#UWWAwards

Top Five Team Performances of '21

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 14) -- What a year 2021 will go down as. A year of uncertainty turned out to be a year full of remarkable performances. After the conclusion of the anthems and the team trophies where hoisted, five memorable performances stood out as this year’s most impressive collective showings of the season.

5. Iran’s ?? #WrestleOslo GR Team:
Despite falling six points shy of winning the team title in Oslo, Iran’s Greco-Roman unit, headed by world and Olympic champ MohammadReza Geraei, captured six medals – including four podium-topping finishes.

4. Kyrgyzstan’s ?? #WrestleOslo WW Team:
Kyrgyzstan’s women’s wrestling team has been on a meteoric rise to the top of wrestling's world stage since Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA’s emergence in ’17. This year, their team continue to defy odds, having a trio of medalists at the World Championships – including two gold-medal winners.

3. Ukraine’s ?? #WrestleBelgrade WW Team:
Alina AKOBIIA led the Ukraine’s women’s squad to their first-ever team world title at the U23 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. They had five finalists and three champs.

2. The Russian ?? Olympic Committee’s #WrestleTokyo FS Team:​​​​​​​
Led by five-time world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Abdulrashid SADULAEV, The Russian Wrestling Federation went 5-5 in medal matches and had three wrestlers claim Olympic golds.

1. Japan’s ?? #WrestleTokyo WW Team:
The top team performance of ’21 goes to Japan’s women’s wrestling team at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Sisters Risako and Yukako KAWAI were two of the host nations quartet of Olympic champs.

#development

ASDEC Chair Niamkey Leads Workshop on Sports Development

By United World Wrestling Press

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (May 9) -- Collaboration, innovation and open exchange was at the heart of a two-day workshop, organised by the ASOIF Sport Development and Education Commission (ASDEC) on May 5 and 6 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The meeting brought together more than 60 participants from 30 International Federations (IFs) for two days of peer exchange and practical discussion on key issues shaping the future of sport development.

Held in a collaborative and informal setting, the workshop focused on topics including coach development, officiating, National Federation support, and the evolving delivery of sport development programme.

During the workshop, Olympic Solidarity hosted roundtable discussions giving participants an opportunity to exchange feedback, ideas and perspectives on existing programmes and future collaboration opportunities.

Participant feedback strongly highlighted the value of the workshop as a trusted environment for open discussion, practical learning and networking across International Federations. Many participants - particularly first-time attendees, but also experienced delegates who had attended numerous workshops - emphasised the importance of having a collaborative and non-political space in which to share challenges, ideas and experiences openly.

ASDEC Chair Deqa NIAMKEY, Development Director at United World Wrestling, highlighted after the workshop:

"The ASDEC Workshop 2026 was a great success, offering International Federations a wide range of relevant topics, including updates on the current trends and landscape of sports business industry, participation programmes, and strategies for entering new markets," Niamkey said.

"The workshop also fostered meaningful discussions with key partners focused on the development and growth of our sports. It continues to serve as an important platform for networking, exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and transferring knowledge, all in line with ASOIF’s broader good governance strategy."

The workshop concept is fully aligned with the third strategic pillar of the ASOIF Strategy 2026–2032, which focuses, among other priorities, on developing and modernising platforms for shared learning and adding value by addressing member priorities and sector developments.

Read More: From AI to Officiating, ASOIF Workshop Explores Future of Sport Development