In late August, the international wrestling community received some very bad news. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) released the findings of its Program Commission, which made recommendations about possible changes to the program of the Olympic Games.    Among the suggestions were the complete elimination of sports, and the elimination of specific events or disciplines of existing Olympic sports. Two sports, golf and rugby, were suggested to be added. These suggestions, if accepted, would be made at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.    One of the sports targeted for the loss of a discipline was wrestling. The IOC did not propose eliminating the sport completely. It suggested eliminating one of the two styles, either Greco-Roman or freestyle wrestling.    The exact text of the commission report follows:    "The low public and media comprehension of the differences between the two wrestling disciplines currently in the Olympic Programme were noted by the Commission, which has resulted in relatively low broadcast and press coverage. In comparison to this lack of global popularity, the Commission noted the high athlete quota and the number of events in the sport of wrestling. The Commission therefore recommends the exclusion of one of the wrestling disciplines from the Programme of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad."    As you might expect, the wrestling community worldwide has reacted with anger and dismay to this suggestion. The wrestling community has banded together and is using all of its resources and abilities to prevent this from happening.    You will read in this issue of USA Wrestler that FILA, the international wrestling federation, elected a new president, Raphy Martinetti of Switzerland. USA Wrestling has a working relationship with Mr. Martinetti and has offered its assistance and support in the effort to save both wrestling styles. This project will be the most important task that faces Martinetti in his first weeks in office.    The decision to eliminate a discipline or event will not be made by the entire IOC. In fact, a small group of people, the 15-member Executive Board, will make the decision on the wrestling styles.     The members of the IOC Executive Board are: President Jacques Rogge (Belgium), Vice President Thomas Bach (Germany), Vice President James. L. Easton (United States), Vice President Richard Kevan Gosper (Australia), Vice President Vitaly Smirnov (Russian Federation), Sergey Bubka (Ukraine), Franco Carraro (Italy), Ottavio Cinquanta (Italy), Zhenliang He (People's Republic of China), Toni Khoury (Lebanon), Gunilla Lindberg (Sweden), Lambis W. Nikolaou (Greece), Denis Oswald (Switzerland), Tomas "Tommy" Amos Ganda Sithole (Zimbabwe), Mario Vázquez Raña (Mexico).    A strategy has been developed by FILA in its fight to retain both wrestling styles:    1) Personally lobby each IOC Executive Committee member.  2) Personal communication and meeting with IOC President Rogge.  3) Refute the findings of the university-commission report used by the Olympic Programme Committee.  4) Develop strategy with IOC Vice President Vitaly Smirnov of Russia during the World Greco-Roman Championships.    At the FILA Congress in Moscow during the Greco-Roman World Championships, Mr. Smirnov pledged his complete support in retaining both wrestling styles.    The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) asked for our evaluation of what the loss of one style would mean to wrestling. Our response was this: "It would decimate a large portion of wrestling activity in the world, as well as damage the wrestling activity in the United States. The elimination of one style would reduce wrestling to its lowest number of medal events at the Olympic Games in a century and reduce the sport's influence everywhere. If freestyle is selected for elimination, it would hurt the U.S. Olympic team performance as U.S. freestylers have won a tremendous number of medals for our nation. In Greco-Roman, since breaking through with medals at the 1984 Olympics, U.S. Greco-Roman performance has improved and has become a consistent medal winner. Without an Olympic competition in either style, USA Wrestling would not be able to provide programs in that style at all levels. The world's oldest sport, and the one major sport that has been in both the modern and ancient Olympic Games, is being threatened. This recommendation would destroy wrestling, in spite of its popularity in almost every nation."    As a first step, USA Wrestling received support from USOC President Marty Mankamyer to retain both styles of wrestling in the Olympic Games. A story on the USOC support for wrestling appears in this issue of the newspaper. That announcement has been sent to media across the nation and the world, as well as to key international sports leaders.    On our webpage, TheMat.com, we are now asking all wrestling people to urge the IOC to retain both wrestling styles. The IOC has provided an area on its web page for public comment. We are asking everyone in the USA Wrestling family to get on the computer, go to the IOC opinion area, and tell the IOC to keep both wrestling styles. The URL for the IOC page is:  http://www.suggestions.olympic.org/question-intro.aspx?LN=EN    You may also send a letter by mail to: IOC Executive Board, Château de Vidy, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland and by FAX to: 011-41-21-621-6216.    USA Wrestling will be making its voice heard on this issue. If you do one thing for wrestling this year, please contact the IOC and ask them to keep both wrestling styles in the Olympic Games.