March 6, 2013 – Lausanne – Mr. Nenad Lalovic, Acting President of FILA, the International Federation for Wrestling, will meet with IOC President Jacque Rogge in Lausanne on Thursday, March 7. FILA is spearheading a global effort to remain as a core sport on the Olympic Programme. 

During the past few weeks, FILA has reached out to various members of the Olympic Family in an effort to gather information and advice on how to remain on the Olympic Programme. As a result of these on-going discussions, FILA has taken significant steps in addressing many of the concerns expressed by the IOC Executive Board in its February 12 decision to remove wrestling from the Olympic Programme. 

FILA has made significant changes in its leadership structure, appointing Mr. Lalovic as Acting President. He is fully supported by the FILA Executive Committee Mr. Dusson, Secretary General, and the Vice-Presidents Mr. Stan Dziedzic, Mr. Matteo Pellicone, Mr. Tomiaki Fukuda and Mr. Ahmet Ayik and all the FILA Bureau members. They all act as a synchronised team. 

The FILA membership also elected three new co-opted members to the FILA Bureau. These three are Mr. Jim Scherr of the United States, Mr. Alexander Karelin of Russia, and Mr. Pedro Gama Filho of Brazil. 

FILA launched an array of initiatives intended to respond to IOC concerns. These include adding athletes to the FILA Bureau and increasing women’s participation at all levels of the sport, including the FILA Bureau. FILA also intends to conduct a review of the rules of wrestling with the intent of making the sport more understandable and attractive to spectators and less dependent upon subjective officiating. Additionally, FILA will review the presentation of the sport to modernize the competition format. 

Initiatives are also underway to energize the marketing and promotion of the sport in order to increase its appeal to commercial partners and diversify its revenue sources. 

“Although the IOC’s decision was a clear disappointment to the wrestling world, we very much understand it is our responsibility to get our house in order,” said Acting President Lalovic. He added, “we in no way blame the IOC for our predicament and will view its decision as an opportunity to improve our sport and to help strengthen the Olympic Movement.”

Press conference to follow meeting

Following the meeting held between FILA Acting President Nenad Lalovic and IOC President Jacques Rogge on Thursday, March 7 at 2 p.m. (8 a.m. Eastern) at the IOC, a press conference will take place at FILA's Headquarters in Corsier-sur-Vevey on Friday, March 8 at 10 a.m. (4 a.m. Eastern).