Women's Wrestling

Wrestling Wraps Up Historic Women’s Development Camp

Tuesday, April 3, 2018 - 17:45 By Tim Foley

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TOKYO (April 2) – United World Wrestling conducted it’s largest-ever women’s wrestling development camp last week in Tokyo, with more than 160 wrestlers and coaches from 21 nations participating in the landmark camp.

“This was a major step for the sport of women’s wrestling,” remarked United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic. “We have been trying very hard to increase participation in events and to bring attention to our strong women. This camp was a perfect success.”

The camp followed the 2018 Women’s Wrestling World Cup in Takasaki and was sponsored by United World Wrestling. The Japanese Wrestling Federation was a key partner, helping to provide lodging, food, transportation, and instruction

“Anywhere in the world where we can come together, I think we are going to grow and we are going to grow this sport,” said Erica WIEBE (CAN). The 2016 Olympic Champion was on hand for all five days of the camp. “Wrestling, it changes lives!”

Athletes were taught new warm-up techniques, drills and spent several hours sparring. The enthusiasm and comradery expressed by the women was also conspicuous, with bouts of laughter intermingling with even the toughest conditioning workouts.

The camp featured coaching instruction with coaches from Japan, China, United States, Belarus and more. While aimed at the athletes, the coaches said they found the camp to be beneficial to their development, often learning new ways to pique the interest of their girls.

China's coaching staff has a new face in Simon ATANASSOV. The Bulgarian national recently came off a coaching stint in Azerbaijan (Photo: Max Rose Fyne)

Simon ATANASSOV, a familiar face to wrestling fans around the world, attended his first-ever camp as a member of the Team China coaching staff. Atanassov recently took up residence to Beijing after five years in Azerbaijan, where he was the head men’s and women’s wrestling coach.

“I believe all the coaches gained something from me and I gained from them. I learnt from Japan and America. We shared each other’s experience and became better coaches. This is just great! I am for the development of wrestling!”

The camp attendees also visited Tokyo as part of a group tour put together by the JWF. Wrestlers saw the site for wrestling at the 2020 Tokyo Games before being taken on a tour of popular tourist destinations.

“The Japanese wrestlers have been so open with us,” said three-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA). “They are pulling us into activities on and off the mat, showing us what foods to eat and not to eat. How to get on and off the train. Where to shop. It’s been that social aspect along with the competition in wrestling.”

“We are all out and having fun, but we are all sore!” said Gray.

Development

Iraqi Wrestling Federation host 2nd course for Coaches and Referees

Tuesday, June 17, 2025 - 12:56 By United World Wrestling Press

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Baghdad, Iraq (June 17) – The Iraqi Wrestling Federation continues to look to provide education for their coaches and referees. From May 25-30, the IRQ Federation hosted a Level 2 Coaching Course and the Introduction to Referee Course.  These were conducted in conjunction with Olympic Solidarity and United World Wrestling.  The coaching course was led by Mr. Hassan Madany (EGY) and the referee course was led by Mr. Hadi Hasan Ismael (IRQ).  

The Level 2 coaching course focused on the designing and implementing of practice plans.  There were 25 coaches that participated in the course.  The participants The following topics were covered throughout the course: seven basic skills of wrestling, introduction to performance analysis designing effective practice sessions, and technical session. During the course, the coaches actively practiced and developed their skills through practical evaluations.  “The atmosphere was comfortable and collaborative, creating an excellent learning environment. Everyone was eager to engage with the course content across various topics, but there was particular enthusiasm for match performance analysis and practical application.  Notably, most participants were former international players, including some who competed in the London 2012 Olympics in the 130 kg Greco-Roman category, such as Coach Ali Nazem. Their presence significantly enhanced the course level, especially in the practical aspects.  In the end, I was pleased to be part of this course and to work alongside such a distinguished group of coaches.” Said Mr. Madany.

The Introduction to Refereeing Course was the first-ever women-only course in Iraq.  This course had 17 women who were new to refereeing.  The participants learned the foundations of what it takes to be a great referee.  The areas covered during the course included:  safety of the athletes, evaluation of holds, referee mechanics, positioning, and controlling the bout.  The participants were active during the course and were able to practice their skills through practical evaluations.  “The course was conducted successfully and demonstrated strong organization throughout. The participants showed a high level of enthusiasm, which was clearly reflected in their active engagement during the sessions. Despite all attendees having no prior experience in wrestling, their overall performance was commendable. Several participants displayed exceptional comprehension and aptitude, which was evident in their practical application of refereeing skills during the championship held the day after the course concluded.” Said Mr. Hadi Hasan Ismael.

At the conclusion of the courses, the Iraqi Wrestling Federation organized a competition. The competition allowed the coaches and referees to directly practice the new skills that they learned.

“First of all, I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the International Wrestling Federation and the Development Committee of the Federation for their continuous support in developing wrestling in Iraq. Regarding the training and refereeing course, which concluded with great success, the lecturers Hassan Madani and Hadi Hassan presented valuable and useful expertise and information, which was well received and appreciated by all participants”. said Mr. Shaalan Abdulkadhim, President of Iraqi Wrestling Federation.

IRQParticipants gather for a group photo following the conclusion of the Level 2 Coaching Course in Baghdad. (Photo: United World Wrestling) 

Quotes from some of the participants:

“The course was of great importance, particularly due to the inclusion of practical applications, which proved to be the most engaging and beneficial aspect for the participants. These hands-on sessions complemented the theoretical lectures, which focused on thoroughly studying the core materials and concepts before transitioning to their practical implementation.” – Hoyam Jazea

“The course was very enjoyable and rich with valuable information that has already benefited us and will certainly be useful in the future. Although the duration of the course was short, the knowledge we gained was impactful and left a lasting impression. For future, I hope there will be more courses, as it would allow us to deepen our understanding and expand our knowledge of refereeing.” – Saja Tariq

"The overall impression of the Level 1 Wrestling Refereeing Course was very positive. It was a well-structured and fruitful course that provided a solid introduction to the fundamentals of wrestling, including basic techniques, refereeing principles, mat movement, and scoring methods. The theoretical component was clearly presented, and the instructor’s approach to delivering the material was excellent, making the information easy to understand and absorb.” – Rusul Falah