Knock-ons from the Bulgaria decision

[wrestle87]

Where do you all think this will go long term both within Bulgaria and in the mercenary market more broadly.

First blush without changes, this shift in domestic sentiment in bulgarian wrestling immediately puts two caucasian transplants out in the cold permanently.  This has potential to really catch fire imo.

Given that russia and the US are the only major exporters of wrestlers in the citizenship for sport market, do you think this will have the ability to impact the michigan crew or the team mexico team puerto rico wrestlers?

Amine is apparently on a coin, so I assume he’s safe.

[GrandOlm]

53 minutes ago, wrestle87 said:

Where do you all think this will go long term both within Bulgaria and in the mercenary market more broadly.

First blush without changes, this shift in domestic sentiment in bulgarian wrestling immediately puts two caucasian transplants out in the cold permanently.  This has potential to really catch fire imo.

Given that russia and the US are the only major exporters of wrestlers in the citizenship for sport market, do you think this will have the ability to impact the michigan crew or the team mexico team puerto rico wrestlers?

Amine is apparently on a coin, so I assume he’s safe.

Maybe you were referring to other wrestlers (I think Bulgaria does have at least two or more caucasian wrestlers), but the other half of the famous duo, Novikov, is slavic not caucasian. He is a relatively rare ukranian transfer. 

Bulgaria probably has a stronger local wrestling culture (due to their past as the crown princes of greco and sold freestylers) that can throw its weight around and stick up for itself more than other transfer havens like Poland, Serbia, or Azerbaijan. So this might be a one off. 

But 75% of Euro freestyle gold and silver medalists being Russians in disguise, well that's not what wrestling's leadership wants. 

[Ragu]

7 hours ago, GrandOlm said:

But 75% of Euro freestyle gold and silver medalists being Russians in disguise, well that's not what wrestling's leadership wants. 

Really tough choice for some leaders will have to make or not make. Do we want best wrestling product or do we want wrestlers to represent their homeland? Bulgaria will fair better than others if thats the decision but that does leave a ton of transplants nationless when it comes to competition 

[Gantry]

Can someone provide a link or summary to what this decision is?  Thanks

[wrestle87]

29 minutes ago, Gantry said:

Can someone provide a link or summary to what this decision is?  Thanks

https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14090061-bulgarian-wrestling-federation-banning-2-olympic-gold-medalists

[bnwtwg]

This is yuuuuge. Big kudos to national treasure @Jon_Kozak for providing the additional context. Looking forward to the follow-up over the following months.

My prediction: they are forced to sit out unless agreement$ are made at the local level. UWW wants nothing to do with country politics and absolutely will not overstep IOC regulations.

[D3 for LU]

2 hours ago, wrestle87 said:

https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14090061-bulgarian-wrestling-federation-banning-2-olympic-gold-medalists

Interesting article from Flo... home grown vs transfers (& transfers need not apply here... so, say sayonara and pack your bags? )

D3

[Gantry]

1 hour ago, bnwtwg said:

 

My prediction: they are forced to sit out unless agreement$ are made at the local level. UWW wants nothing to do with country politics and absolutely will not overstep IOC regulations.

What are the IOC regulations here?  From the Flo article, it seems the "only transfer countries once" is a UWW thing and not an IOC thing. 

If that is true, maybe UWW gives them a one-time exemption for this given the national governing bodies change of heart. 

[bnwtwg]

23 minutes ago, Gantry said:

What are the IOC regulations here?  From the Flo article, it seems the "only transfer countries once" is a UWW thing and not an IOC thing. 

If that is true, maybe UWW gives them a one-time exemption for this given the national governing bodies change of heart. 

UWW follows Olympic transfer rules with an accelerated timeline to allow world championships competition to be, essentially, unimpeded when transferring. Given the precarious nature of wrestling on the IOC's shakedown chopping block, I highly doubt UWW will enter a scenario that could ruffle IOC feathers if the wrong series of events occurs at the wrong time.

Edited 17 hours ago by bnwtwg
Grammar

[GrandOlm]

Bulgaria are the ogs of mercenary wrestling. They were using transfers all the way back in the 90s, before it was cool. Soviet developed Nazaryan, Mureiko, were winning medals for them way back. I think it was the wrong way of trying to save a dying wrestling power and the consequences of those choices are still with them today.  

The rising tide did not lift all, ethnic Bulgarians are not winning medals like in the days of their fathers and grandfathers. 

I could imagine the frustration of the local Bulgarians. Foreign coaches, training foreign athletes, and everyone else left out in the cold with a vague promise that it will trickle down eventually. And then for all these years of trainers and high level athletes brought in; thirty years of this process culminates in two foreigners and no ethnic Bulgarians winning golds at the most recent olympics.