Obituary

Daniel Robin, Double Olympic Silver Medalist and Hall of Fame Wrestler, Dies at 74

By Tim Foley

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 24) – Hall of Fame wrestler Daniel ROBIN (FRA), who won two silver medals at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, died Wednesday at the age of 74.

A native on Bron, France (near Lyon) Robin became France’s first first world champion wrestler in 1967. At the 1968 Olympic Games Robin earned silver medals in Greco-Roman and freestyle, both at welterweight. He is the only wrestler to ever earn two silver medals at the same Olympic Games.

Following his career on the mat, Robin became head national team coach for France and later vice-president of the French Wrestling Federation. After retirement Robin began working with FILA and United World Wrestling as a technical delegate. In 2010 Robin was named to the organizing committee of the 2012 London Olympics as director of the wrestling operations.

Robin was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012.

“Daniel was a great champion of our sport and his passion for wrestling was everlasting,” said United World Wrestling president Nenad LALOVIC. “As a person he touched the lives of many through kindness and his willingness to share how wrestling had such a positive impact on his life. My condolences go out to his family during this time.”

Robin was the in-house French announcer at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and was the technical delegate for the 2018 Commonwealth Games last month in Gold Coast, Australia.

Wrestlers from around the world remembered Robin with fondness Wednesday, remarking on his positive attitude and passion for developing the sport.

“Daniel Robin was an ambassador for wrestling and his commitment to improving the sport never stopped, he was actively involved with young wrestlers. His accomplishment as a double Olympic silver medallist depicts his passion for the sport in a feat that is one of a kind,” said Secretary General Michel DUSSON.

“He devoted his life to wrestling and was an accomplished champion but more over a great friend. He will be dearly missed, and my thoughts are with his family.”

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Nine wrestlers elected to UWW Athletes' Commission

By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 23) -- United World Wrestling held elections for the Athletes' Commission during the World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia from September 12 to 20.

UWW received 14 candidacies for nine posts in Athletes' Commission which earlier had seven posts. According to UWW guidelines, a minimum three elected members must be women out of the nine posts.

After the elections, which spanned over nine days and nearly 400 accredited wrestlers voting, the nine members elected to the Athletes’ Commission for the 2025–29 term were:

Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARG)
Yui SUSAKI (JPN)
Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)
Jessica LAVERS-McBAIN (AUS)
Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA)

The five wrestlers who could not be elected after the votes were:

Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)

With this election, all continents are represented in the commission with four women elected.

The nine members have now to elect their president after a call for candidates for the presidency. If only one candidacy is put forward, he or she will be elected automatically. The president represents the voice and interests of the athletes at the Bureau and the Congress.

United World Wrestling congratulates all candidates and welcomes the elected members.