Rafael Martinetti President of the International Wrestling Federation Country: Switzerland

Content:

1. President of United World Wrestling
2. Embracing Commercialization
3. Reinvigorating the Sport
4. Preserving Olympic Status
5. Embracing Diversity and Inclusion
6. A Life Beyond Sports
7. A Network of Friendships
8. A Respectful Partnership

President of United World Wrestling

Raphael Martinetti: A Commitment to Wrestling

Rafael Martinetti, the President of United World Wrestling (UWW), recently visited Russia for the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Memorial Tournament. In an exclusive interview with "Novye Izvestia," he shared his insights on the sport's present and future.

Embracing Commercialization

Martinetti believes that commercialization can benefit wrestling. By partnering with television channels and introducing changes to the sport's format, such as the Golden Grand Prix series, UWW aims to make wrestling more accessible and attractive to viewers. "We want to popularize our sport and also derive financial benefits from it," he explained.

Reinvigorating the Sport

Martinetti highlighted the importance of rule changes in revitalizing wrestling, particularly in Greco-Roman discipline. "We needed to make wrestling as dynamic and engaging as possible," he said. "Even I, as a big wrestling fan, cannot watch a match that doesn't have any action for more than two minutes. It makes you want to leave the venue."

Preserving Olympic Status

Through negotiations with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), UWW secured the sport's place in the Olympic Games. "We managed to convince the IOC that wrestling deserved to stay," Martinetti said. "In Beijing, we will have seven weight categories in Greco-Roman, seven in freestyle, and four in women's wrestling."

Embracing Diversity and Inclusion

Martinetti is committed to making wrestling more inclusive and accessible. "We are exploring changes to the wrestling uniform to make it more appealing to women in Muslim countries where there are restrictions on clothing," he said. "We want to encourage more women to participate in the sport."

A Life Beyond Sports

Despite his demanding role, Martinetti still finds time for outside interests. "I owned a factory that produced metal structures before becoming the UWW president," he said. "Now, I dedicate myself to wrestling almost entirely."

A Network of Friendships

Martinetti has forged close ties with presidents of other sports federations, including those of fencing, sailing, and football. "I am proud to say that I have been elected to the board of the Association of the Olympic Sports Confederations," he remarked. "This shows that I have many friends."

A Respectful Partnership

Martinetti values his friendship with Mikhail Mamiashvili, President of the Russian Wrestling Federation. "We have a strong team," he said. "I respect Mamiashvili for being straightforward. He sometimes even shouts at me, but I understand that it's for the benefit of the sport."

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