#WrestleZagreb

Croatia to host 2025 World Championships, non-Olympic Worlds returns

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 15) -- For the first time in wrestling history, Zagreb, Croatia will host the World Championships in 2025. The mega event will take place in Zagreb from September 13-21.

The United World Wrestling Bureau held a meeting Friday to discuss future hosts and the Senior World Championships 2025 was awarded to Zagreb, a regular on the wrestling calendar for a decade now, hosting the European Championships and the Ranking Series regularly. The Zagreb Open has been the season opener for international wrestling on many occasions.

The World Championships will be another historic event in Croatia’s wrestling journey. In August, the country crowned its first-ever world champion when Veronika VILK (CRO) won the U17 World Championships in Istanbul, Turkiye.

Non-Olympic Worlds in Tirana

The Bureau also decided that a World Championships in non-Olympic weight classes will be held in 2024. The World Championships will be held in Tirana, Albania from October 28 to 31, right after the U23 World Championships which will be held in the same venue from October 21 to 27.

Non-Olympic weights World Championships in Tirana this year will be the first time it will be held since 2016 when Budapest became the host. Tirana will see wrestlers in 12 weight classes -- 61kg, 70kg, 79kg and 92kg in Freestyle; 55kg, 59kg, 65kg and 72kg in Women's Wrestling; 55kg, 63kg, 72kg and 82kg in Greco-Roman.

A detailed program of the World Championships will be sent to all National Federations later.

#development

Introduction to Referee Course held prior to Druskininkai Cup

By United World Wrestling Press

Druskininkai, LTU (26 August) – The Lithuanian Wrestling Federation organized an Introduction to Referee Course (Level 1) from 14-16 August.  The course was done in conjunction with United World Wrestling and was held before the start of the Druskininkai Cup. The course was led by UWW Certified Educators Ms. Edit DOZSA (ITA). 

There were 11 referees that participated in the course. During the 3-day course, the participants had theoretical and practical sessions to improve their knowledge and skills as referees.  Some of the topics covered were terminology for referees, referee team duties, evaluation of holds, and athlete safeguarding. “Despite some difficulty in language, all the participants finished the course with a renewed knowledge base," said Dozsa. "It was great to work with the referees during the course.”