Not sure I’m a big fan of the name, but I’m sure it’ll grow on me.
The FILA Bureau voted on the name change as the sport’s world governing body gets set to undergo a significant rebranding exercise which also includes a new logo.
FILA President Nenad Lalovic says the proposed rebranding is both distinct and “represents the values of wrestling.”
The move comes just a year after the sport, which has been contested at every Olympics since 708 BC – with the exception of Paris 1900, found itself fighting for its place on the Games programme beyond Rio 2016.
Wrestling ultimately retained its place in the Olympics by garnering 49 votes to defeat challengers baseball-softball, which polled 24 votes, and squash, with 22 votes, at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Buenos Aires last September, but FILA President Nenad Lalovic said the brand changes signify a new future for the sport.
“I think in order for us to move forward, we needed to identify the shortcomings of the past and work hard to improve them,” he said.
“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.”
The new FILA identity, which has come about after work with brand agency Olive Grove, will also be implemented across the sport’s flagship events, including the World Championships and continental tournaments.
The new name and logo will be proposed to the FILA Congress at their meeting in Tashkent on September 7 – the day before the 2014 FILA World Championships get underway in the Uzbekistani capital.
If approved, FILA will immediately become known as United World Wrestling.
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