#BackToWrestling

With Eye on Safety, Lithuania Returns to Practice Mats

By United World Wrestling Press

VILNIUS, Lithuania (May 22) -- With few cases of COVID-19 nationwide, Lithuania's top wrestlers are returning to the mat, albeit with safety precautions in place. 

Lithuania has only seen 1600 total cases of COVID-19 and 60 deaths. Despite the lower numbers the wrestling federation and the athletes are taking every precaution they can to ensure the health and safety of the wrestlers on the mat. The new guidelines for practice includes increased cleaning protocols, temperature checks, hand sanitization and face masks (for anyone not actively wrestling).

Athletes’ Commission member Mindaugas EZERSKIS mentioned the practices during Monday's Athlete Webinar with the commission and UWW President Nenad Lalovic. Ezerskis said the team is training during the week and taking weekends off with a focus on preparing for the Olympics and Olympic Qualification events. 

You can watch the full video, here.

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW receives applications for UWW Athletes Commission election

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (July 23) -- The United World Wrestling Athletes' Commission will bear a new look come September.

After the July 15 deadline to submit applications for candidates, 14 wrestlers have sent their applications to be elected to the Commission. The election for the same will be held during the September World Championships in Zagreb.

Nine members, including minimum three women members, will be elected to the Athletes' Commission by secret ballot by the athletes participating in the World Championships.

The winning wrestlers will elect the Commission's chairman, who will have a seat on the UWW Bureau for the next four years, and a right to vote at the Congress.

After the careful reviewing of the applications by an ad-hoc Nomination Commission to ensure compliance with the eligibility criteria outlined in the original call for candidates, 14 wrestlers were deemed eligible for the election.

The criteria included competitive activity in the past six years, good standing of their national federation, absence of disciplinary sanctions, and a demonstrated commitment to athletes' rights, among others.

The candidates listed below have been confirmed as eligible:

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
Abdellatif Mohamed AHMED (EGY)
Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARG)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)
Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
Jessica LAVERS-MCBAIN (AUS)

Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Yui SUSAKI (JPN)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)

It is expected from the members of this commission to actively participate in the work of this commission, to be the voice of the athletes within UWW and to represent and promote the wrestlers and wrestling around the world.

Each Continent must be represented in this commission, and one of the continental members will represent the commission in the Executive Committee of the concerned Continental Council.