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Olympics: Wrestlers urged to lobby IOC

Japanese wrestling chiefs urged Olympic medallists to join forces to save their sport from the chop at the 2020 Games.

Afp February 21, 2013 Less than a minute read

TOKYO: Japanese wrestling chiefs on Wednesday urged Olympic medallists the world over to join forces to save their sport from the chop at the 2020 Games.

Tomiaki Fukuda, vice president of the international wrestling federation FILA, said in Tokyo he had proposed the lobbying plan in letters to all executives of the organisation.

The medallists are being asked to gather in the Russian city of St Petersburg when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board meets on May 26-31.

“I have proposed that they lobby the IOC executives and hold rallies to state our case there,” said Fukuda. “We have been insufficient in lobbying the IOC. Russia has promised to mobilise all medallists, including Karelin.”

Fukuda said he had also proposed the heads of all 180 national wrestling federations write a letter to IOC president Jacques Rogge asking him to help keep the sport part of the Games.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2013.