Obituary

Malta Wrestling Federation Founder Bonello Passes Away

Tuesday, September 4, 2018 - 12:38 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 4) -- Simon A. Bonello, former president and founder of the Malta Wrestling Federation, passed away on Monday. He was 85. 

Bonello introduced freestyle wrestling to Malta in 1967, which led to the creation of the federation in late 1969. A year later the federation became fully affiliated with the International Federation.

He served as an official of the Maltese Olympic Committee for 25 years, vice president for four years, and was an established referee. Bonello was one of Malta's longest serving presidents of a national association.

Bonello also worked to promote wrestling outside of his home country. His organization hosted international wrestling tournaments between 1993 and 2004 involving European small states and autonomous regions. 

During the 1970s, Bonello also served as president of the Weightlifting Federation, Bodybuilding Association and Chess Federation. He spent time working as a journalist and was vice president of the Sports Journalists Association.
 

African Champion Kleinjan Combrinck, 23, Has Died

Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - 19:43 By Eric Olanowski

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CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Kleinjan COMBRINCK, 2018 African Champion in freestyle wrestling at 57kg, died Sunday morning in a car accident near his home in South Africa.

Combrinck, 23, recently represented South Africa at the 2018 Commonwealth Games where he took fifth-place. Ranked as high as 12th in the world, Combrinck’s next competition was expected to be the 2018 U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania.

Michael GAITSKILL, who also competed on South Africa’s 2018 Commonwealth Games team was in the car with Combrinck and in is the intensive care unit in critical condition.

In a statement released by SASCOC, South Africa’s umbrella sports body, President Gideon Sam said, “The loss of Kleinjan and the serious injury to Michael rocks the very heart of the SA sporting family. Both these two fine men were excellent wrestlers and also brilliant ambassadors for South African sport on the international front.”