Takedown Report

International Wrestling News – # 11

TDR Editor’s Notes ; Included are several links to stories about Iran’s controversial execution of a champion wrestler. (#2, 7, 8, & 9). USA wrestlers are of more interest to us, of course their stories are included (# 3, 4 & 6). The impact of the cuts in collegiate programs due to the pandemic crisis has been especially severe. (#10). The adjustments in upcoming events are included. (#1 & 5)
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1 } – United World Wrestling confirms dates for postponed Olympic qualifiers
By Michael Pavitt Sunday, 27 September 2020
Dates for the three remaining continental Olympic qualifiers have been confirmed by United World Wrestling (UWW), as part of an update to the sport’s international calendar. The governing body had confirmed in May that the hosts of the qualifiers were unchanged from the postponed events this year, with Xi’an in China, El Jadidda in Morocco and Hungary’s capital Budapest holding competitions.
El Jadidda is scheduled to host the Africa and Oceania Olympic qualifier from March 12 to 14, with Budapest staging the European qualifier from March 19 to 21. Xi’an is due to hold the Asian qualifier from March 26 to 28. Wrestlers will then have a final chance to secure a Tokyo 2020 berth at the World Olympic Games qualifier in Sofia. This event is scheduled to take place from April 29 to May 2 in Bulgaria’s capital city. … rest of story at _{https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1098885/uww-dates-for-tokyo-2020-qualifiers?mc_cid=8e7f0f219d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

2 } – IRAN EXECUTES WRESTLER
United World Wrestling suggests Iran suspension over Afkari execution unlikely
By Ali Iveson   Wednesday, 16 September 2020
United World Wrestling (UWW) has downplayed the prospect of Iran being banned from wrestling competitions or the Olympic Games following the execution of wrestler Navid Afkari. The 27-year-old, who was given two death sentences for stabbing a security guard and his involvement in demonstrations against the country’s regime in 2018 but claimed he had been coerced into giving a a false confession, was executed last week, state media reported. Human Rights Watch said Afkari’s case was “part of a systematic pattern in which Iranian authorities disregard torture allegations and use coerced confessions in trial proceedings”. UWW and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) were among multiple organisations to call for clemency, and Afkari’s killing has led to calls from many for Iran to be excluded from the Olympics.
However, in a statement provided to insidethegames, UWW suggested such a course was unlikely to be plotted, citing that this would punish other athletes from Iran. “The execution of wrestler Navid Afkari in Iran was very sad news,” UWW said. .. story at _{https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1098502/uww-statement?mc_cid=f697b041da&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}
Expulsion of Iran leads World Players Association’s demands of sporting world after Afkari execution Sept. 17th
World Players Association executive director Brendan Schwab has outlined five commitments the pressure group wants the sporting world to make following the execution of wrestler Navid Afkari in Iran. Iranian state media reported that Afkari was executed on Saturday (September 12). 
The 27-year-old had been given two death sentences for allegedly stabbing a security guard to death and his involvement in demonstrations against the country’s regime in 2018. Afkari had claimed he was tortured into making a false confession and human-rights groups and activists believe he was unjustly targeted by the Iranian authorities to intimidate others who might choose to participate in peaceful protests. … rest of story at _{https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1098542/five-commitments-from-sporting-world?mc_cid=f6e465b58d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}
US announces sanctions against officials involved in Afkari execution
Sept. 25th
United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced sanctions against officials involved in the execution of wrestler Navid Afkari in Iran. Afkari was executed on September 12, having been given two death sentences for allegedly stabbing a security guard to death and his involvement in demonstrations against the country’s regime in 2018. Afkari had claimed he was tortured into making a false confession and human-rights groups and activists believe he was unjustly targeted by the Iranian authorities to intimidate others who might choose to participate in peaceful protests. The US announced sanctions against Judge Seyyed Mahmoud Sadati, Judge Mohammad Soltani, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz, plus Adel Abad, Orumiyeh, and Vakilabad Prisons. … rest of story at _{https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1098843/us-sanctions-related-to-afkari-case?mc_cid=29285b55e6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

3 } – Former Penn State wrestler Bo Nickal announces weight for Olympic Trials
After much anticipation, three-time NCAA champion Bo Nickal announced via Instagram and Twitter the weight he intended to wrestle at the 2021 Olympic Trials. Nickal, who wrestled at 174, 184 and 197 pounds in college, revealed that he’ll attempt to secure the 86 kg spot on the US Olympic Team for the upcoming Tokyo games. … rest of story at _{https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports/wrestling/article_367bf85e-fc68-11ea-86c8-435010c59e35.html?mc_cid=e10bcd29f6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

4 } – What Rulon Gardner Has Been Up (and Down) to
Since making Olympic history in 2000, the wrestler has battled his share of adversity. But he has never wavered in his commitment to motivating—whether it’s young wrestlers, those in the business world or, not least of all, himself. Rulon Gardner is crammed into the driver’s seat of a 2006 Volkswagen Beetle. As he weaves around trucks, zipping up I-15 North through Provo, Utah, he may be the biggest human on the highway, packed into one of the tiniest vehicles. But he just loves that little red car, with the odometer approaching 300,000 miles. … rest of story at _{https://www.si.com/olympics/2020/09/24/rulon-gardner-ups-and-downs-20-years-daily-cover?mc_cid=29285b55e6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

