#OffTheMat

What makes Amir Yazdani Olympic wrestling's next big super star?

Wednesday, June 29, 2022 - 14:04 By Eric Olanowski

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ISTANBUL, Turkey (June 29) --- In a country that’s birthed some of wrestling’s biggest stars, Amir YAZDANI (IRI) is on the cusp of becoming a household name. He has the perfect mix of attack-first style of wrestling, a massive smile and boatloads of energy – on and off the mat – which makes the 21-year-old a perfect candidate to be wrestling’s next big thing.

In our latest #OffTheMat special, we sat down with Yazdani to talk about his introduction into wrestling and how having one of wrestling’s most-famous last names impacted his path into the sport. He also walked us through his breakout performance at the 2021 World Championships where he reached the world finals.

Furthermore, Yazdani discussed the difficulties that came along with handing Iran their 65kg berth to the Tokyo Olympic Games but falling short in Iran’s Olympic wrestle off and how that impacted him in moving up to 70kg. He also talked about his #PathToParis and how 74kg is the likely destination over the next few years.

#Anti-Doping

CAS dismisses Datunashvili appeal against anti-doping violation

Thursday, November 20, 2025 - 02:28 By United World Wrestling Press

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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.