MOSCOW: The world wrestling federation (FILA) will hold an extraordinary congress in May to elect a new president as the ancient sport battles to maintain its place on the Olympic programme.
“FILA will hold its extraordinary Congress on May 18 in Moscow to elect a new president and discuss a variety of issues concerning keeping the sport in the Olympic Games,” the sport’s governing body said on its website (www.fila-official.com).
Last month, the executive board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), made a surprise recommendation to drop wrestling from the Olympic programme in 2020.
The sport, which featured in the first modern Olympics in 1896 and every Games since apart from 1900, has joined seven other candidates battling for one spot. The world wrestling community, put the blame largely on FILA chief Raphael Martinetti, forcing the Swiss to resign and naming Serbian Nenad Lalovic as acting president. REUTERS
