Rousseff, Medvedev Meet; Kalmadi Trial Resumes; Wrestling Roundup

Rousseff, Medvedev Discuss Olympics

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff hosted Russian Prime Minster Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday in Brasilia, where the two discussed the Olympics.

A statement posted on Medvedev’s official website following his meeting with vice president Michel Temerev said the two leaders signed a Memorandum of Understanding relating to legacy for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

"Our countries will spend the next few years working on major sports events: the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup," Medvedev said.

"We certainly look forward to the experience of Brazil and are willing to share our experiences."

A report in the Associated Press cites a Brazilian Defense Ministry statement that it was granted permission to buy anti-aircraft defense systems from Russia ahead for the 2016 Olympics. Rousseff reportedly brought the talks up with Medvedev in their official meeting.

Kalmadi Trial Begins

Disgraced Indian Olympic Association president and 2010 Commonwealth Games chief Suresh Kalmadi began his trial for corruption on Wednesday.

Kalmadi as well as current IOA president Lalit Bhanot and eight other Delhi 2010 officials are charged with defrauding the government of several million dollars. The 10 officials pleaded not guilty in early February.

The first day of trail featured recorded evidence from Ananda Swaroop, director of publication and communication for the 2010 organizing committee.

Putin to Fight for Wrestling, Says Aide

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said Wednesday that Russia will fight on every possible level to secure wrestling's Olympic future.

The ancient sport was struck off a list of core Olympic disciplines by the IOC last week, raising a chorus of protests from Russia and other traditional wrestling powerhouses like India, Iran and the U.S.

"Of course, there will be on all possible levels - both official and working - meetings with members of the IOC executive board, with IOC members, in the course of which arguments will be made in favor of this decision not being taken," Dmitry Peskov said.

In the wake of the decision, Raphael Martinetti resigned as president of wrestling’s FILA world governing body after barely surviving a vote of no confidence, and has been replaced in an acting capacity by Serbia’s Nenad Lazovic.

Wrestling must now grapple with seven candidate disciplines for the sole remaining slot with the final decision to be taken at the IOC Session in September.

Wrestling Champ Returns Medal

Olympic wrestling champion Valentin Yordanov is returning his gold medal to the IOC in protest of the decision to cut wrestling from the core sports of the Summer Games.

Yordanov, now president of the Bulgarian wrestling federation, sent an open letter to IOC president Jacques Rogge.

"As a protest, I return the gold medal I won at the Atlanta Olympics to the IOC," a statement published on the federation's website said.

"Thus, I express my solidarity with the millions of athletes and fans who disapprove of the IOC’s decision."

Yordanov joins the Russian, U.S. and Iranian national Olympic officials to have expressed dissatisfaction at wrestling’s removal from the program.

"But we have to recognize that by ignoring wrestling you have achieved what none of the politicians could do," Yordanov wrote, "To unite Russia, the USA and Iran for the cause of saving a sport without which the Olympics will never be the same."

Seven-time world champion Yordanov won his Olympic gold in the 52kg weight class in 1996 after winning bronze in Barcelona four years earlier.

Written by Ed Hula IIIwith copy provided by exclusive partnership with RIA Novosti, the host agency of Sochi 2014

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