Obituary

Tragic Accident Claims Life of Russia's Zhiletezhev

By United World Wrestling Press

MOUNT ELBRUS, Russia (July 26) --- On Tuesday (July 24), Russian Wrestling Federation wrestler Ahmed ZHILETEZHEV (RWF) tragically passed away after falling off a cliff while hiking in the Buka-Bashi Mountains. 

The accident occurred in the vicinity of Mountain Elbrus, where the Russian Junior Freestyle Wrestling team is currently at a training camp (July 14-31).

On their day off, Zhiletezhev, a bronze medalist of the Russian U20 Championship 2022, and two friends Anton Suchkov and Shukhrat Rasulov, went to Buka-Bashi Mountain. Their route was not registered with the Ministry of Emergency Situations. At 20:07 on July 24, a group member was reported to have fallen into the canyon. Later, it was determined that Zhiletezhev tragically passed after falling off a cliff.

United World Wrestling expresses its deepest sympathies to the Russian Wrestling Federation and the Zhiletezhev family.

World Wrestling Day - May 23

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 23) -- The World Wrestling Day is celebrated on May 23 every year. It marks the occasion of first-ever unofficial World Championships held in Vienna, Austria in 1904. Since then, wrestling day has been a celebration for the wrestling family around the world.

The 1904 World Championships was held only in two weight classes of Greco-Roman and five countries participated in the tournament. There were 26 wrestlers -- 19 from Austria, three from Denmark, two from Germany and one each from Hungary and Bohemia, a former kingdom in Europe.

United World Wrestling wishes everyone a happy World Wrestling Day.