LAGOS – Nenad Lalovic, the President, International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA), says an attempt to change the body’s name was to signify a new future for the sport.
FILA recently revealed it was set to change its name to United World Wrestling.
A statement by the body said that it had voted on the name change and also approved a new logo which would be released at a later date.
“I think in order for us to move forward, we needed to identify the shortcomings of the past and work hard to improve upon them.
“I think that with a new visual identity that is both distinct and represents the values of wrestling, we all have another reason to be excited for the future of our sport,” it said.
NAN reports that the development comes just a year after the sport found itsself fighting for a place on the Olympic Games’ programme beyond Rio 2016.
In September 2013 wrestling eventually retained its place in the Olympics which had been contested at the Games since 708 BC, with the exception of Paris 1900.
The sport garnered 49 votes to defeat ward off challengers’ baseball-softball, which polled 24 votes, and squash, with 22 votes, at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The attempted brand identity change is the latest adopted by FILA since it came close to losing its place on the Olympic Games programme.
The body has also said that the new FILA identity which had come about after work with brand agency, Olive Grove, would also be implemented across the sport’s flagship events.
This, according to FILA, includes the World Championships and continental tournaments.
The new name and logo will be proposed to the FILA Congress in Tashken, Uzbekistani, on Sept. 7, a day before the 2014 FILA World Championships gets underway in the Uzbekistani. (NAN)
