Development

2018 Creative Sports Award to Boost UWW’s Development Projects

By United World Wrestling Press

DUBAI (January 9) -- During a dedication ceremony held in Dubai, United World Wrestling (UWW) received the H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award in the category of the best initiative of the Summer Olympic International Federations (IFs).

The 2018 edition sought to recognize the initiatives that empower youth in sports -- the award comes with a USD $250,000 prize for use in development activities.

UWW President Nenad Lalovic accepted the award on behalf of his organization, which was recognized for its innovative project “More than Medals”, the first cornerstone of the IF’s new wrestling development plan. Five camps conducted between February and July last year targeted more than 200 young elite athletes and combined high-quality training with education on important topics such as anti-doping, nutrition, training plan, and the IOC’s Athlete Career Programme. The educational part also included the athletes’ entourage. Organized on all continents, the camps also served to prepare wrestlers to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October 2018.

While attending the ceremony, ASOIF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said, “ASOIF is very thankful to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his recognition of outstanding activities of sports federations in such a generous way for the sixth consecutive year. Sports development and youth promotion go hand in hand and they are the most important fields for IFs to invest in. UWW’s project is exemplary in integrating essential educational elements into training for young athletes and UWW fully deserves this prestigious award.”

 Lalovic added, “On behalf of the wrestling family worldwide, UWW is highly honored to receive this award for the development programme ‘More than Medals 2018’ dedicated to the support and empowerment of the future generations. We reiterate our appreciation to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his great initiative to support sports development.”

The application phase for the 2019 H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Creative Sports Award is scheduled to open in April 2019.

Development

Wrestling Hosts Virtual Educator Meeting

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 12) -- The United World Wrestling development department hosted three virtual educator meetings Tuesday with UWW educators conducting each meeting in a different language (French, English, Russian and Spanish).

The meetings were focused on informing attendees on how to use the new Academy platform and become familiar with its functions and how it will be used in future courses. The groups reviewed administrative requirements for conducting courses and discussed future training opportunities for educators over the course of the year.  

The meetings also provided an opportunity for the department to provide updates on Olympic Solidarity courses and NF courses.  

“This UWW Academy platform is a great tool which advances education of new generations of coaches and referees to a higher level, in line with trends of today’s modern world,” said UWW Referee Educator Davor Petanjek (CRO). “I look forward jumping into this train to a brighter future!”  

"The meetings were great," said UWW Education Manager Zach Errett. "It gave us an opportunity to connect with all the outstanding educators around the world and to hear the great projects they have been working on during the pandemic. Many of them are excited and hopeful to get back to conducting courses and helping to develop and improve wrestling around the world."  

It is also important to notify that despite the Covid 19 pandemic, educators have kept their motivation to develop the fight in their country, either through seminars during events, or through training organized spontaneously by their federations. They took advantage of the opportunities available to them to continue to make their contribution to our sport. 

To conclude Madam Déqa Niamkey Director of the Development Department to congratulate them and encourage them to continue on this positive side. And to say "we are a team, a family and I am proud to belong to this great family of wrestling."