Arab C'Ships

United World Wrestling Supports Iraq as Nation Hosts First Wrestling Event in Decades

Thursday, April 26, 2018 - 14:56 By Tim Foley

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BAGHDAD (April 26) -- The nation of Iraq hosted the Cadet Arab Wrestling Championships last week in Baghdad -- the first event sanctioned in Iraq by United World Wrestling since the 1987 Arab Wrestling Championships.

In order to qualify to host the event, United World Wrestling required the Wrestling Federation of Iraq to meet exceptional safety standard for all athletes, delegations and fans.

Wrestlers from eight Arab nations competed the championships (Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen), with four (Iraq, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen) earning gold medal finishes in either Greco-Roman or freestyle wrestling.  The teams competed under championship conditions on two mats inside of a 2500-person arena.

The opening ceremony was attended by the head of the Iraqi National Olympic Committee Raad HAMOUDI, President of the Arab Union Zamel SHAHARANI, and United World Wrestling bureau member Fouad MESKOUT. In opening the competition, the pair outlined the importance of sport in creating good will among nations, and the vital role sports like wrestling play in helping countries promote peace and safety.

Meskout also gave special thanks to all the volunteers and workers responsible for delivering a safe and productive championship event.

#WrestleParis, #UnitedWorldWrestling

IOC EB, Lalovic visited Sorbonne before Paris Olympics

Sunday, July 28, 2024 - 09:36 By United World Wrestling Press

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Top Photo (from left to right): Nicole HOEVERTSZ, Nenad LALOVIC, John COATES, Emma TERHO, IOC President Thomas BACH, Kristin KLOSTER, Gerardo WERTHEIN, Ser MIANG NG, Kirsty COVERNTRY

PARIS (July 27) -- United World Wrestling and International Olympic Committee Executive Board member Nenad LALOVIC visited Sorbonne in Paris last week. IOC President Thomas BACH along with the IOC EB visited Sorbonne, the place where the IOC EB was first founded.

Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympics, and the EB met in Sorbonne 130 years ago to found the IOC in Paris.

Before the 2024 Paris Olympics which began July 26, the current IOC EB revisited the same room where it all began.

Lalovic was first elected as an IOC member in 2015 for an eight-year term. He was re-elected unanimously at the 141st IOC session in Mumbai in 2023 for a new eight-year term.

As an IOC EB member, Lalovic was first elected in 2018 and then re-elected in 2022 in Beijing for a four-year term. He also serves on the WADA Executive Committee and the ASOIF Council.