Wrestling needs to emphasise its universality compared to the sports it is now bidding against to keep its place on the Olympic programme, its new interim President Nenad Lalovic admitted today.
The Serbian, who replaced Raphaël Martinetti as the new head of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) on Saturday (February 16), claimed that they had no idea that its place in the Olympic programme after Rio 2016 was even in danger.
"I am surprised by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) decision because we [FILA Bureau members] were kept without information," Lalovic told Reuters in a interview published today.
"No one even knew that there was an IOC Commission working on these problematic sports.
"As Bureau members we did not have this information.
"Now, why we did not have the information is another question that needs to be answered."
But Lalovic admitted his main task was rescuing wrestling from the situation it finds itself in after the IOC's ruling Executive Board last week voted for it to be removed from the core list of 28 programmes.
He is planning to travel extensively and when he is not on the road will be based in Lausanne, where both FILA and the IOC are based.
Wrestling will now join the seven sports bidding to be included on the Olympic programme - baseball/softball, karate, roller sports, squash, sport climbing, wakeboarding and wushu - giving presentations to the IOC Executive Board in St Petersburg at the end of May.
The final decision on which should be included as a core sport for 2020 will be taken by the full IOC Session in Buenos Aires in September.
"Wrestling has helped build the Olympic village since ancient times and now we are out," Lalovic told Reuters.
"The first steps will be to see how to integrate it back into the Olympic family, because end of May is the decision.
"We then have to survive Buenos Aires too.
"It is very difficult but if I was not optimistic I would not be here.
"That is where all our energy will be focused on now."
FILA has a total of 180 member National Federations
"There are some sports where the practising of these sports is minimal," said Lalovic.
"I don't want to say which these sports are because they are not our enemies.
"We have been bad neighbours, our approach to the Olympic Movement was in the past a little bit problematic.
"I strongly believe we first have to see what is happening now and then to criticise the others,
"I will try to meet with IOC members, to see as many as I can and for them to tell us what we have to change.
"We will also have professional presentation of our sport.
"It is our responsibility alone to address the issues that led to this situation.
"We are listening to the IOC's concerns and learning from their guidance."
"Now, why we did not have the information is another question that needs to be answered."
But Lalovic admitted his main task was rescuing wrestling from the situation it finds itself in after the IOC's ruling Executive Board last week voted for it to be removed from the core list of 28 programmes.
He is planning to travel extensively and when he is not on the road will be based in Lausanne, where both FILA and the IOC are based.
Wrestling will now join the seven sports bidding to be included on the Olympic programme - baseball/softball, karate, roller sports, squash, sport climbing, wakeboarding and wushu - giving presentations to the IOC Executive Board in St Petersburg at the end of May.
The final decision on which should be included as a core sport for 2020 will be taken by the full IOC Session in Buenos Aires in September.
"Wrestling has helped build the Olympic village since ancient times and now we are out," Lalovic told Reuters. "The first steps will be to see how to integrate it back into the Olympic family, because end of May is the decision.
"We then have to survive Buenos Aires too.
"It is very difficult but if I was not optimistic I would not be here.
"That is where all our energy will be focused on now."
FILA has a total of 180 member National Federations
"There are some sports where the practising of these sports is minimal," said Lalovic.
"I don't want to say which these sports are because they are not our enemies.
"We have been bad neighbours, our approach to the Olympic Movement was in the past a little bit problematic.
"I strongly believe we first have to see what is happening now and then to criticise the others,
"I will try to meet with IOC members, to see as many as I can and for them to tell us what we have to change.
"We will also have professional presentation of our sport.
"It is our responsibility alone to address the issues that led to this situation.
"We are listening to the IOC's concerns and learning from their guidance."
By Duncan Mackay
Source: www.insidethegames.biz