Obituary

Tzeno Tzenov, Longtime Bureau Member and President of European Council, Dies at 80

Monday, June 1, 2020 - 14:25 By United World Wrestling Press

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SOFIA, Bulgaria (June 1) - Tzeno TZENOV, a bureau member during some of wrestling's biggest moments, has died. He was 80.

Born in Markovo Village in 1939, Tzenov graduated from the “Kliment Ohridski” of Sofia University with a Master of Arts in History and Archeology.

The son of a former bureau member, Tzenov had an eye for the mats and ways to help the sport grow, starting during the 1980's during his tenure as Secretary of the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation and later, vice president. Tzenov also briefly served as the President of the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation from 1987-1989.

Away from wrestling, Tzenov was elected as Secretary-General of the Bulgarian Union for Physical Culture and Sport from 1989 to 1993. From there he transitioned into an important role as a Member of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee where he had remained since 1992. 

Tzenov was also the executive director of “Bulgarian Sport” Charity Foundation since 2004 and was the President of the Control’s Council at the Bulgarian Olympic Committee since November 2005.

Mr. Tzenov's impact on wrestling is well-known, becoming a member of the European Council of FILA/UWW in 1978 where he was later elected president in 1995. Tzenov was first elected to the FILA/UWW Bureau in 2002 and subsequently re-elected in 2008 and 2014. In 2016, Tzenov was named as a bureau vice-president.

“As a long-time serving executive in sports, and as a historian, Mr. Tzenov had a great knowledge of wrestling’s culture and heritage, in particular in the European context," said United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic. "Combined with his experience gained in the sport’s highest instances in Bulgaria and in the International Federation, he had a pivotal role in leading wrestling towards modernity while safeguarding the core values of our sport”. 

"He will be dearly missed by everyone in the wrestling community and our deepest condolences to his wife, friends and colleagues."

Further decisions about Mr. Tzenov's funeral will be made in the coming days.

2026 World Championships

Yazdani Interview: 'Changing Weight Classes Difficult, But Ready for 97kg Challenge'

Saturday, June 20, 2026 - 06:27 By

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- By Amirreza ALIASGARI

KEMRAN, Iran (July 19) -- Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) made his eighth World Championships for Iran on Friday after beating Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI), 4-2 and 5-3, in two straight matches at 97kg.

In 2015, Yazdani was at 70kg and won a silver medal at his debut World Championships. For a decade, he spent his wrestling career at 86kg, winning two Olympic silver medals, three world titles, two world silver and one bronze medal.

Now at 97kg after two shoulder surgeries, a 31-year-old Yazdani is adjusting to the new weight class. As he returns to the World Championships after three years, Yazdani will be chasing his eighth medal and fourth title.

After making the Iran team for the World Championships, to be held in Astana from October 24 to November 1, Yazdani spoke to United World Wrestling about the challenges of 97kg, returning to the World Championships and how his body is holding up.

Excerpts:

- How are you feeling physically after the two tough matches?

Yazdani: I’ve improved in some areas, especially when it comes to my breathing and conditioning. But we didn’t really have enough time to focus on strength training, so we worked on that a bit less than we wanted to. With the time that’s left until the World Championships, I’m going to do everything I can to get myself in the best shape possible and be even better prepared.

- How prepared were you for the wrestle-off against Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)?

Yazdani: For these competitions, I’d say I was about 70 percent ready. It’s hard to be 100 precent prepared for a tournament like this, but by the time the World Championships come around, I’ll definitely be in better shape and more prepared.

- What are your thoughts on competing at 97kg, a weight class that may have four Olympic champions in Astana?

Yazdani: The 97kg weight class is new for me, and of course I have new opponents now. It’s quite different from 86kg. I hope I can put on a good performance in this weight class as well. There are a lot of great champions here, and I hope I get the chance to wrestle against them, challenge myself, and show my best wrestling at the World Championships.

- But will it be challenging for your to be at the top at this weight class?

Yazdani: I already knew how many top wrestlers compete in this weight class. Considering my physical condition, I decided last year to move up to 97kg. Since it’s also an Olympic weight class, I wanted to make the move early so I’d have enough time to fix any weaknesses and adapt before the Olympics. My goal is to be at my very best for both the Olympics and the World Championships, which are just as important.

I wanted to move up sooner so I could get comfortable in this weight class as quickly as possible. Once you get to around 30 years old, things naturally become a little more difficult, and changing weight classes isn’t as easy as it used to be. There are definitely challenges at 97kg, and I’ve thought about all of them. Hopefully, I’ll be able to put on my best performance and come away with a great result.