#WrestleOslo

Wrestling Announces New Members of Athletes’ Commission

Wednesday, October 13, 2021 - 19:58 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (October 1) -- United World Wrestling has announced seven new members of the organization's Athletes’ Commission. The wrestlers were voted onto the commission by their fellow athletes at the 2021 Senior World Wrestling Championships in Oslo, Norway. 

United World Wrestling's Athletes' Commission
LORINCZ, Tamas (HUN)
SUSAKI, Yui (JPN)
JULFALAKYAN, Arsen (ARM)
YAZDANICHARATI, Hassan (IRI)
LACEY GARITA, Maxwell Lemar (CRC)
OBORUDUDU, Blessing (NGR)
LAVERS-MCBAIN, Jessica (AUS)

The Athletes' Commission was established in 2013 with the role of protecting the rights and interests of all United World Wrestling Olympic style athletes. The Athletes' Commission members reach out and communicate with active athletes as peers to collect feedback. 

Tasks and Duties 

  • Meet in person at least once a year and actively communicate and work toward upholding the mandate 
  • Actively communicate with all UWW Olympic style athletes 
  • Provide important information to all active UWW Olympic style athletes 
  • To propose improvements on behalf of the athletes to the United World Wrestling Bureau. 
  • To contribute their opinions to the United World Wrestling Executive Committee on amendments to the Rules. 
  • To propose to the United World Wrestling Executive Committee possible improvements to the competition system and to the Rules. 

The Athletes’ Commission in due time will decide on a chairperson from the seven members. The chairperson will be a voting member of the United World Wrestling bureau and replaces 2012 Olympic champion and four-time world gold medallist Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) who has served in the role since September 2017.

United World Wrestling is the international governing body of wrestling and is headquartered in Corsier--Sur-¬Vevey, Switzerland. To learn more about United World Wrestling and the activities of its 179 national federations, please visit: www.uww.org, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

#WrestleBudapest

Ranking Series: Tazhudinov Shows No Rust on His Way to Gold

Thursday, July 17, 2025 - 21:32 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 17) --  Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) gave an early preview to what to expect from him at the World Championships in September.

The Paris Olympic champion won the gold medal in the 97kg weight class at the Budapest Ranking Series, outscoring his opponents 44-2 in four bouts and never appearing in trouble on the mat.

"I feel very good," Tazhudinov said. "I'm very happy to be back on the mat. It’s been almost a year I haven’t been competing  and it’s such a pleasure for us when you come back and win a gold medal."

The final Ranking Series event of the season kicked off in Budapest on Thursday with several familiar names winning gold medals. Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN), world silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), world U20 champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) and SUJEET (IND) were among the gold medalists on day one.

But none were as dominant as Tazhudinov.

The Bahrain star returned to competition for the first time since Paris Olympics competing last week in Madrid, where he won gold at the Grand Prix of Spain. In Budapest, he followed it up with another flawless run, claiming his second gold medal in as many weeks.

"Overall I’m satisfied with my performance. I would say I’m not yet in full form, so I’m pleased with how I did. I’ll reach 100% form by the World Championships," he said.

Wrestling in just his third career Ranking Series, Tazhudinov capped the day with an 11-0 technical superiority win over veteran Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) in the final.

He opened the tournament with a 14-2 win over Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA), who clearly looked smaller for the weight class and had trouble matching Tazhudinov in every aspect of the game.

Tazhudinov hit a big double-leg attack for four points but Viskhanov got two points for exposure. But that was only opening Tazhudinov allowed for the rest of the bout. Viskhanov tried a few leg attacks but Tazhudinov scored a takedown and two turns to be up 10-2 before an arm-bar attempt turned into takedown for his win.

In the quarterfinals, Tazhudinov needed just one minute to defeat Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (UWW). In the semifinals, he dispatched Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) in 1:48, winning 10-0.

Despite the dominant performance in Budapest, Tazhudinov admitted the World Championships would present a tougher challenge. He’s expected to defend his 97kg world title in Zagreb.

"We’ll have two training camps leading up to the World Championships, and I think after those camps I’ll be fully ready," he said. "There will be very strong, tough opponents. So I’ll prepare thoroughly and focus on performing even better."