#BeachWrestling

PHOTOS: Bird, Beats, Beach and Wrestling in Dakar

Sunday, June 23, 2024 - 08:31 By Vinay Siwach

DAKAR, Senegal (June 22) -- Wrestling in Senegal? Nothing new to the country. It is the most popular sport, at least the traditional one. The stands are filled, music blaring, wrestlers are superstars in the country and people love it.

The second edition of the African Championships in Beach Wrestling traveled to Dakar, Senegal. More than 100 wrestlers entered to compete for the glory of becoming the champion of the continent.

But there is so much to wrestling in Dakar outside the two rings on the sand. The colors, music, cheering, dance and crowd are inseparable.

Obviously, there is wrestling with big throws, tackles, takedowns.

Dakar Photo: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Wrestling remains the same. Mat, sand, mud, ice. Those throws are supreme. Here's an example.

Dakar Photo: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Once you get thrown like that, you will be covered in sand. So you need to wash it. We got water right next to the rings.

Dakar Photo: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Outside the sand rings, no one should be that serious in wrestling. No way in beach wrestling. Come on, Mouhamed BAYO (SEN).

Dakar Photo: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

We managed to convince him. Look at that flex. Thanks, Bayo!

Dakar Photo: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

The National Arena de Lutte in Dakar came prepared. The traditional Senegalese wrestling begins with the sounds of drums. There was no other way to begin during the opening ceremony at Beach Wrestling. Adding to the drums, some colors and music. Nothing better.

Dakar Photo: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

At all wrestling venues, a battle ensues. It's between the wrestlers and security. Are the wrestlers more well-built or the policemen? We will let you decide.

Dakar Photo: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Back to wrestling. Do you think this is a point?

Dakar Photo: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Thankfully, you are a referee only by looking at the screen in front of you. On the sand, our referees need to be as quick, both with their decisions and stepping away from the line of action.

Dakar Photo: United World Wrestling / Helena Curtis

If someone mentioned a story about how a wrestler in Dakar managed a bird to sit on his head with no trouble, no one would believe that. But here you are, a wrestler in Dakar with a bird sitting on his head. Our photographer captured it so we have to believe.

Dakar Photo: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

In the end, it is about being happy after watching wrestling. These kids surely enjoyed it.

Well, if you are looking for the results from the matches, here's the link for all the results. CLICK HERE

#UnitedWorldWrestling

Good governance at UWW: most women ITOs at Paris 2024, reserved seats in Bureau

Friday, July 12, 2024 - 04:45 By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (July 11) -- United World Wrestling will send its highest number of female International Technical Officers (ITOs) to Paris 2024. This marks a significant jump with 22 percent of the total wrestling ITOs for Paris 2024 begin women.

Continuing its efforts towards gender balance, UWW will send 11 ITOs to Paris, the most in wrestling history at the Olympic Games. The first female ITO in wrestling at the Olympics was back in 1988 at the Seoul Olympics.

In another significant move, UWW amended its constitution to reserve two more seats for women in the Bureau, thereby bringing the minimum number of women Bureau members to five. The number of vice presidents was also increased from the current number of five to six, including a minimum of two women vice presidents.

These steps were in line with the good governance that UWW strives for in its work. The results of the past efforts are reflected in the fifth governance report of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations published last month.

UWW moved from Group B to Group A2 in the ASOIF report, scoring 188 points out of a maximum of 240 points and progressed since the last review, moving up one group.

The ASOIF also used UWW's example to demonstrate good ways to showcase organizational structure, allowances and benefits in finance, the conduct of elections, announcing of open positions, competition law compliance, appeal process and data protection and IT security.

UWW was one of the 32 International Federations that participated in the study which includes five sections -- transparency, integrity, democracy, development and sustainability and control mechanisms.

Each of these sections is further divided into 12 indicators and the ASOIF scores each IF based on these indicators.

The first review of IFs was conducted in 2016-17. In the latest review, all 32 IFs exceeded the target of 150 out of 240, and most saw their score on the 50 retained indicators increase by a meaningful amount.