wrestling. Beckenbauer recently accepted an invitation to be part of “The Wrestling Circle,” -- a select group of individuals that support and contribute to the future and welfare of wrestling.

President Lalovic took time from the meetings to also visit the training camp of the Austrian Wrestling Team in the Austrian Alps. There was both a women and men’s team present in a full training regime to prepare for the various FILA-sponsored competitions.

“The Alps provide a unique training experience and I think it can be beneficial for these wrestlers,” said Lalovic. “This type of experience will stay with them and their teammates as they prepare for competition.”