(ATR) President Raphaël Martinetti tells Around the Rings the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles will defend its spot in the Olympics "fiercely" following Tuesday’s snub from the IOC.
In his first public comments since the Executive Board’s decision, the Swiss says FILA received no explanation of the criteria leading the EB to its recommendation.
"I will meet the IOC President at the beginning of March, and I am expecting clear answers so that FILA can take the necessary measures in order to reverse the decision," he tells ATR, confirming Jacques Rogge’s report that he reached out to the FILA president in the wake of the vote.
"The purpose of the meeting will mainly be to listen to what the IOC President has to say and get confirmation of the voting process that will be implemented at the next IOC Session. We will defend ourselves fiercely, but first we need to receive answers."
Following its exclusion from the IOC list of 25 "core sports" for the 2020 Olympics, wrestling now joins karate, roller sport, squash, sport climbing, wakeboard, wushu as well as a joint bid by baseball and softball for consideration by EB members at their May meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia with one or more to be recommended for a vote of the IOC Session scheduled for September in Buenos Aires.
Martinetti says FILA will "majorly invest" in its St. Petersburg presentation to outline the sport’s universality, popularity and relevance to today’s competition program.
Wrestling was part of the first Olympics almost 3,000 years ago and has been in every modern Games since 1904.
In the IOC report on London 2012, however, wrestling reportedly ranked low in key criteria considered by EB members, including popularity with the public and global TV audience, among others.
Still, says Martinetti, the decision to drop wrestling from the Games came out of the blue for FILA.
"Neither our close contacts within the IOC nor the media had predicted such turn of events," he admits.
"We received many calls of support from IOC stakeholders who were as shocked as we were."
Despite the surprise, a public outpouring of support on Facebook, Twitter and various petition sites in the days since, particularly from the U.S. and Russia, suggests wrestling will not go down without a fight.
"FILA will lead global campaigns to receive wrestling fans' support around the world and to lobby the IOC members who will have the casting vote in September," says the Swiss.
"Actions will also be taken in view of improving communication with the media and general awareness on wrestling."
The FILA Bureau will meet over the weekend in Phuket, Thailand to discuss strategy as the sport gears up for a fight no one saw coming.
"Wrestling was born with mankind and, deep inside, it appeals to everyone's basic need for survival," Martinetti tells ATR.
"When one is ripped from his horse and weapons, wrestling is the only option. The entire wrestling community will show the world that one can be taken down, but the fight continues till the end."
Reported by Matthew Grayson
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
Últimas Noticias
Utah’s Olympic venues an integral part of the equation as Salt Lake City seeks a Winter Games encore
IOC president tells Olympic Movement “we will again have safe and secure Olympic Games” in Beijing
Boxing’s place in the Olympics remains in peril as IOC still unhappy with the state of AIBA’s reform efforts
IOC president details Olympic community efforts to get Afghans out of danger after Taliban return to power
North Korea suspended by IOC for failing to participate in Tokyo though its athletes could still take part in Beijing 2022
