Obituary

Olympic champion Tediashvili passes away at 75

Tuesday, February 20, 2024 - 16:45 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 19) -- Two-time Olympic champion and United World Wrestling Hall of Fame wrestler Levan TEDIASHVILI passed away on Saturday. He was 75 years old.

Tediashvili won the Freestyle gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics and repeated as the Olympic champion at the 1976 Montreal Games. The two Olympic gold medals were won in 82kg and 90kg weight classes respectively.

Born on March 15, 1948, Tediashvili was a four-time world champion, winning the gold medal in 1971, 1973, 1974 and 1975. His world title and two Olympic medals resulted in him remaining unbeaten internationally from 1971 to 1977.

Levan TEDIASHVILI
Levan TEDIASHVILI

In 1978, he jumped to the 100kg weight class and won a silver medal at the World Championships that year. He also won European titles three times.

Georgia awarded him with Vakhtang Gorgasali First Degree Medal and the title of Honorary Citizen of Tbilisi. The wrestling legend was inducted into the UWW Hall of Fame in 2005. He also acted in awarded winning films including Brighton 4th.

UWW mourns the passing of Tediashvili and expresses its deepest sympathies to the Tediashvili family.

Development

UWW partners with Shigakkan University to expand global wrestling training opportunities

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 - 11:59 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 16) – In a significant step towards enhancing training opportunities for athletes, coaches, and the global wrestling community, United World Wrestling has formed a strategic partnership with Shigakkan University, Japan.

Recognized as a pioneering institution in wrestling education, Shigakkan University has been home to many legendary Japanese wrestlers and has played a crucial role in the sport’s development.

The predecessor school of the university was founded in 1905, and its legacy in wrestling education traces back to Chukyo Women’s University Wrestling Club, established in 1989.

Over the years, the institution became highly regarded in the field of physical education, producing numerous Olympic medallists and world-class wrestlers. In 2010, the university was renamed Shigakkan University, opening its door as coeducational institution while continuing their mission of excellence in sports education.

At the heart of Shigakkan University’s philosophy is the principle of “Capacity Building”, which focuses on five key pillars:

  • Wellness – Promoting physical and mental well-being
  • Intellectual Insight – Encouraging academic excellence and innovation
  • Social Ability – Fostering teamwork and communication skills
  • Self-Development – Encouraging continuous personal growth
  • Effective Citizenship – Cultivating leadership and global engagement

UWW President Nenad LALOVIC expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating: “We are thrilled about this new collaboration with Shigakkan University, a prestigious institution recognized as the school of Japanese wrestling and highly respected within the global wrestling community. We are eager and excited to work with our colleagues at SUJ to contribute to the continued development of women’s wrestling worldwide.”

As part of this partnership, the UWW Development Department and Shigakkan University will work together to implement a range of high-impact initiatives, including:

  • Training camps for selected elite wrestlers, providing them with advanced technical, tactical, and physical preparation.
  • Education courses for wrestling coaches, aimed at equipping them with the latest coaching methodologies and sports science knowledge.
  • Knowledge-sharing activities, such as seminars, educational sessions, and coach exchanges, to promote continuous learning and best practices within the wrestling community.

These initiatives will play a vital role in strengthening world-class athlete preparation systems, supporting referees and coaches, and ensuring experience-sharing, particularly in the advancement of women’s wrestling.

Through this collaboration, UWW and Shigakkan University aim to elevate the sport by fostering international cooperation, enhancing training standards, and nurturing the next generation of wrestling champions.