Coaching Course

Ukraine Wrestling Federation Hosts Series of Education Activities for Coaches and Referees 

Wednesday, November 11, 2020 - 15:39 By United World Wrestling Press

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KIEV, Ukraine (November 11) -- The long journey to open up wrestling education activities is underway in Ukraine, with the recent delivery of the United World Wrestling Technical Courses for Coaches Level 1 and Level 2 held last week in Kiev.

The courses, comprising an ‘Introduction to Refereeing’ module, were attended by 31 coaches and referees, including 5 female participants. The educational experience was organized for the national wrestling coaches and referees in the Koncha-Zaspa Olympic training center Ukraine from 17th to 28th of October. The courses were initiated by the Ukrainian Wrestling Association and supported by the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine. Additional funding was provide by Olympic Solidarity.

"We are excited to see these courses being delivered in such a responsible manner," said UWW Development Director Deqa Niamkey. "The success of this event in Kiev demonstrated that with the support of local federation and authorities, we are able to find solutions together and carry out our educational activities with appropriate precautions."
 

The courses were well received by the national coaches and referees. The federation appreciated the support of the NOC, the OS and UWW, and appraised the UWW coaches courses. "The content is very useful for our coaches, it helps update their knowledge and skills and brought new perspective into wrestling coaching," said Ukrainian Wrestling Federation representative Dina Kharenko.

"The method used in delivery of these courses was engaging and interactive. We look forward to hosting the UWW TCC Level 3 in the near future."

The coaches courses were centered on the ‘Coaching and Safety’, ‘Practice and Planning’, ‘Developing a Coaching Philosophy’ and a review of the UWW Code of Ethics. An UWW ‘Introduction to Refereeing’ module was also delivered with an aim to help further advancing coaches’ understanding of the wrestling rules from referees perspective. An ‘Athlete Career Transition’ session was also held during the week.

Those who completed the course received certifications from the United World Wrestling via the Ukrainian Wrestling Association and the Olympic Solidarity via the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.

Sign up for free online courses at United World Wrestling Academy https://academy.unitedworldwrestling.org.

Saitiev, three-time Olympic champion, passes away aged 49

Sunday, March 2, 2025 - 17:40 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (March 2) -- Wrestling legend, three-time Olympic gold medalist and six-time world champion Buvaisar SAITIEV passed away Sunday. He was 49 years old and nine days short of his 50th birthday.

Saitiev was buried in the village of Novokuli in the Novolaksky district of Dagestan on Tuesday, March 4.

Saitiev, widely considered the best Freestyle wrestler of all time, was born in Dagestan but moved to Krasnoyarsk, Siberia to train at the Mindiashvili wrestling academy under the legendary coach Dmitri Mindiashvili.

The 49-year-old announced his retirement soon after winning his third Olympic title in Beijing 2008. His other two titles came in 1996 Atlanta Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics. In 2000 Sydney Olympics, Brandon SLAY (USA) defeated him.

Apart from the world and Olympic titles, Saitiev was six-time European champion.

 

United World Wrestling President Nenad LALOVIC expressed his shock on the untimely passing of Saitiev.

"The wrestling family is in shock with the passing of Saitiev," Lalovic said. "He was a legend of the sport and we lost him at a very young age of 49. Saitiev inspired wrestlers around the world and many took up the sport because of him. It's an unrepairable loss to the wrestling community and we are with the Saitiev family during this time of grief."

In 2007, Saitiev was awarded as the best Freestyle wrestler in history by UWW [then FILA].

Wrestling majorly in the 74kg weight class, Saitiev stood at 183 centimetres and made his World Championships debut in Atlanta, 1995. A year later, he won the gold medal at 74kg at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

He became world champion in 1997 and 1998 but did not participate in 1999. He lost to Slay in early rounds of the 2000 Sydney Olympics and finished ninth.

But he captured the gold medals again at the 2001 and 2003 World Championships and returned to the top at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He became the world champion in 2005 and 2006 and claimed his third Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.