The world governing body will pump cash into a new programme which will focus on the "development and education" of its officials. 

Members of the UWW's ruling Bureau rubber-stamped the proposal at the organisation's bi-annual Congress, which followed the Junior Wrestling World Championships in Mâcon in France.

Other proposals discussed included moving to a two-day competition format as UWW looks ahead to the next Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.

To further address refereeing controversies, the governing body also adopted the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Code of Ethics.

At Rio 2016, three officials were suspended as a result of "suspicious officiating" during a quarter-final bout.

Temo Kazarashvilli of Georgia, Tong-Kun Chung of South Korea and Russia's Sergei Novakoskiy were all sanctioned following the completion of a men's 65 kilograms freestyle bout between Puerto Rico's Franklin Gomez and Uzbekistan's Ikhtiyor Navruzov.

Navruzov emerged as an 8-5 winner but the UWW revealed that the match and all circumstances surrounding it had become the subject of an investigation by its Ethical Commission, with a full report set to be produced. 

It was not the only controversial contest involving Mavruzov, with the Uzbek wrestler winning 8-7 against Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran in the bronze medal bout, leading to the Mongolian’s coaches removing their clothes in protest and alleging the referees had "supported" their opponent.

"This was a protest, there was a problem with the refereeing," said Byambarenchin Bayaraa, one of the two Mongolian coaches involved.

A two-day competition format would be a major change as at present all weight categories at major events are started and finished within a single day.

It is thought the change could help athletes in their pursuit of gold medals, with a second weigh-in helping to dissuade "unhealthy" weight-cutting.

UWW President Nenad Lalovic, who addressed representatives from more than 120 countries, said any changes would need to be brought in swiftly so the sport could adjust in time for Tokyo 2020.

Elsewhere, six members were elected to the Bureau for six year terms.

Incumbent members Namig Aliev of Azerbaijan, Michel Dusson of France, Karl-Martin Dittman of Germany, Rodica Yaksi of Turkey and Theodore Hamakos of Greece were all re-elected in the first-round of voting.

New member Rasoul Khadem of Iran, the Atlanta 1996 90kg Olympic champion, also won a seat after Turkey's Ahmet Ayik announced his retirement.

Lalovic also announced the creation of a new UWW office in Turkish city Istanbul.

This will "oversee the development and promotion of a variety of traditional and non-Olympic styles of wrestling".