Development

Wrestling Delivers Referee Courses in DPR-Korea and China

Monday, June 4, 2018 - 12:38 By Tim Foley

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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

Obituary

Franz Beckenbauer, football legend and wrestling's friend, passes away

Wednesday, January 10, 2024 - 14:33 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (January 10) -- Franz BECKENBAUER was a football pioneer, a World Cup legend and one of the world’s biggest sporting heroes. A true global star, he was worshipped by millions across the globe. And it wasn’t just the football fans for whom he was a hero.

Beckenbauer, who passed away on Monday aged 78, held a special place in the wrestling family for his immense contribution to popularising the sport and bringing it back into the Olympic fold.

When the wrestling fraternity was leaving no stone unturned to return to the Olympics back in 2013, Beckenbauer famously lent his unwavering support. Fondly known as The Kaiser, he shared his thoughts on the future of wrestling, met UWW President Nenad LALOVIC to discuss ways to improve the sport’s visibility and campaigned for its inclusion in the Olympics after it was removed from the program 11 years ago.

For this, Beckenbauer was awarded wrestling’s highest honor, the Golden Necklace. It’s an award usually given to the heads of state.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lalovic had said: “Franz said he grew up wanting to be a wrestler but his coaches told him he was too skinny and to try another sport.  The world is pretty glad that he did.”

Indeed, world football is richer and in a better place today because of Beckenbauer.

FRANZFranz Beckenbauer was awarded wrestling’s highest honor, the Golden Necklace, by UWW Bureau Member Rodica YAKSI.

Gifted with grace that he combined with steely determination, the player who started as a forward before dropping back and starting as a defender until he eventually created an altogether new role – the libero - redefined football.

He is one of the three men to have won the FIFA World Cup as a player and a coach. On both occasions, he masterminded wins over two players hailed as the greatest to ever grace football.

At the 1982 World Cup, the West Germany team captained by Beckenbauer defeated the legendary Netherlands side led by Johan Cruyff, the father of ‘total football’ philosophy. Then, as a coach of the German team at Italia 1990, Beckenbauer halted Diego Maradona’s Argentina.

At club level, too, he tasted incredible success with Bayern Munich, whom he led to three consecutive European titles as a player before taking them to further heights as a manager and later as the club’s president.

In the later stages of his career, Beckenbauer had a successful spell with Bundesliga side Hamburger SV and went on to win three North American Soccer League titles with New York Cosmos.

The Kaiser had an oversized impact on world football. But his influence reached far beyond the football field, as the sport of wrestling experienced in 2013.

UWW mourns the passing away of one of the true sporting icons spanning generations and expresses its deepest sympathies to the Beckenbauer family.