Wrestling president quits after Olympic omission
PHUKET, Thailand (AP) - The president of the international wrestling federation quit Saturday in the wake of the IOC's decision to remove the sport from the 2020 Olympics.
Raphael Martinetti's resignation was announced at the FILA executive committee meeting in Phuket. The Swiss had been in the position since 2002.
On Tuesday, the executive board of the IOC dumped wrestling from the list of sports guaranteed a berth in future Summer Olympics, meaning it must compete with other fringe sports for a spot on the program.
FILA member Nenad Lalovic, who has assumed an interim presidency role, confirmed at a news conference that Martinetti's resignation was because of the International Olympic Council's decision.
"It was difficult for a president who wasn't powerful for 11 years when the IOC decided to eliminate his sport from the Olympic Games," said Lalovic, adding the new president will soon be elected at an extraordinary congress.
Lalovic said the bid to restore wrestling to the Olympic program would begin immediately.
"Every one of us will have a duty. We have only one goal that is to be back on the Olympics. Lobbying is very important but it's not something that you can't determine in advance," Lalovic said. "We have to prepare a serious presentation that must be prepared by professionals to present the real picture of our sport. This sport has been practiced by millions of people. We will use this fact in order to promote our sport."
Now wrestling is no longer a core Olympic sport, it must compete with seven other contenders - baseball and softball, squash, karate, wakeboarding, sport climbing, roller sports and the martial art of wushu - in lobbying to earn the last spot on the 28-sport program for the 2020 Olympics, which have yet to be awarded to a host city.
The IOC executive board will meet in May in St. Petersburg, Russia, to choose which sports to propose for inclusion in 2020. The final vote will be made at the IOC general assembly in September in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
USA. Wrestling executive director Rich Bender paid tribute to Martinetti but said his departure could boost wrestling's chances of getting back on the Olympic program.
"This decision provides international wrestling with an opportunity to change and improve," Bender said in a statement on U.S.A. Wrestling's website. "The sport will now be able to create a fresh new relationship with the International Olympic Committee and address some of the pressing challenges and opportunities facing wrestling."
Alexander Mamiashvili, the head of the Russian wrestling federation, wants the FILA extraordinary congress to be held in Moscow in May and said President Vladimir Putin had ordered a committee be formed to contest the IOC decision.
"The group will coordinate and analyze the situation to prove wrestling is worthy of staying in the Olympic movement," Mamiashvili told the Itar-TASS news agency of a committee that will include the sports minister and all three Russian IOC members. "The leadership of the country, and personally the president of Russia, has expressed to us their support."
FILA vice president Stan Dziedzic said he knows what wrestling needs to do to win back its place.
"We need a better public-relations firm, we need to have a better relationship with the IOC, obviously. Those are right on top of the table," he said. "We have to tell the world that there is no other sport that is more of a meritocracy than wrestling. No bats, no balls, no gloves. It's not how fast, how far, how high - but how much better.
"Two equal size wrestlers ground on the mat to determine who the best is, with the wits and the will to win. Nothing could be more fundamental."
Raphael Martinetti's resignation was announced at the FILA executive committee meeting in Phuket. The Swiss had been in the position since 2002.
On Tuesday, the executive board of the IOC dumped wrestling from the list of sports guaranteed a berth in future Summer Olympics, meaning it must compete with other fringe sports for a spot on the program.
FILA member Nenad Lalovic, who has assumed an interim presidency role, confirmed at a news conference that Martinetti's resignation was because of the International Olympic Council's decision.
"It was difficult for a president who wasn't powerful for 11 years when the IOC decided to eliminate his sport from the Olympic Games," said Lalovic, adding the new president will soon be elected at an extraordinary congress.
Lalovic said the bid to restore wrestling to the Olympic program would begin immediately.
"Every one of us will have a duty. We have only one goal that is to be back on the Olympics. Lobbying is very important but it's not something that you can't determine in advance," Lalovic said. "We have to prepare a serious presentation that must be prepared by professionals to present the real picture of our sport. This sport has been practiced by millions of people. We will use this fact in order to promote our sport."
Now wrestling is no longer a core Olympic sport, it must compete with seven other contenders - baseball and softball, squash, karate, wakeboarding, sport climbing, roller sports and the martial art of wushu - in lobbying to earn the last spot on the 28-sport program for the 2020 Olympics, which have yet to be awarded to a host city.