5 } – Update to Calendar and Events for 2021
CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 24) — United World Wrestling has updated its event calendar for the 2021 season to reflect all recent adjustments made due to the impact of COVID-19 on a variety of international events.
The Continental Championships will be scheduled at the beginning of the year in order to add the Continental and World Qualifiers. Because the Senior Pan-American Continental Qualifiers were held last year, the Continental Championships will be held at the end of May.
The Continental Championships: 
January 29-31: Oceania Championships, Pago Pago, ASA
February 02-07: African Championships, Marrakech, MAR
February 08-14: European Championships, Katowice, POL
February 16-21: Asian Championships, Almaty, KAZ
May 27-30: Pan-Am Championships, Rio de Janeiro, BRA … rest of story at _{https://unitedworldwrestling.org/article/update-calendar-and-events-2021?mc_cid=8e7f0f219d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

6 } – Former OSU Heavyweight Alan Gelogaev has become a U.S. Citizen
From Russia to Oklahoma State to United States citizen.
Former Cowboy heavyweight and two-time All American Alan Gelogaev has become a U.S. Citizen. Gelogaev, who was originally from Moscow, Russia, came to the United States and eventually Oklahoma State in 2008 via a connection he made with Olympians Daniel Cormier and Jamill Kelly. Kelly and Cormier were training in Russia at the time. Gelogaev struggled with some injuries throughout his career but when healthy was as exciting as they come. … rest of story at _{https://pistolsfiringblog.com/former-osu-heavyweight-alan-gelogaev-has-become-a-u-s-citizen/?mc_cid=a2feb99899&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

7 } – Thousands Sign AJC Letter Urging IOC to Bar Iran From Tokyo Olympics
NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Thousands of people from 39 countries around the world have signed an American Jewish Committee (AJC) letter urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban Iran from the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. The signed letter was delivered today to IOC President Thomas Bach, ahead of tomorrow’s IOC meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. “Iran’s record of abuse against its own athletes is abysmal,” states the AJC letter to Bach.
The letter details Iran’s repeated and ongoing violations of the Olympic Charter, of the Olympic ethos, and of basic human rights. “Iran’s record of abuse in sports is just one area of an elaborate tapestry of wholesale violations of basic human rights carried out by the Islamic Republic against its own citizens,” states the letter. … rest of story at _{https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thousands-sign-ajc-letter-urging-ioc-to-bar-iran-from-tokyo-olympics-301147278.html?mc_cid=2b31bc4749&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

8 } – Olympics slammed for not caring about murder of Iranian wrestler
“And the IOC turned away, claiming that Navid is not their problem.”
The organization Global Athlete issued a scathing indictment of the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday for its refusal to act against Iran’s regime in response to the execution of Iranian champion Greco-Roman wrestler Navid Afkari.“The IOC’s failure to stand up for athletes’ human rights – their willingness to stand by while athletes are jailed, tortured and executed – is a gross abdication of duty,” said two-time Olympian Noah Hoffman, a Global Athlete member.  … rest of story at _{https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/olympics-slammed-for-not-caring-about-murder-of-iranian-wrestler-644965?mc_cid=a13c46544f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

9} – US sanctions Iran judge who ordered wrestling champ’s execution
The United States imposed sanctions on an Iranian judge who sentenced Navid Afkari to death over his role in anti-government protests in 2018.
The United States has imposed sanctions on the Iranian judge who sentenced a wrestling champion to death over his role in anti-government protests in 2018.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo formally announced the sanctions against Judge Sayyed Mahmoud Sadati in a statement on September 24. He referred to the killing as an “unconscionable act” before calling on nations to “promote accountability for this regime.” “Navid had previously competed in Iran’s National Wrestling Championship and he had so much more to accomplish in life,” Sec. Pompeo said in a statement. “Too often, the Iranian regime targets, arrests, and kills the brightest and most promising Iranians, thereby depriving Iran of its greatest asset – the skill and talent of its own people. Navid’s death must not be in vain: … rest of story at _{https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2020/9/28/21472051/usa-sanctions-iran-judge-wrestling-champ-execution-navid-afkari-mike-pompeo-news?mc_cid=8e7f0f219d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

10 } – College sports cuts in the wake of Covid-19 are clouding the future of Olympics participation
Colleges aren’t just postponing sports seasons — they’re canceling them and imperiling the feeder system that brings athletes to the Olympics.
By Matt Marshall, Daniel Arkin and Kanwal Syed
Emily Molins was well on her way to competing in the Olympics. Molins, 20, a lightweight rower, joined the under-23 U.S. national team last year, and she competed for Stanford University’s national championship team.
Then in early July, Molins was invited to join a brief Zoom video call. Stanford’s athletic director informed her and her teammates that their program would be eliminated because of a history of cost overruns in the sports department that Covid-19 had made even worse.
The news devastated Molins. Her Olympic aspirations had been thrown into uncertainty. “This decision makes it much, much harder, especially as a college athlete, to have the resources to pursue elite athletics,” said Molins, who has since decided to take a gap year. Stanford isn’t the only college making adjustments to its sports programs. Numerous college sports conferences and universities have postponed fall sports for reasons centering on safety concerns for student athletes around Covid-19 — and now some college sports programs are being cut altogether. The cuts, many of which are taking place in programs that feed athletes to U.S. Olympic teams, … rest of story at _{https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/college-sports-cuts-wake-covid-19-are-clouding-future-certain-n1243803?mc_cid=1debff05aa&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

November 21, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized