#UWWAwards

UWW 2023 Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year Nominees

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 11) — United World Wrestling has announced the five nominations for the 2023 Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year, awarded to the best Greco-Roman wrestler of the year.

The nominations reflect the results from this year’s World Championships, Continental Championships, Continental Games and Ranking Series events.

The five finalists are: 

Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB)
- 67kg world champion
- Pan American Championships gold medalist
- XIX Pan-American Games champion
- Zagreb Open Ranking Series bronze medalist
- Kyrgyzstan Ranking Series bronze medalist
- Ranked No.1 in the world with 86,400 points 

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)
- 130kg world champion
- Asian Championships gold medalist
- 19th Asian Games champion
- Kyrgyzstan Ranking Series champion
- Ranked No.1 in the world with 76,000 points

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
- 77kg world champion
- Asian Championships gold medalist
- 19th Asian Games champion
- Ranked No.1 in the world with 65,000 points  

Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
- 60kg world champion
- Asian Championships gold medalist
- 19th Asian Games champion
- Ranked No.1 in the world with 68,000 points

Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
- 63kg world champion
- European champion
- Kyrgyzstan Ranking Series champion
- Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series silver medalist
- Ranked No.1 in the world with 75,000 points

#WrestleParis

IOC announces first AINs for 2024 Paris Olympics, 16 wrestlers eligible

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (June 15) -- The International Olympic Committee on Saturday announced the eligible Individual Neutral Athletes for the Paris 2024 with 16 wrestlers making the cut for the Games.

The list of eligible athletes in the first group of sports that finished their qualifying process for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is according to the strict eligibility conditions established by the IOC Executive Board in December 2023.

The IOC EB established the Individual Neutral Athlete Eligibility Review Panel (AINERP) in March 2024 to evaluate the eligibility of each athlete with a Russian or Belarusian passport to participate in the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and that of their support personnel. It delegated to the AINERP and the IOC administration the authority to invite an AIN, and their support personnel, to participate in the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The AINERP reviewed the athletes in accordance with the IOC EB decision and the principles established. The Panel was in a position to benefit from new information from various sources, in particular official lists of athletes affiliated with sports clubs of the military and the security forces published on official websites in Russia and Belarus.

Out of the 16 approved wrestlers, 10 AINs are holders of Russian passports while six are holders of Belarussian passports. During the United World Wrestling qualifying events, AINs with Russian passports earned 16 quotas and holders of Belarussian passports won 10 Paris quotas.

According to the IOC, the number of eligible athletes may be lower than the number of earned quota places. In such cases, these quota places will be reallocated to athletes from other NOCs in accordance with the qualification system of the respective IF.

The wrestlers who are deemed eligible will compete as AINs, without any flags or references to their respective countries. Additionally, the national anthems of Russia and Belarus will not be played in the event of medals being awarded to these athletes.

Participation in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is subject to the athlete’s acceptance of the individual invitation and signature of the Conditions of Participation applicable to all participants. The form contains a commitment to respect the Olympic Charter, including “the peace mission of the Olympic Movement”.

The following are the eligible wrestlers allowed to compete as AINs at the Olympic Games Paris 2024:

Eligible and invited athletes with a Russian passport:

Freestyle
Nachin MONGUSH
Shamil MAMEDOV
Arslan BAGAEV
Abdulla KURBANOV

Greco-Roman
Alan OSTAEV
Magomed MURTAZALIEV

Women's Wrestling
Natalya MALYSHEVA
Veronika CHUMIKOVA
Alina KASABIEVA
Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA

Eligible and invited athletes with a Belarusian passport:

Freestyle
Yahor AKULICH
Uladzislau KAZLOU

Greco-Roman
Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU
Dzmitri ZARUBSKI

Women's Wrestling
Viyaleta REBIKAVA
Krystsina SAZYKINA

Read the full IOC decision regarding Individual Neutral Athletes here.