#WrestleParis

Paris 2024: Vinesh disqualified; Guzman vs Hildebrandt in 50kg final

By United World Wrestling Press

PARIS (August 7) — Vinesh VINESH, from NOC of India in 50kg, failed the weigh-in on day two of her competition which has forced United World Wrestling to promote Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB) to the final of 50kg at the Paris Olympics. She will take on Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) in the final.

According to Article 11 of the International Wrestling Rules:

a) If an athlete does not attend or fail the weigh-in (the 1st or the 2nd weigh-in), she/he will be eliminated from the competition and ranked last, without rank.

b) “If one (or more) athletes qualified for the repechages and/or finals don’t attend or fail the weigh-in, the athlete(s) (who successfully passed the second weigh-in) will move to the next round in his(their) part of the bracket.

Therefore, according to our rules above and ORIS, that states “2.6.2.4 Failing the second-day Weigh-in, no later than ten (10) minutes after the weigh-in is completed the IF Delegate will provide the OC Technology representative with the copy of the official output "Weigh-in List for Second Day" (C50B), on which reasons for failure to qualify will be identified. 

If one of the finalists does not attend, or fails the Weigh-in, he will be replaced by the wrestler who lost against him in the semifinals. This wrestler will compete for the gold medal. The repechage will have one less round, in their part of the bracket.”, then we shall act accordingly.

Under these rules, Guzman will wrestle for gold while the 50kg will have one less round of repechage and Vinesh's results will be disqualified.

The 50kg bronze medal bout will be between Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Oksana LIVACH (UKR).

Development

Wrestling completes tree-planting initiative in Casablanca

By United World Wrestling Press

CASABLANCA, Morocco (June 30) --- A tree-planting initiative was organized in Casablanca in partnership with local authorities. This initiative aimed to raise participants’ awareness of the environmental emergency and the role of sport in combating climate change.

“Planting a tree is sowing a promise. Today, we plant for tomorrow, just as we train today for tomorrow’s medals,” said Assad Ouassama a young Moroccan wrestler participating in the camp, with emotion.

An educational session on environmental protection in sport also took place on April 25, continuing eco-responsible momentum.

A Fraternal Atmosphere and a Family Spirit

Beyond the technical and educational aspects, this camp provided many athletes with the opportunity to build lasting bonds with their fellow African counterparts.

“I leave not only stronger, but with lifelong friends. Camps like this strengthen our continental identity and spirit of unity,” emphasized Rahman Sesay ABDUL, a Sierra Leonean coach attending the training camp.

The warm atmosphere and high-quality exchanges confirmed the value of this holistic approach to sports training.

Toward a New Model of Sports Organization in Africa

By combining sporting excellence with educational values and social engagement, United World Wrestling is promoting an innovative model for competitions across the African continent.

“Casablanca 2025 is not just a competition; it’s a turning point. By integrating these educational dimensions, we are building a sustainable ecosystem for wrestling in Africa,” concluded Fouad Meskout, President of UWW Africa.

A Lasting Legacy for Casablanca and Africa

As the African Championships opened in an atmosphere of commitment and unity, the training camp organized by UWW stood out as a model to follow. It demonstrated that athletic performance can -- and should -- be paired with social and environmental consciousness.