By Duncan Mackay

Nenad Lalovic will stand unopposed for re-election as FILA President ©FILANenad Lalovic is to run unopposed for a six-year term as President of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA), it was announced today.


The Serbian became Acting President in February 2013 after Raphael Martinetti was forced to step down following the decision by the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) ruling Executive Board to recommend that wrestling should be dropped from the programme after Rio 2016.

After his election at an Extraordinary Congress in St Petersburg in May 2013, Lalovic led a successful campaign to save the sport, with it receiving an overwhelming vote of confidence at the IOC Session in Buenos Aires last September.

Lalovic completed the reminder of Martinetti's mandate and is now set to be given his own six-year term during the FILA Congress at the World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on September 7 after the world governing body's ruling Bureau decided that no-one should stand against Lalovic. 

Lalovic has promised to continue to modernise the sport, including changing FILA's name to United World Wrestling and launching a new brand identity.

Nenad Lalovic (right) is congratulated by IOC member Sergey Bubka after leading wrestling's campaign to save its place on the Olympic programme ©Getty ImagesNenad Lalovic (right) is congratulated by IOC member Sergey Bubka after leading wrestling's campaign to save its place on the Olympic programme ©Getty Images

In addition to the Presidency, the Congress will vote on seven FILA ruling Bureau seats.

Six members will be vying for six-year terms and one will be to fill the remaining two-year term of Dr. Matteo Pellicone of Italy, who died earlier this year.

The FILA constitution states that women must fill three of the seats on the 23-member Bureau.

Since two are already serving, one woman will be named to the group that leads the Federation in September.

Current female members are Turkey's Rodica Yaksi and Russia's Natalia Yariguina.

A new draft of the Constitution will also be presented to the 177 national wrestling federation members at the Congress.

The Bureau, which met in Dubrovnik, also approved the 2013 balance sheet and the 2014 budget as well as finalising the 2015 competition schedule, which will be announced later this year.

Revisions to the January version of the wrestling rules were also approved.

Most were clarifications of existing rules, as well as details concerning the administration of the competitions.

The new wrestling rules with the included revisions are due to distributed shortly to all National Federations and published on the FILA website.

A final list of nominees for the 2014 Hall of Fame were approved and the inductees will be announced in the coming weeks. 

The Hall of Fame Ceremony will take place at the Congress in Tashkent.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
June 2014: FILA set to change name to United World Wrestling
December 2013: FILA fulfils gender equality pledges by dropping two male wrestling events for Rio 2016
September 2013: Wrestling refuse to let corruption allegations overshadow emphatic victory
September 2013: Wrestling floors opponents with first round victory
August 2013: FILA President heads an unchanged wrestling presentation team for Olympic sports vote