UWW Live

UWW LIVE: Frank Staebler: Three-Time World Champion

By United World Wrestling Press

Frank STAEBLER (GER) has been one of the world's most successful Greco-Roman wrestlers over the past five years. 

The 31-year-old German has captured three world titles since 2015, and also has two world bronze medals on his wrestling resume.

Staebler won his first world title in 2015 at the World Championships in Las Vegas at 66kg. After competing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Staebler added back-to-back world titles in 2017 and 2018 at 71kg and 72kg respectively. Last year, Staebler finished with a bronze medal at the World Championships in Nur-Sultan. 

Staebler joined Eric Olanowski to talk about how wrestling has impacted his life, how his loss to Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) in Nur-Sultan drives him every day and how he plans on becoming a keynote speaker after retiring after the conclusion of the Tokyo Olympic Games.
 

#development

UWW Donates Mats to Mauritius for Regional Development Project

By United World Wrestling Press

MAURITUS (April 27) -- United World Wrestling has donated wrestling mats to the Mauritius National Wrestling and Allied Games Association. The mats were provided through UWW’s partner and sponsor, Taishan Sports, in support of the Olympic Solidarity/ UWW Regional Development Program.

The mats will be used as part of the OS/UWW regional program, which aims to strengthen wrestling development in Mauritius and create a lasting impact across the East Africa region. By improving access to quality training facilities and equipment, the initiative seeks to support athletes, coaches, and youth participation while helping national federations raise standards across the region.

The regional program is scheduled to take place from October 9 to 18, 2026 and will combine athlete training camps, coaches’ education, referees’ courses, and a regional competition to conclude the activities. Olympic Solidarity will soon send invitations to all National Olympic Committees in East Africa to participate in the program.

The President of the Mauritius National Wrestling and Allied Games Association Joel ANTOINETTE highly appreciated the donation.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generous donation of these wrestling mats," Antoinette said. "This contribution is more than just equipment; it’s the foundation for a new era. We promise to honor this gift by working tirelessly to revolutionize the Wrestling sport, pushing boundaries, and elevating our athletes to heights."

Thanks to the support of the Mauritius National Olympic Committee, this is not the first time that the Mauritius National Wrestling Association has organized such educational events. Over the past years, they have successfully delivered several Olympic Solidarity/UWW development activities at both national and regional levels.

Mauritius has increased its presence on the international wrestling stage in recent years, with athletes competing more regularly at major events thanks to the continued support of the Mauritius National Olympic Committee and the Mauritius Wrestling federation. This progress reflects the growing ambition of the federation and the country’s commitment to advancing the sport.