Russia will stop allowing its wrestlers to wrestle for other countries

[Irani]

https://khanehkoshti.ir/با-اعلام-میخائیل-مامیاشویلی؛-تغییر-تا/

[Ragu]

Is this a moving forward thing or does it stop current transfers as well? When does it take effect?

[Irani]

As I read it, it’s not retroactive.  For future only.

[Ragu]

6 hours ago, Irani said:

As I read it, it’s not retroactive.  For future only.

I guess I missed that. Is this a for certain thing like a bill has passed or do we need to wait to see if this actually happens

[Irani]

It’s decision made by the Russian wrestling federation.  
they believe the invest heavily in the development of their wrestlers and want them to understand that they are part of a country and have to make sacrifices for their country 

[nhs67]

Once someone transfers, I do not believe a country has the power to revoke that 'permission' from them.

[GrandOlm]

Does this just mean Russia will do that 3 year thing that Iran is doing with Masoumi to every transfer?

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

12 hours ago, nhs67 said:

Once someone transfers, I do not believe a country has the power to revoke that 'permission' from them.

Probably not.

Does anyone know if they've followed through on banning transfers from attending national training camps?  I would imagine this was the starting point.

I would also imagine they will make it as difficult as possible to transfer, like Iran with Massoumi.

All of this combined with the new UWW transfer regulations (and what individual countries such a as Bulgaria are doing) will almost definitely lead to way fewer transfers and likely a stronger Russian team.

 

[Room Guy]

On 12/3/2025 at 8:23 AM, Irani said:

As I read it, it’s not retroactive.  For future only.

Yeah but they could take away their right to train at any of their funded facilities which basically ends their careers. I gotta think crossing Mr. Mamiashvili is a big no no.

 

[Irani]

I still remember his confrontation with Valiev, when he called Valiev a traitor 

https://apps.apple.com/app/id535886823?pt=9008&ct=iosChromeShare&mt=8

[CHROMEBIRD]

15 hours ago, GrandOlm said:

Does this just mean Russia will do that 3 year thing that Iran is doing with Masoumi to every transfer?

The 3 year thing is a UWW rule, but yeah there's nothing to stop Russian wrestlers from competing for another country if they're willing to sit out international competition for 3 years, even if the Russian National Wrestling Federation opposes the transfer. And I believe the sit-out period is only from the last time a wrestler represented their country at Worlds/Olympics, Continental championships, and ranking series tournaments.

[bnwtwg]

The hardline stance is:

1.A) obtain passport

1.B) Payment from incoming state to outgoing state per UWW regulations found here, on a sliding scale based on accomplishment and IOC regulations.

1.C) wait 3 years per UWW and IOC rules

For the transfer timeline to be shortened requires, at a minimum:

2.A) Signed approval by both national wrestling federations

2.B) Most likely but not "required " payment from incoming state to outgoing state.

2.B.1) Waivers to expedite for each respective organization can be provided for the right co$t to thrice the origin country, UWW, and IOC (those fat little piggies). This is important enough to say it twice as a law and bylaw.

Athletes at the senior level can transfer nationalities:

3.1) ONCE. This ain't the NCAA and that dumb farce. Whatever happens at your new country is whatever happens.

Edited December 5, 2025 by bnwtwg
regulatory affairs formatting

[Gene Mills Fan]

On 12/3/2025 at 10:29 PM, GrandOlm said:

Does this just mean Russia will do that 3 year thing that Iran is doing with Masoumi to every transfer?

I hope its not the window thing. No offense Window12

Edited December 5, 2025 by Gene Mills Fan

[Husker_Du]

On 12/4/2025 at 8:14 AM, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Probably not.

Does anyone know if they've followed through on banning transfers from attending national training camps?  I would imagine this was the starting point.

Yes, they have. They can no longer train with or at RUS camps.

[Husker_Du]

Bender and Mamiashvili are going hard at this.

Bender/USAW would not allow RBY to attend the Olympic Training Camp (which was at Penn State (or in PA somewhere i forget))

[Lucho]

6 hours ago, Husker_Du said:

Yes, they have. They can no longer train with or at RUS camps.

I mean that makes sense tbf you can't have your cake and eat it too. Why would Russia train a guy that isn't wrestling for them anymore it doesn't actually make sense. I can imagine they can still train in their home town and maybe Republic training camps but national team camps for a guy who is "Slovakian" or "Bulgarian" is ridiculous. 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

1 hour ago, Lucho said:

I mean that makes sense tbf you can't have your cake and eat it too. Why would Russia train a guy that isn't wrestling for them anymore it doesn't actually make sense. I can imagine they can still train in their home town and maybe Republic training camps but national team camps for a guy who is "Slovakian" or "Bulgarian" is ridiculous. 

Quote

 

Right... but they allowed this to happen for many, many years

[Ragu]

I like this move and I hope it gets adopted by more institutions 

[GrandOlm]

3 hours ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Right... but they allowed this to happen for many, many years

It has gotten really bad. The European Championships were the all caucus open this year. Russia doesn't make any money from sponsoring wrestling. It's all about Olympic prestige against other nations. If something is hurting them in that regard, and they have levers to pull to combat it. They will.  

[Window12]

On 12/5/2025 at 2:10 PM, Gene Mills Fan said:

I hope its not the window thing. No offense Window12

Non taken

[Husker_Du]

16 hours ago, Lucho said:

I mean that makes sense tbf you can't have your cake and eat it too. Why would Russia train a guy that isn't wrestling for them anymore it doesn't actually make sense. I can imagine they can still train in their home town and maybe Republic training camps but national team camps for a guy who is "Slovakian" or "Bulgarian" is ridiculous. 

agree. i wasn't defending it. just noting.

[GrandOlm]

It's a bit of beating a dead horse. For homegrown, there are a few countries that consistently produce olympic champion level wrestlers (Russia, USA, Iran, Japan), a couple that can churn out a few champions over a period of time (Georgia, Turkey....), places that are happy with one bronze (Poland, Hungary, Kazakhstan...), and a bunch of no hopers ( Spain, France....). As long as that balance holds and it's one country per slot, I think the transfers will find ways around  (unless the world economy collapses or international travel ends). 

[Irani]

I believe Russia is the only one that has achieved Olympic gold medals for other countries and Iran and Russia are the only ones that have achieved world gold medals for other countries.  I am not aware of any Japanese wrestling for other countries 

[CHROMEBIRD]

2 hours ago, Irani said:

I believe Russia is the only one that has achieved Olympic gold medals for other countries and Iran and Russia are the only ones that have achieved world gold medals for other countries.  I am not aware of any Japanese wrestling for other countries 

That's kind of a cultural thing with Japan, isn't it? I know it happens, but my sense is that it's frowned upon for their athletes to "defect" and represent other countries even with dual citizenship. It might also be a national federation rule (or law)? I remember Naomi Osaka said she had to pick either the US or Japan by age 21 or whatever if she wanted to keep competing.

Also, not the Olympics, but Micic was born in the US and famously won a gold medal for Serbia at Worlds a few years ago

[bnwtwg]

6 hours ago, Irani said:

I believe Russia is the only one that has achieved Olympic gold medals for other countries and Iran and Russia are the only ones that have achieved world gold medals for other countries.  I am not aware of any Japanese wrestling for other countries 

USA Micic won worlds in '23 for Serbia