Interim FILA President Mr. Nenad Lalovic (Serbia) is to meet with International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge to discuss Wrestling’s controversial omission from the list of 25 core Olympic sports after Rio 2016.

The two will meet in Lausanne on 7th March.

This will be a good opportunity for Wrestling to find out what changes are thought necessary to give the best chance of being voted back in as an Olympic Sport post-2016 at the next IOC Executive Board on 29 May 2013.

Lalovic has moved his office from Belgrade to FILA Headquarters at Corsier-sur-Vevey, near the IOC and gave an interview with ‘insidethegames.’

Amongst items discussed were:

• Evolving the rules to make Wrestling more watchable interesting for first-time viewers
• Improving FILA Governance
• The creation of a new Athletes’ Commission, with Aleksandr Karelin appointed as its chairman and co-opted onto the FILA Bureau with a vote
• More women to be involved in FILA Bureau decision-making

Wrestling would also like to promote several successful elements of the sport

• A total of 29 countries shared the 71 wrestling medals in the London 2012 Olympics, making it one of the most global sports practiced at the Games.  This could be as a result of FILA’s programme of technical assistance to developing wrestling nations
• Limited equipment is required to wrestle, making it a very accessible sport even in the poorest places of the world
• The main goal for Wrestlers is the Olympics, rather than other competitions such the World Championships as is the case in some other sports

Another recent development was a 24 February 2013 open letter to all National Federations and FILA Bureau members sent by outgoing President Martinetti (link).  Martinetti notes that the “IOC will expect positive changes in FILA’s internal policy” and lists some of the improvements implemented during his tenure: –

• A FILA website, with improved version due for release in 2013
• FILA email accounts
• International competition software (Heracles,) with improved version due for release in March 2013 following trials at the recent World Cup  in Tehran
• Television contracts
• Sponsors

• ‘Inside the Games’ News Item: Exclusive: Rogge to meet new International Wrestling President next week
• Open Letter from Outgoing FILA President Martinetti
• Inside the Games news item: Full interview with Nenad Lalovic
• British Wrestling Save Olympic Wrestling Pages
• British Olympic Association Statement