Development

Wrestling Delivers Referee Courses in DPR-Korea and China

By Tim Foley

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (June 4) – United World Wrestling, under the expertise of Prof. Dr. Halil Ibrahim CICIOGLU - 1s-ranked referee and member of the Referee Commission - held a series of courses this month in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and China.

The courses were part of the “Referee Education Pathway” a program started last year as an effort to educate and develop future generations of referees worldwide.

“I had an excellent educational opportunity in the DPRK and China,” said Mr. Cicioglu. “I was very happy to serve the people who wanted to improve the sport of wrestling in their countries and was impressed with their excitement to learn. We look forward to seeing more of these referees at future international competitions.”

The referee course in the DPRK was the first such event organized by the nation’s national federation and met or exceeded all requirements. Last year the federation hosted a Level One Coaches Course, which was received with equal praise. The small nation produced an impressive number of referees and coaches with 16 referee candidates and a coaching seminar with 78 attendees.
 

Among the refereeing candidates was Mrs. Choe Jong Bok, was former medalist at the Asian Championships who was eager to learn more about a career as a referee. Should Mrs. Choe continue her education and become a referee she would be the first female from the DPRK to fill that role.

The referee seminar in Beijing was also a major success with more than 100 referees from around the country in attendance. The Chinese Wrestling Federation, who hosted an Olympic Qualification tournament in 2012, held the event at the National Training Center in Beijing.

Later this month the Chinese Wrestling Federation will also be hosting the China Open, a United World Wrestling Ranking Series event, in Taiyung, China. The women’s wrestling event will be held on June 22 and June 23, with a short women’s wrestling development camp to precede it starting June 17.

For more information on refereeing courses and opportunities please see below:

https://unitedworldwrestling.org/sites/default/files/wrestling_referee_brochure_eng.pdf

UWW hosts IS Referee Seminar with 117 participants

By United World Wrestling Press

ANTALYA, Turkiye (January 23) -- The United World Wrestling and the Turkish Wrestling Federation hosted the IS Referee and Instructors seminar in Antalya, Turkiye last week.

A total of 117 IS referees and instructors attended the semifinal which ran from January 19 to 21 in the coastal city for a symposium focused on educating on a wide variety of wrestling-related topics. 

The IS category is the highest and most prestigious in international wrestling and the group in Turkiye included referees from each continent.

Planned by the UWW Referee Commission and UWW Sports Department, referees were instructed in theoretical and practical wrestling situations, goals for 2023, improvements as a refereeing group and what to expect at UWW events on the road to Paris Olympics 2024.

RefereePractical demonstrations of skills at the Is Referee Seminar. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The participants were provided with guidelines for the pathway to selection for the Olympics, and an understanding of the current wrestling rules and referee body regulations. Mat training exercises, meant for a better understanding of the common wrestling tactics, scoring maneuvers and execution, were also delivered.

Olympic coaches Radoslav VELIKOV, 2006 world champion from Bulgaria and Greece's Amiran KARDANOV, bronze medalist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, were also present to help and offer critical advice during practical training.

Special instructions and presentations regarding conflict resolution and the alternative style of Grappling were also administered.

Special thanks to the Turkish Wrestling Federation for planning social and cultural events to further develop comradery among the referees, above and beyond their hosting duties.