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Wrestling Announces New Members of Athletes’ Commission

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (October 1) -- United World Wrestling has announced seven new members of the organization's Athletes’ Commission. The wrestlers were voted onto the commission by their fellow athletes at the 2021 Senior World Wrestling Championships in Oslo, Norway. 

United World Wrestling's Athletes' Commission
LORINCZ, Tamas (HUN)
SUSAKI, Yui (JPN)
JULFALAKYAN, Arsen (ARM)
YAZDANICHARATI, Hassan (IRI)
LACEY GARITA, Maxwell Lemar (CRC)
OBORUDUDU, Blessing (NGR)
LAVERS-MCBAIN, Jessica (AUS)

The Athletes' Commission was established in 2013 with the role of protecting the rights and interests of all United World Wrestling Olympic style athletes. The Athletes' Commission members reach out and communicate with active athletes as peers to collect feedback. 

Tasks and Duties 

  • Meet in person at least once a year and actively communicate and work toward upholding the mandate 
  • Actively communicate with all UWW Olympic style athletes 
  • Provide important information to all active UWW Olympic style athletes 
  • To propose improvements on behalf of the athletes to the United World Wrestling Bureau. 
  • To contribute their opinions to the United World Wrestling Executive Committee on amendments to the Rules. 
  • To propose to the United World Wrestling Executive Committee possible improvements to the competition system and to the Rules. 

The Athletes’ Commission in due time will decide on a chairperson from the seven members. The chairperson will be a voting member of the United World Wrestling bureau and replaces 2012 Olympic champion and four-time world gold medallist Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) who has served in the role since September 2017.

United World Wrestling is the international governing body of wrestling and is headquartered in Corsier--Sur-¬Vevey, Switzerland. To learn more about United World Wrestling and the activities of its 179 national federations, please visit: www.uww.org, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

Olympic silver medalist Oborududu announces retirement

By Vinay Siwach

NIGERIA (June 6) -- Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) announced her retirement last week, ending a memorable career in wrestling.

The 36-year-old called it quits at the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, a tournament she made her first appearance as a young wrestler in 2006.

In a career spanning 19 years, Oborududu won the African Championships 13 times, became the first African wrestler to win Olympic silver medal in Women's Wrestling and finished fifth at the Paris Olympics.

Oborududu participated won her first gold at the African Championships in 2010 and maintained her winning streak at the tournament for 15 years. 

“I want to thank everyone who has been part of my journey: the Nigeria Wrestling Federation led by Daniel IGALI, the board members, my teammates, and my family,” Oborududu was quoted as saying by the Nigeria media. "I created a lot of memories, but my most memorable one was the Tokyo Olympics, which ignited hope across Africa. It was the first-ever medal by an African woman in wrestling at the Olympics, and I hope more will come for future wrestlers."

At the sports festival, Oborududu helped Team Bayelsa clinch gold medal in her final bout at the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival. He later received a farewell from teammates, officials and fans.