By Paul Osborne

United World Wrestling is launching a campaign that focuses on the development of women in wrestling ©United World WrestlingUnited World Wrestling has launched a new campaign to focus on the development of women in the sport across the globe.

The "Super 8" campaign is due to get underway on January 14 with a special presentation at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne and conclude on International Women's Day on March 8 at the women's World Cup in St Petersberg.

The two-month campaign, aptly named for the number of women ambassadors leading the worldwide initiative, is hoped to achieve a number of goals to enhance the development of women's wrestling across the world.

These include having National Federations sign the Sydney Scorecard, a mechanism by which they can gauge their level of gender equality, and the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, a policy document developed by the International Working Group on Women in Sport that is a commitment to making positive changes in gender equality.

The ambassadors leading the campaign are Fanny Echeverry, President of the Colombian Wrestling Federation; Italy's Edith Docza, United World Wrestling referee; Canada's Carol Huynh, 2004 Olympic champion and American Helen Maroulis, 2012 world silver medallist.

They are joined by Sweden's Sofia Mattson, the 2012 world champion and Olympic bronze medallist, Senegal's London 2012 representative Isabella Sambou, Russia's London 2012 champion Natalia Vorbeyva and Saori Yoshida, Japan's three-time Olympic champion and 12-time world champion.

Saori Yoshida, arguable the greatest female wrestler of all time, is one of the ambassadors in the Super 8 campaign ©Getty ImagesSaori Yoshida, arguable the greatest female wrestler of all time, is one of the ambassadors in the Super 8 campaign ©Getty Images



The ambassadors are being asked to host tournament, make public appearances and organise training camps in their home countries in an effort to raise awareness of women in wrestling.

"We plan to be a leader in developing wrestling opportunities for women around the world," said United World Wrestling President Nana Lalovic.

"Our sport will be active and successful in supporting women of all ages who want to participate in wrestling.

"We are making this one of our organisation's top commitments moving forward.

"Gender equality and creating opportunities for women athletes are core principals of the Olympic Movement and were reinforced with Agenda 2020.

"We strive to be a leader within the Olympic community and are motivated by the new approach and direction of the International Olympic Committee.

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