FILA will induct 10 members into International Wrestling Hall of Fame

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Lee Roy Smith (National Wrestling Hall of Fame)
09/17/2007


COSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland -- The Federation International de Luttes Associees, the international Olympic governing body for the sport of wrestling, will induct 10 individuals who have achieved extraordinary success as a wrestler, referee, or leader into the International Wrestling Hall of Fame.

"On behalf of the FILA Hall of Fame Commission, I am proud to announce the 10 candidates who were selected to be inducted into the International Wrestling Hall of Fame," said Stan Dziedzic, President of the FILA Hall of Fame Commission. "This class of inductees represents an amazing 29 individual world titles and eight Olympic gold medals along with the first leader recipient who is the president of a country."

The inaugural class of the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame members was inducted in 2003. Since then, 39 members have been inducted.

This year's class of honorees includes men's freestyle wrestlers:
* Ali Aliev, Russia
* Emam Habibi, Iran
* Gholamreza Takhti, Iran
* Masaaki Kaneko, Japan.

Women's freestyle wrestler:
* Yayoi Urano, Japan

Greco-Roman wrestlers
Georgi Kogououshvili, Russia
Petar Kirov, Bulgaria
Istvan Kozma, Hungary.

The 2007 Leader award will go to Dr. Ilham Aliyev from Azerbaijan and this year's Official/Referee honoree is Branislav Simic of Yugoslavia. 

The FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2007 will be inducted at ceremonies hosted by the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation at the World Wrestling Championships on Sept. 21-22 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Each new member will be permanently recognized at the International Wrestling Hall of Fame at FILA Headquarters in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland and at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA. 

Following are a list of the 2007 FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductees and their accomplishments:

Men's Freestyle

ALI ALIEV, Russia
5X World Gold (1959, '61, '62, '66, '67) 
1963 World Silver 
 
EMAM HABIBI, Iran
1956 Olympic Gold 
3X World Gold (1959, '61, '62) 
 
GHOLAMREZA TAKHTI, Iran
1956 Olympic Gold 
2X Olympic Silver (1952, '60) 
2X World Gold (1959, '61) 
2X World Silver (1951, '62) 
 
MASAAKI KANEKO, Japan
1968 Olympic Gold 
2X World Gold (1966, '67) 
 
Women's Freestyle

YAYOI URANO, Japan
6X World Gold (1990, '91, '93, '94, '95, '96) 
1992 World Silver 
 
Greco-Roman 

GEORGI KOGOUOASHVILI, Russia
1992 Olympic Bronze 
5X World Gold (1993, '94, '97, '98, '99) 
1998 World Bronze 

PETAR KIROV, Bulgaria
2X Olympic Gold (1968, '72) 
3X World Gold (1970, '71, '74) 
 
ISTVAN KOZMA, Hungary
2X Olympic Gold (1964, '68) 
3X World Gold (1962, '66, '67) 
1965 World Silver 
1961 World Bronze 
 
Leader

DR. ILHAM ALIYEV, Azerbaijan
· President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
· President of the Azerbaijan Olympic Federation

Official/Referee

BRANISLAV SIMIC, Yugoslavia
1964 Olympic Gold (Greco Roman) 
1968 Olympic Bronze (Greco Roman) 
1963 World Silver (Greco Roman)