The United States won’t send a team to the world wrestling championships because of health and safety concerns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The executive committee of USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling, unanimously approved the proposal not to send a team to Belgrade, Serbia, for the Dec. 12-20 event.
“My heart breaks for our athletes, as nobody is more affected by this decision than they are,” said Veronica Carlson, executive committee member and chair of the USA Wrestling Athlete Advisory Committee. “In the same breath, abstaining from the 2020 World Championships is the right decision. I am proud that the athlete voice was solicited and considered through every step of this process. In choosing to make this decision now, versus delaying it, the athletes have time to recover and refocus on what is most important — the 2021 Olympic Games.”
United World Wrestling, the international federation for wrestling, announced Monday that its executive committee approved existing plans to host the event.
