#WrestleOslo

#WrestleOslo: Miyaji Stuns Olympic Champ Mensah Stock as Japan Rolls On

By Vinay Siwach

OSLO, Norway (October 6) -- Akie HANAI (JPN) was still going through her interview when Rin MIYAJI (JPN) joined her in the mixed zone. A surprised Hanai was wondering how did Miyaji come back so early after her semifinal. But when she was informed that Miyaji pinned Tokyo Olympic and world champion Taymara MENSAH STOCK (USA), Hanai could not but hug her teammate with a big smile on her face.

In what is perhaps the biggest upset of the tournament, Miyaji claimed a 21-second pin over Mensah Stock after both the wrestlers were locked in arm-tie. But the USA wrestler squared up and Miyaji cradled her and held her on the back for the fall.

Miyaji was one of the three Japan wrestlers who reached the final Wednesday as Hanai managed to reach the 59kg final while Masako FURUICHI (JPN) entered the 72kg after beating Anna SCHELL (GER).

With that, Japan has sent six wrestlers to the final while nine others are wrestling for medals.

Miyaji, who has ever wrestled at a World Championships before, will wrestle Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) in the final. The Kyrgyzstan wrestler has to thank her fate for the win as the scorers' had wrongly indicated caution against when there was not.

She gave up a takedown in final 10 seconds to trail 3-3 on criteria but when the mat chairman was about announce the result, the criteria was give to Zhumanazarova as a wrong caution had been added to it.

Hanai also beat an American to reach the 59kg final as Maya NELSON (USA) was not given any chance in a 4-1 defeat. She will face 2018 world silver medalist Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) in what will a match of close margins. Dudova beat two-time Asian champion Sarita MOR (IND) 3-0 in the semifinals and booked her spot in the final. 

But India did get its first-ever women's wrestling Worlds finalists when Anshu MALIK (IND) defeated Solomiia VYNNYK (JPN) 11-0 in the semifinal at 57kg. India has five bronze medals from World Championships but no one ever reached the final.

Maik scored via a series of takedowns and finally a gut wrench and move on to face Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Helen MAROULIS (USA).

The USA wrestler had a nail-biting finish against U23 world champion Sar NANJO (JPN) before pulling off a 6-4 win. Nanjo was looking for a repeat of Tokyo Olympics where eventual champion Risako KAWAI (JPN) beat Maroulis to stop her from defending her Olympic title which she won in Rio.

Maroulis was given a point for Nanjo's passivity but the Japan wrestler launched a huge throw on the edge and was awarded four. Leading 4-1, Nanjo gave up two before the break.

Then Maroulis began the second period with a takedown and stayed with it until the final whistle. Nanjo's tries of attacking the legs in the end did not work and Maroulis entered the final.

Kazakhstan also had a World Championships finalist when Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) defeated Buse CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR) 13-2 with ease.

Bakbergenova will wrestle for gold against Masako FURUICHI (JPN) who defeat Anna SCHELL (GER), 13-2 and try to stop the Japanese juggernaut of winning gold medals with ease.

#Anti-Doping

ITA imposes two-year sanctions on nine Russia wrestlers

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 27) -- The International Testing Agency (ITA), leading an independent anti-doping program for United World Wrestling (UWW), has successfully prosecuted nine Russian wrestlers for the use of prohibited substances based on data retrieved from the Moscow laboratory.

The cases are based on investigations conducted by WADA’s Intelligence & Investigations Department (WADA I&I) and by Professor Richard McLaren into allegations of systemic doping practices in Russian sport as well as Moscow Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) data retrieved by WADA I&I over time. The evidence was provided by WADA I&I to the ITA in 2021 and 2022 for further assessment. In particular, these investigations uncovered LIMS data indicative of the presence of banned substances in samples provided by the athletes in 2012.

The ITA reports that in line with the UWW Anti-Doping Rules (UWW ADR), the following Russian wrestlers have each admitted to the Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) and accepted a two-year period of Ineligibility for the Use of a Prohibited Substance (Article 2.2 of the applicable UWW ADR) and disqualification of all competitive results from 20 November 2012 until 20 November 2014. The athletes benefitted from “early admission” and partial backdating of their period of Ineligibility was granted (Article 10.9.2 of the applicable version of the UWW ADR):

Dariya LEKSINA – period of ineligibility until March 1, 2023
Elena VOSTRIKOVA – period of ineligibility until March 1, 2023
Margarita FATKULINA – period of ineligibility until November 18, 2023
Elena GETTA – period of ineligibility until November 18, 2023
Anzhela KATAEVA – period of ineligibility until November 18, 2023
Elena KULIKOVA – period of ineligibility until November 18, 2023
Alevtina LISITSINA – period of ineligibility until November 18, 2023
Anastasiya SHCHAVLINSKAYA – period of ineligibility until November 18, 2023

Athlete Aleksey SHCHEKOV did not admit to the ADRV and thus did not benefit from early admission reduction (Article 10.9.2 of the applicable UWW ADR). He was sanctioned with a 2-year period of ineligibility until 1 March 2024 and the disqualification of all competitive results from 6 April 2012 until 2 March 2022.

During the period of ineligibility, as per Article 10.14 of the UWW ADR, the athletes cannot participate in any capacity in any competition or any other activity either at the international or national level organized by any Signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code.