The 2026 World Wrestling Championship will kick off in Astana, Kazakhstan, on October 24 (Saturday, Aban 2). This event is taking place as the United World Wrestling has announced the list of wrestlers participating, and the absence of two prominent champions is noticeable.
Absence of Influential Figures
Semin Novikov from Bulgaria and Artur Aleksanyan from Armenia, two great champions who have shone on the world stage in recent years, will be absent from this competition for various reasons. Novikov, who defeated Alireza Mohammadi in the Olympic final, and Aleksanyan, who has withdrawn from the competitions due to injury, are both renowned figures in Greco-Roman wrestling. Aleksanyan has also stated that he currently has no intention of retiring from the wrestling mat.
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Strengths of the Iranian National Team
The Iranian Greco-Roman wrestling team, featuring prominent champions such as Payam Ahmadi, the 2025 World Runner-up, and Saeed Esmaeili, World and Olympic Champion, has high hopes for winning medals. This team became champion in the last World Championship in Zagreb with 4 gold medals, 2 silver, and 2 bronze, accumulating 180 points, and is now looking to repeat this success.
Ali Ahmadi-Vafa, the World U23 Champion and third in Asia, and Mohammad Hadi Saravi, World and Olympic Champion, are other key figures in this team who can achieve even greater successes in the upcoming competitions. Additionally, the presence of experienced wrestlers like Riza Kayaalp from Turkey and Akjol Mahmudov from Kyrgyzstan, both of whom hold multiple world and Olympic titles, has added to the appeal of these competitions.
History and Change of Hosting
The 2026 World Greco-Roman Wrestling Championships were initially scheduled to be held in Bahrain, but due to the prevailing conditions in the region, Kazakhstan was chosen as the new host. This change of hosting has not only impacted the scheduling of the competitions but has also affected the preparation and training of the teams.
In recent years, Iranian Greco-Roman wrestling has established a special position on the world stage with its brilliant performances. Multiple championships in world and Olympic competitions reflect the efforts and perseverance of Iranian wrestlers who, despite various challenges, continue to seek victory and honor for their country.
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