#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW Appeal Committee concludes investigation into Olympic qualification match

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 29) -- The United World Wrestling (UWW) Appeal Committee has reached a decision regarding the appeals filed against the UWW Disciplinary Chamber's ruling dated April 23, 2024, concerning the officiating of Match 266 (ITA vs AZE) at the European OG Qualifier in Baku, Azerbaijan.

After carefully considering the statements from the refereeing officials involved (Alexei Bazulin, Roman Pavlov, Ibrahim Cicioglu, Kamel Bouaziz, and Casey Goessl), the reports of the two review panels, and the opinions of impartial refereeing experts, the Appeal Committee concluded that there was no indication of bias in the officiating of the match. The issues identified were determined to be related to refereeing errors and technical aspects of officiating.

To ensure a fair and proportionate outcome, the Appeal Committee has referred the case back to the UWW Disciplinary Chamber for reconsideration. The Disciplinary Chamber has been instructed to reassess the appropriate sanctions, if any, based solely on the refereeing errors and technical officiating issues in accordance with the relevant UWW rules and regulations.

Considering the above, the Disciplinary Chamber revisited the case and issued the following decision:

Considering the above, in particular, that the appeal panel found that “there is no indication of bias amounting to a breach of the fundamental principles of integrity and fair play in the officiating of Match 266” and that “since this case is about the refereeing errors and questionable decisions of a technical nature”, pursuant to the UWW Regulations and rules the Disciplinary Chamber renders the following revised sanction:

  1. The suspension against the refereeing delegates (Mr. Bouaziz, Mr. Cicioglu, Mr. Goessl) is reduced until 31 May 2024; notwithstanding the foregoing, the refereeing delegates are reinstated in the selection for the Olympic Games and may be considered, subject to the final selection by the Refereeing Commission and the UWW Bureau, to officiate only as mat chairmen during the Games.
  2. The suspension against Mr. Bazulin is reduced until 31 May 2024; notwithstanding the foregoing, Mr. Bazulin is reinstated in the selection for the Olympic Games and may be considered, subject to the final selection by the Refereeing Commission and the UWW Bureau, to officiate as referee during the Games.
  3. The suspension against Mr. Pavlov is reduced to the same period as the judge’s, i.e. until 30 September 2024.

The UWW remains committed to upholding the integrity of the sport and ensuring that all competitions are conducted fairly and in accordance with the rules and regulations.

#development

UWW Women in Wrestling Global Forum concludes in Paris

By United World Wrestling Press

PARIS, France (December 7) --- The UWW Women in Wrestling Global Forum 2023, held in Paris from December 2nd to 4th, concluded on its third day with a sense of achievement and empowerment among all participants. This transformative event united leaders and experts in a collective effort to advance women in the world of wrestling.

 

Day 1: Opening Ceremony and Empowering Training

The first day commenced with a morning opening ceremony featuring welcome messages from key figures in the wrestling community. Mr. Nenad Lalovic, President of UWW, Mr. Fabien CANU, INSEP Director General, Mr. Lionel Lacaze, President of the French Wrestling Federation, Ms. Rodica Yaksi – UWW Bureau Member and Ms. Deqa Niamkey, UWW Development Director expressed their commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment in wrestling on a global scale.

Three priorities for advancing women in wrestling for UWW:

  1. Sustain Elite-Level Participation Growth:

Ensure continuous growth in elite-level participation across all domains (athletes, coaches, and referees).

  1. Promote Gender Equality through National Federation Policies:

Implement gender equality policies, focusing on increased inclusion of women in leadership roles.

Initiate the first steps of experience and practice at a national level through commissions, continental councils, NOC, Continental Confederations, etc.

  1. Foster Education Opportunities:

Maintain a commitment to education by providing opportunities through programs such as the WW Forum, WISH, Refereeing Courses, Athlete Scholarships, etc.

Following the opening ceremony, the day was dedicated to Women Empowerment Training led by Gabriela Mueller, focusing on goal-setting, self-leadership, and a leader's unique value proposition.

Day 2: Skill-Building and In-Depth Discussions

The second day continued with Women Empowerment Training in the morning, and in the afternoon, the event shifted to an engaging panel discussion on leadership challenges in wrestling. This insightful session, featuring distinguished speakers like Rodica Yaksi (TUR) - UWW Bureau Member, Csilla Ali (HUN) - General Secretary of the UWW European Council, and Buyana Pelje (MGL) - General Secretary of the UWW Asian Council, explored 21st-century leadership skills and group presentations on contemporary challenges. Skill-building sessions covered influence and persuasion skills, adopting a growth mindset, and mastering leadership fundamentals.

Day 3: Crossing the Finishing Line of Empowerment

On this final day, all participants collectively "crossed the finishing line" as they completed their empowering journey at the UWW Women in Wrestling Global Forum.

The day began with discussions on women leading in wrestling part II, with panelists such as Lise Le Grand (FRA) - Vice-Président of FRA NF; Board Member of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF), Jaimie McNabb (USA) - Sr. Manager of Women’s Freestyle, Emerging Programs and National Teams Services, and Deqa Niamkey (SUI) - UWW Development Director; Chair of ASOIF Sports Development and Education Group; Member of ASOIF Gender Equality and Diversity sharing valuable insights and providing a toolkit for success.

The Leadership Training segment continued with a focus on the power of online presence in the social media era. Panelists, including Dragana Saveva (MKD) - Secretary General of Wrestling Federation of the Republic of North Macedonia, Tin Bregovic (CRO) - Secretary General of the Croatian Wrestling Federation, and Yuri Maier (ARG) - 13x Pan-American Medalist, UWW Sport & Development Officer, IOC Athlete365 Career+ Lead Educator, ACODEPA Sports Manager, emphasized the importance of establishing a strong online presence and improving communication through social media. AI expert Gabriela Muller provided insights into the intersection of leadership and AI in the digital space.

The forum concluded with a closing ceremony, expressing gratitude to participants, panelists, and experts. All participants were acknowledged for their active engagement and insightful contributions, leaving them empowered and ready to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.

The UWW Women in Wrestling Global Forum 2023 has undoubtedly served as a significant milestone in promoting gender equality, skill development, and leadership empowerment within the wrestling community. As the event wrapped up, the sense of accomplishment and readiness to face challenges marked the beginning of a new era for women making their mark in the world of wrestling.