#CARDA

Azimi Tabbed to Head Guatemala's CARDA

By United World Wrestling Press

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala (March 9) --- The "High Performance and Development Center for the Americas" recently reopened in the Guatemalan capital after the facility was temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Upon the center's highly-anticipated reopening, United World Wrestling named 44-year-old Reza AZIMI as the CARDA's (Spanish acronym) new head coach.

Azimi, who originally hails from Iran, brings loads of high-level experience as a coach and a competitor into Guatemala. He had an outstanding career as an athlete from 1993-'97, winning medals at the U17, U20, and U23 World Championships.

Azimi's success followed into his coach career. He successfully performed his duties in Iran, Nicaragua and India.
•    Coached Iran's National Team from 2013-'15.
•    Coached Nicaragua's National Team in 2017.
•    Coached India's National Team and Punjab's Team in 2020-'21.

Mr. Francisco Lee, President of UWW Americas, welcomed Azimi to Guatemala with open arms. Upon Azimi's arrival. Mr. Lee highlighted the sports cooperation between the National Federations of Iran and Guatemala and wished the new coach success.

#Anti-Doping

CAS sanctions Datunashvili for anti-doping violation

By United World Wrestling Press

COSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (November 26) -- The Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport has sanctioned former world champion Zurabi DATUASHVILI (SRB) with five years of ineligibility and disqualified all results obtained by the athlete from May 27, 2021.

This comes after anti-doping rule violations committed by Datunashvili, following investigations conducted by the International Testing Agency in April 2023. United World Wrestling acknowledges the decision rendered by the CAS ADD.

Datunashvili was provisionally suspended for the wrestler's use of a prohibited method and for tampering with the doping control process. The case was referred to the CAS ADD, which found that the athlete had violated the doping rules. 

After the decision, Datunashvili was imposed with a five-year ineligibility, and all competitive results obtained by the wrestler between May 27, 2021, and April 11, 2023, are disqualified.

Datunashvili has since appealed parts of this decision before the CAS Appeal Division. Considering the pending appeal, the reallocation of results and medals associated with this case remains suspended pending the final decision.

UWW, committed to clean sport, supports the ongoing efforts of the ITA to ensure adherence to anti-doping regulations.