RAF says claims that Russians will no longer compete are untrue and that they will wrestle at its Abu Dhabi, Chicago and New York events, despite coach Gatsalov's stance.
What we know
- RAF's press release says Russian wrestlers will compete at its upcoming events in Abu Dhabi, Chicago and New York, including current and former world champions.
- Abdulrashid Sadulaev won bronze at 97 kg at the world championships in Astana; American Kyle Snyder, the RAF light heavyweight champion, won gold.
Reported, not confirmed
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Russia head freestyle coach Khadzhimurat Gatsalov, quoted by Match TV, said athletes who qualify at the Russian championships will compete only in rating tournaments set by the coaching staff, or second and third choices would be considered.
FightTime.ru
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Sadulaev is scheduled to face Greece's Dauren Kurugliev, a Paris Olympic bronze medallist, on 14 November in Abu Dhabi.
FightTime.ru
The dispute between Russia's wrestling federation and Real American Freestyle is now public, and the league has answered first. RAF says Russian athletes are staying on its schedule, while Russia's head coach has said the opposite about his top names.
The coach is Khadzhimurat Gatsalov. In comments quoted by Match TV, he described a "hard position": wrestlers who qualify at the Russian championships will not compete anywhere except rating tournaments set by the coaching staff. Otherwise, he said, the team would look at its second or third choices.
RAF's reply came as a press release. CEO and co-founder Chad Bronstein called the recent claims untrue and said the league "continues to invite the world's best wrestlers." The release says the Russians will appear in Abu Dhabi, Chicago and New York, including current and former world champions. It does not name which wrestlers are meant or explain how that fits with the coach's stance.
The most prominent test is Abdulrashid Sadulaev, the most decorated Russian wrestler in RAF. He took bronze at 97 kg at the world championships in Astana, where American Kyle Snyder won gold. Snyder holds the RAF light heavyweight title.
Sadulaev is due back on the RAF mat on 14 November in Abu Dhabi, where he is set to face Dauren Kurugliev, an Olympic bronze medallist from Paris who competes for Greece. Whether he appears as planned is the clearest sign of which side prevails. Watch for any response from the Russian federation to RAF's release.
The coach is Khadzhimurat Gatsalov. In comments quoted by Match TV, he described a "hard position": wrestlers who qualify at the Russian championships will not compete anywhere except rating tournaments set by the coaching staff. Otherwise, he said, the team would look at its second or third choices.
RAF's reply came as a press release. CEO and co-founder Chad Bronstein called the recent claims untrue and said the league "continues to invite the world's best wrestlers." The release says the Russians will appear in Abu Dhabi, Chicago and New York, including current and former world champions. It does not name which wrestlers are meant or explain how that fits with the coach's stance.
The most prominent test is Abdulrashid Sadulaev, the most decorated Russian wrestler in RAF. He took bronze at 97 kg at the world championships in Astana, where American Kyle Snyder won gold. Snyder holds the RAF light heavyweight title.
Sadulaev is due back on the RAF mat on 14 November in Abu Dhabi, where he is set to face Dauren Kurugliev, an Olympic bronze medallist from Paris who competes for Greece. Whether he appears as planned is the clearest sign of which side prevails. Watch for any response from the Russian federation to RAF's release.
- Summary
- RAF says claims that Russians will no longer compete are untrue and that they will wrestle at its Abu Dhabi, Chicago and New York events, despite coach Gatsalov's stance.
- Key points (one per line)
- RAF press release says Russian wrestlers remain on its roster and will compete in Abu Dhabi, Chicago and New York.
Russia head freestyle coach Khadzhimurat Gatsalov said national team top picks would only wrestle in rating tournaments set by the staff.
Abdulrashid Sadulaev is due back on RAF's Abu Dhabi card against Dauren Kurugliev.
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- FightTime.ru | https://fighttime.ru/news/item/44602-v-lige-raf-sdelali-ofitsialnoe-zayavlenie-ob-uchastii-rossijskikh-bortsov.html
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