#WrestleZagreb

Lalovic presents UWW Order of Merit to Croatian Prime Minister

Thursday, April 20, 2023 - 21:54 By United World Wrestling Press

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ZAGREB, Croatia (April 20) -- United World Wrestling (UWW) President Nenad LALOVIC presented the UWW Order of Merit to Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, on Thursday.

The ceremony was held in Zagreb, Croatia, and Vladimir Bregovic, Croatian Wrestling Federation President, was also present for the same.

The Order of Merit was presented in recognition of the successful organization of the European Championships, which is being held in Zagreb, Croatia. The tournament runs from April 17 to 24 in the Croatian capital.

"I am very pleased to present the UWW Order of Merit to Prime Minister Plenkovic and to witness the success of the 2023 European Championships organization," Lalovic said. 

Lalovic also praised the efforts of the Local Organizing Committee, Croatian Wrestling Federation and the Croatian government in ensuring the event is well-organized and a success.

In addition, they discussed the possibility of hosting other high-level wrestling competitions in Croatia in the future. Lalovic expressed his confidence in Croatia's ability to host world-class events and praised the country's rich sporting culture and tradition.

#UnitedWorldWrestling

Lalovic attends WADA Conference, completes development visits in Asia

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 - 12:45 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 8) -- United World Wrestling President Nenad LALOVIC, who serves on the WADA Executive Committee as an IOC representative, attended the 2025 WADA World Conference held from December 1 to 5 in Busan, Korea.

The conference brought together the global anti-doping community for high-level discussions on the World Anti-Doping Program, with a key focus on approving the 2027 World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards. The revision process, launched in September 2023, has allowed stakeholders to contribute to strengthening and modernizing the global anti-doping system.

Nenad LALOVIC

Development visits

President Lalovic also completed wrestling-related visits to China, Korea, and Kyrgyzstan, reinforcing UWW’s commitment to supporting National Federations and expanding the sport across the region.

In each country, Lalovic emphasized UWW’s ongoing efforts to deepen cooperation with National Federations, increase engagement, and grow wrestling at the elite and grassroots levels. He encouraged federations to integrate wrestling programs into schools, offering more opportunities for young athletes to enter the sport.

Nenad LALOVIC

A key area of discussion was UWW’s development strategy leading into the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle, including updates on Olympic qualification, the Pro Series, and opportunities available to National Federations.

In China, meetings were held with Vice Minister of General Administration of Sport of China Lixin TONG and Vice President of National Olympic Committee of China Jinqiang ZHOU.

UWW also recently announced the addition of Raul TRUJILLO DIAZ, longtime coach of Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) and recipient of the 2025 IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award, to support global development of Greco-Roman. Lalovic highlighted that such initiatives strengthen the sport and promote valuable exchanges of expertise among federations and coaches.

MoU

MoU signed in Kyrgyzstan

During the visit to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan inaugurated a new wrestling arena and academy, marking a significant step forward in its cooperation with UWW.

A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between UWW and Izabekov Wrestling Academy to expand development programs and training opportunities in the country.

Accompanied by UWW Asia President Mohammad Al-AWAMLEH and Secretary General Carlos ROY, Lalovic met with representatives of the Kyrgyzstan federation to discuss regional initiatives and long-term development plans.

On December 6, Lalovic was received by Sadyr JAPAROV, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, to whom he presented the UWW medal in recognition of his support for wrestling.