Iran is going to host the freestyle competitions of Senior U23 Wrestling World Championships in 2020, after United World Wrestling (UWW) accepted the Islamic Republic’s proposal for the event.
The decision was recently made after the Islamic Republic of Iran Wrestling Federation (IRIWF) proposed collaborative holding of the tournament during the annual UWW Congress in the Hungarian capital city of Budapest in 2016, and later during a session in Paris the following year.
The proposal was approved by the board of directors of the international governing body for the sport of amateur wrestling.
During the Paris session, Iran’s representative pointed to the decline in the number of countries willing hosting the international wrestling competitions due to financial and executive difficulties. The UWW officials then agreed to let two countries co-host the games.
Iran will now host the freestyle contests of the Senior U23 Wrestling World Championships in 2020, while Finland would hold the Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling bouts. The dates for the events are yet to be announced.
The Islamic Republic of Iran had been unable to host the Senior U23 Wrestling World Championships since 2002, after the UWW stated that the championships must be held concurrently in the three categories of freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling.