‘Wrestling’s bid is not damaged’

President of wrestling’s governing body says that ‘minor infringement’ of rules will have no affect on Olympic bid.

125th IOC Session In Buenos Aires - Day 3
FILA president Nenad Lalovic and other wrestling figures are in Buenos Aires ahead of Sunday's vote [GETTY]

Wrestling’s governing body has downplayed a warning from the IOC for a ‘minor infringement’ of the rules in the bidding race for a spot in the 2020 Olympics. 

FILA president Nenad Lalovic said the case involves letters sent by the Japanese wrestling federation to promote the sport to some IOC members. IOC rules prohibit the sports from sending such material in the three weeks before Sunday’s vote.

I immediately called the wrestling federation. They told me what theydid and a minute later I was sending a letter to the IOC

by Nenad Lalovic, FILA president

Lalovic said the ‘issue is closed’ and he’s ‘absolutely sure that this letter didn’t hurt’ the sport’s bid to return to the Olympic lineup.

He said he reported the infringement himself to the IOC once he learned of the Japanese letters.

“I immediately called the wrestling federation. They told me what they did and a minute later I was sending a letter to the IOC,” he said at a news conference in Buenos Aires later on Friday.

“They understood their mistake. The issue is closed. Everything is explained.”

Wrestling, which was cut from the list of core sports in February, is competing against squash and a combined baseball-softball bid to be included in 2020, with wrestling widely expected to regain its Olympic status.

The IOC said in a letter on Tuesday to the two other sports that an official warning was sent to FILA on August 20 and ‘the matter is now considered as closed.’

“This was a minor infringement of the rules and was dealt with immediately, no further action was necessary,” the IOC said in a separate statement to The AP.

Source: AP