#WrestleTokyo

Al-Obaidi Named to IOC Refugee Team, Will Wrestle at Tokyo 2020

Wednesday, June 9, 2021 - 14:21 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (June 9) -- Aker AL-OBAIDI, an Iraqi-refugee currently living, working, and wrestling in Austria has been named to the IOC Refugee Team for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The 67kg Greco-Roman athlete will be the first wrestler to compete for the Refugee Team at the Olympic Games.

"This is one of the most beautiful moments in my life, said Al-Obaidi. "I am so happy that this dream has come true. I have imagined this situation so many times. Now I will do everything to be well prepared in Tokyo!“

Al-Obaidi, who holds an Austrian residence permit and has received the full support of the Austrian Wrestling Federation, was able to travel around Europe and attend several major wrestling competitions the past few years, including the 2019 Junior European Championships where he took bronze.

"We are very proud of Aker," said United World Wrestling president Nenad LALOVIC. "He has worked hard to achieve his goals on and off the mat. We are in full support of his career and share in his excitement for competing in Tokyo this summer."

"The Austrian Wrestling Federation was key to helping Aker to train," said to Deqa NIAMKEY. "His training partners, and especially his coach Benedikt Ernst were essential in assisting Aker with training, travel, and acclimating to his new life in Austria."

Al-Obaidi stayed busy on the mats over the last three years, competing in several tournaments including two Olympic qualification events held in 2021.

2021 U23 Senior European Championships
2021 World OG Qualifier
2021 Senior European Championships
2021 Grand Prix Henry Deglane
2021 European OG Qualifier
2020 European OG Qualifier
2020 Senior European Championships
2019 Junior World Championships
2019 Junior European Championships

The Refugee Olympic Team (EOR) includes 25 Refugee Athlete Scholarship-holders from 11 countries who have been living and training in 13 host countries and represents 12 sports. For all official representations of the team (i.e. medal ceremonies) the Olympic flag will be raised, and the Olympic anthem will be played.

Al-Obaidi will take the mats for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games on Tuesday, August 3rd inside the Makuharri Messe in Tokyo. 

#development

Finland looking for head coaching candidates

Monday, September 23, 2024 - 12:58 By United World Wrestling Press

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HELSINKI, Finland (September 23) --- The Finnish Wrestling Federation is looking for a head coach and national team coaches for results-responsible positions for the 2025–2028 Olympics. We require the coach to have competence and commitment to the level of requirements of international top sports/youth coaching activities aimed at the top.

Duties and responsibilities of the Head Coach

  • Acts as the head of coaching and leads coaching activities (all forms of wrestling)
  • Responsible for LA2028 federation-led coaching of elite athletes (plans, daily coaching, competitions, camps, follow-up)
  • Responsible for success according to the goals, works closely with HUY, coaching centers and other important stakeholders
  • Responsible for the implementation of the national team activities of all forms of wrestling according to the budget (monitoring)
  • Developer of top coaching and participates in coach training.


The national team coach works full-time in contract-led coaching positions (e.g. top-level coach, youth national team coach) and in daily coaching. In addition to his own job, the OTO national team coach works in the coaching positions of the federation management according to the contract. The tasks and responsibilities of the national team coaches in question become clearer when the whole of the coaching is clear.

Responsibilities, tasks and other working conditions related to the content of the work are agreed upon in negotiations between the parties. The tasks, their fulfillment and the duration of the fixed-term contract depend on the commitments of the Olympic Committee's elite sports unit and other sponsors of the salary. An entity other than Painiliitto can also act as an employer. The work includes travel and evening and weekend work, and no separate compensation is paid for it.

If you are interested in the above-mentioned positions, please send a free-form application and a concise summary of your skills, education and experience by email to info@painiliitto.net by Friday, October 4, 2024.

Also, tell us your salary expectations and which positions you are interested in ( wrestling form, age group, full-time job, or working alongside your own job, etc. ). You can apply for several different positions with one application, as long as you tell us which positions you are interested in. Employment begins on January 1, 2025 or later, when case-specific salary funding has been confirmed.

Inquiries: Pekka Paavola, Chairman of the Wrestling Association (044 977 5287)