President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) Hon. Daniel Igali has been re-appointed as a member of the prestigious and highly influential United World Wrestling (UWW) Technical Commission.
The Technical Commission amongst other duties proposes to the Sports Department possible changes to the Wrestling Rules and to the Competition System, as well as, studies all the rule modifications.
The World and Olympic champion Igali is the only African in the 9-man UWW Technical Commission, which is headed by the Russian Wrestling Federation boss Mikhail Mamiashvili.
Reacting to his re-appointment, the Bayelsa State Youth and Sports Commissioner, who was a member of the Technical Commission from 2017 to 2020, expressed gratitude to all stakeholders who gave him the opportunity to serve in such an exalted platform.
“I’m highly elated and gratified to have been considered by the United World Wrestling Bureau to serve on the prestigious Commission of the United World Wrestling,” Igali said.
“I want to thank the Bureau members and the President of UWW Mr. Nenad Lajovic for the consideration.
“I also, in the same breathe, want to thank the Nigeria Olympic Committee, the Minister of Youth and Sports (Chief Sunday Dare), the Ministry (of Youth and Sports Development) and the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, of course, and the board members, the Bayelsa State Government and the Governor of Bayelsa State (Sen. Douye Diri) for giving me the opportunity to serve the country at this level.”
While highlighting the duties of the UWW Technical Commission, the NWF boss promised to bring his wealth of experience to bear to help ‘less-endowed’ countries in the sport.
“Being a member of the Technical Commission is a great honour done me and the country,” he noted.
“The Technical Commission is the body vested with the making of all the rules and regulations for the international federation of wrestling, which is very significant.
“I’ve been a member for 4 years. This is a position that is often rotated, but very competent people are normally retained, and I’m happy to see that just a couple of us were retained – myself and the representative from the United States.
“So, I think I will bring to bear my experiences both as a wrestler and as an administrator and ensure that Nigeria, Africa, and indeed, other less-endowed countries in the world get a fair share and a fair shake of the rules and regulations that will guide UWW for the next four years.”
