#Grappling, #Pankration

Grappling, AMMA 2026 European C'ships in Armenia, Asians in Vietnam

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 10) -- United World Wrestling has announced the dates and host cities for its 2026 Grappling, Pankration and Amateur MMA continental championships.
 
The 2026 Grappling, Pankration & AMMA European Championships will take place in Yerevan, Armenia from May 24 to 31. The event will feature competitions in the U15, U17, U20, Senior and Veteran age categories, bringing together top athletes from across the Europe.

Shortly after, the 2026 Grappling, Pankration & AMMA Asian Championships will be held Da Nang, Vietnam, from June 4 to 9 June. The competition will be in all age categories barring the Veterans.

European Championships Schedule:
- 2026 Senior, U20, U17, U15 & Veteran Grappling European Championships, May 24-27 (Yerevan, Armenia)
- 2026 Senior, U20, U17 & U15 AMMA & Pankration European Championships, May 28-31 (Yerevan, Armenia)

Asian Championships Schedule:
- 2026 Senior, U20, U17 & U15 Grappling Asian Championships, June 4-6 (Da Nang, Vietnam)
- 2026 Senior, U20, U17 & U15 AMMA & Pankration Asian Championships, June 7-9 (Da Nang, Vietnam)

Importantly, both Championships will be held in only Grappling style and will not have Grappling Gi style.

Open Grappling Tournament

Vietnam will also host an open Grappling international tournament, 2026 Tri-Titans Grappling Open, from June 2 to 3. The tournament will be open to athletes of all ages from around the world.

Further information regarding event regulations, entry deadlines, and logistical details will be communicated in due course by UWW. National Federations are encouraged to mark the dates and contact UWW for any queries.

#Anti-Doping

CAS dismisses Datunashvili appeal against anti-doping violation

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (November 22) -- The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has upheld the five-year ban imposed on Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB), dismissing his appeal against the sanction handed down last year.

The CAS Anti-Doping Division (CAS ADD) sanctioned Datunashvili with five years of ineligibility on September 19, 2024. He filed an appeal against the decision, but on November 17, 2025, CAS dismissed the appeal and confirmed the sanction. His period of ineligibility will run until April 10, 2028.

Datunashvili had been charged by the ITA with multiple anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs), including the use of urine substitution in the lead-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the creation and use of a fabricated video as evidence to justify a missed out-of-competition doping control in 2022.

As a result of the sanction, all results obtained by Datunashvili from May 27, 2021, to April 11, 2023 (the date of his provisional suspension) were disqualified, including his bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and the gold medals he won at the 2021 and 2022 World Championships.