The IOC executive board will meet in May in St. Petersburg, Russia, to choose which sports to propose for inclusion in 2020. The final vote will be made at the IOC general assembly in September in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
USA. Wrestling executive director Rich Bender paid tribute to Martinetti but said his departure could boost wrestling's chances of getting back on the Olympic program.
"This decision provides international wrestling with an opportunity to change and improve," Bender said in a statement on U.S.A. Wrestling's website. "The sport will now be able to create a fresh new relationship with the International Olympic Committee and address some of the pressing challenges and opportunities facing wrestling."
Alexander Mamiashvili, the head of the Russian wrestling federation, wants the FILA extraordinary congress to be held in Moscow in May and said President Vladimir Putin had ordered a committee be formed to contest the IOC decision.
"The group will coordinate and analyze the situation to prove wrestling is worthy of staying in the Olympic movement," Mamiashvili told the Itar-TASS news agency of a committee that will include the sports minister and all three Russian IOC members. "The leadership of the country, and personally the president of Russia, has expressed to us their support."
FILA vice president Stan Dziedzic said he knows what wrestling needs to do to win back its place.
"We need a better public-relations firm, we need to have a better relationship with the IOC, obviously. Those are right on top of the table," he said. "We have to tell the world that there is no other sport that is more of a meritocracy than wrestling. No bats, no balls, no gloves. It's not how fast, how far, how high - but how much better.
"Two equal size wrestlers ground on the mat to determine who the best is, with the wits and the will to win. Nothing could be more fundamental."
Yeah this is sad. I wonder if they're gonna replace wrestling with something more politically correct................. Like the gay rights "Tranny hair pulling competition" . Â Give me a break wrestling has been there from the start and now they want to get rid of it?? The Olympics are just not what they use to be, that's for sure.
I don't care for wrestling myself but it does seem like one of the fundamental and more"historic" sports. They are getting rid of this but keeping the sports in which they are using professionals? That's just wrong when the professionals should never have been invited in the first place. And the exclusive tv coverage is wrong, too. With all the tv channels we have these days, there should be one with the hodge podge and chit chat plus others that cover each sport and competition in its entirety, so that whatever you like best can be watched from beginning to end and include all the countries and competitors.
I've given up on the Olympics anyway. Attendance at the games is only for the very rich and watching on TV is awful because it's 5% sports and 95% human interest stories.
I grew up reading Homer and learning about Greek and Roman history, mythology, all of that. Wrestling is the original Olympic sport. And it's still popular today in schools. Makes no sense to me to dump it. There are so many stupid summer Olympic sports that should go away first. Rhythmic gymnastics? Synchronized swimming? Hello?Â
Every Olympics usually only has 7 or 8 watchable sports to begin with. This one means the 2020 Olympics will have one less than usual.Â
Follow the money. Olympics are no longer about sport, but TV revenue and morphing into X-games' bastardized little sister. Wakeboarding? Seriously. A neat activity but hardly a sport. Texas Hold'em will be next.
I was never big on watching Olympic wrestling, but even I am flabbergasted as to why on earth this time-honored sport would be removed from the Olympics!
Wrestling especially freestyle, for me is one of the most exiting sports in the Olympics.  This would be a good definition of a ludicrous decision.  Except in the end if this decision is kept I will not be laughing, neither will I be watching the Olympics.
Scuse ME?
One of the original sports is being dismissed? I hope this is either a joke or overturned. If not, the Olympics (and its supporters) can watch me ride off into the sunset.
Badminton (scandal ridden), golf, handball, sailing, ping pong, are such great examples of strength and prowess?
I've been around long enough to see a lotta ignorant decisions made in all walks of life. This one rates right at the top.
@bobalouie I know, ridiculous ain't it? They should get rid of some of those one that you listed (and I can think of a few others that can go) and put wrestling back in - it is a classic & timeless sport of strength; a part of the Olympics since its foundation. And while they're cleaning house, put roller sports on the guaranteed list, too - we've been fighting for YEARS to get recognized, only to be snubbed over and over and over and OVER again in favor of things like baseball, ping-pong, taekwondo, and frik'n GOLF.
Wrestling and Roller Sports. PUT THEM IN IOC, and quit sucking the thumbs of the USOC & "popular" sports.
I will no longer watch or contribute anything for the Olympics until this idiotic decision is overturned.......