SPORTS FIGHT IN MODERN RUSSIA
In 1993, the Russian Wrestling Federation was created, uniting freestyle and Greco-Roman style wrestlers. The Federation includes sports organizations of almost 80 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. President of the Federation – Honored Master of Sports, Honored Coach of Russia, member of the FILA Bureau, Olympic champion M.G. Mamiashvili.
In December 1994, the “match of the century” in Greco-Roman wrestling between the Russian national team and the world national team was held, attended by FILA President Milan Ercegan. The Russians won a landslide victory with a score of 9: 1.
At the Games in Atlanta, our Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling teams were the first in the team event.
One of the most titled Russian athletes is the 9-time world champion and three-time Olympic champion Alexander Karelin. Having become a real sports legend, he did not know defeats on the wrestling mat for 12 years in a row. In Sydney 2000, luck turned its back on Karelin, but the honor of the Russian school of Greco-Roman wrestling was supported by his teammates Varteres Samurgashev and Murad Kardanov, who became winners in their weight categories.
Equally successful are Russian freestyle wrestlers. These are, first of all, world champions, Europe and the Olympic Games brothers Buvaysar and Adam Saitiev. At the 2000 Games, our wrestlers won four out of eight gold medals. In total, the national team in freestyle wrestling already has 10 highest Olympic awards.
At the 2002 European Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship, our team won three gold and two silver medals. And at the continental championship in freestyle wrestling, the Russians won the four highest awards out of seven.
Among the leading fighters of Russia are also: G. Koguashvili, M. Khadartsev, S. Murtazaliev, M. Kardanov, S. Tsvir, A. Menshikov, D. Musulbes, M. Umakhanov and others.
