Top Stories of the Decade

Wrestling Expands to Include Cadet, U23 and U15 World Championship Events

Wednesday, December 25, 2019 - 22:38 By Andrew Hipps

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 25) -- Over the past decade, United World Wrestling has continued to expand its world championship events, reinstating the world championships for cadet wrestlers and adding world championship events for U23 and U15 wrestlers.

The first Cadet World Championships took place in 1975. However, it did not become an annual event on the competition calendar until 1987. Starting in 1987, the Cadet World Championships were contested for 13 consecutive years before being removed from the competition calendar after 1999. After a dozen years, the event was reinstated in 2011 and has once again become an annual world championship event that attracts the world's top 17-and-under wrestlers.

In 2017, United World Wrestling announced the addition of the U23 World Championships to its official competition calendar. The inaugural event took place that same year in Bydgoszcz, Poland. The U23 World Championships event was created following the success of the U23 European Championships in 2016 where more than 400 wrestlers from 34 nations competed for the continental gold. The large turnout was attributed to a desire by many national federations to give their top prospects a chance to compete in a meaningful federation-based championship.

Wrestling success tends to favor the young, with the average age of 2016 Olympic champion being just 23.1 years old for freestyle wrestling, 24.6 years in women’s wrestling and 27.5 years old in Greco-Roman.

In 2019, United World Wrestling held the World School Combat Games, the first-ever world championship event for U15 wrestlers, in Budapest, Hungary. Ten nations competed in freestyle and Greco-Roman, while seven competed in women’s wrestling. 

U-15 continental championship events were also held for Asia, Europe and the Americas.

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ASDEG Workshop: IF experts discuss AI and new technologies in coaching

Wednesday, December 4, 2024 - 16:31 By United World Wrestling Press

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LAUSANNE, Switzerland (December 4) -- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other new technologies in coaching topped the agenda of last week’s ASOIF Sport Development and Education Group (ASDEG) Workshop held in Lausanne. The meeting attracted more than 60 experts representing over 30 International Federations (IFs) to gain new insights, share best practice and learn from each other.

United World Wrestling Development Director and ASDEG Chair Deqa NIAMKEY attended the two-day workshop and highlighted the importance of the Workshop when she said:

"This edition of the ASDEG Workshop offered a diverse range of relatable topics to the IFs, focusing on the transformative potential of AI through inclusive education, innovation, and tailored applications for each IF’s unique needs," Niamkey said. "The Workshop serves as a valuable platform for networking, exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and transferring knowledge, all aligned with ASOIF's overarching good governance strategy. I would like to extend my gratitude to ASOIF and their team for their remarkable efforts in organizing such initiatives that elevate our sports, and to the ASDEG for their dedication and invaluable contributions."

The annual meeting is action-oriented and the participants agreed to implement the following initiatives over the next 12 months:

- support IFs in increasing representation of Women Technical Officials and Coaches to meet IOC targets
- design a training program for executives on the strategic and economic value of sport development
- collate Return On Investment information across IFs – including trends and recommendations
- establish regular communication to facilitate cross-sport collaboration and knowledge-sharing
- equip IFs on incorporating technology in development programs and resources for education

"Embracing new technologies and AI is no longer optional; it is a necessity for the International Federations to thrive across all areas, including leadership, sports development and coaching," Stefan LJUTZKANOV, Chief Product Officer Business and Development at Sport ERP, said. "These tools hold the potential to accelerate growth, improve decision-making, and foster inclusivity within our global sports community. The key lies in identifying the gaps and proactively addressing them. By leveraging AI and emerging technologies, we can enhance performance and redefine the roles of coaches, leadership, and athletes, ensuring the future of sport is both innovative and equitable."

Other sessions focused on innovations in delivering educational content to athletes and coaches, specific challenges faced by IFs in this area, IF success stories, and the certification of coach licenses to attain global recognition. Sheila Stephens DESBANS from Olympic Solidarity also joined in the Workshop to present projects and related changes for IFs in the next quadrennium.