Armwrestling gets backing of UCSA and WAF for inclusion in 13th Africa Games

Mr Ahmed Nasser, President of the Association of African Sports Confederation (UCSA) and Mr. Assen Hadjitodorov, President of World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) have thrown their weight behind Armwrestling as part of the 25 disciplines selected for the 2023 Africa Games in Ghana.

The leadership of the World Armwrestling Federation and the Association of Africa Sports Confederations known as UCSA in separate statements during a joint meeting in Cairo, Egypt acknowledged the speed and development of Armwrestling in Africa as the reason for consideration for Africa to play and experience the ever popular and traditional sport.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Ahmed Nasser said there had been consultations with Hon. Mustapha Ussif, Minister of Youth and Sports, the Local Organizing Committee and Mr Charles Osei Asibey, President of Armwrestling Federation of Africa (AFA) to register the sport in the 13th Africa Games.

“I think you are going to have the support from the Local Organizing Committee, the African Union (AU) has no problem so we will still be waiting for the Association of African Olympic Committee (ANOCA) so at the end of the day you have a good chance to be in the game, he added.”

According to him, he was excited to see the sport gain recognition on the continent and said he was committed to help develop Armwrestling in Africa.

He thanked the President of WAF and the President of AFA for their continuous support in making Africa a hub of sports and urged them to speed up processes in registering the sport as part of the 25 sporting disciplines.

Mr. Assen Hadjitodorov, also applauded the president of UCSA for his continuous support to see the growth of the sport on the continent, thereby endorsing it in the 13th Africa Games.

He pledged his support for games and assured Mr. Ahmed Nasser that the WAF would contribute it’s quota to make Africa Games Armwrestling a memorable .

“Regarding the organisation of the African championships and especially the Africa games next year, I want to confirm that we give full support from the World Armwrestling Federation to continental African federation and we will deliver a high level performance of the athletes.”

The President of the World Armwrestling Federation stated that it was on a mission to make Armwrestling one of the leading sports on the world stage, with the help of UCSA, ANOCA, AU, AFA and other federations.

Mr. Charles Osei Asibey, President of Armwrestling Federation of Africa and Ghana Armwrestling Federation also noted that the African countries are so much interested in the sport, therefore the need to champion this agenda of including it in the continental competition.

He said AFA, in collaboration with the World Armwrestling body and the Local Organising Committee of the Africa Games were putting things in place to help host the continental championship which will serve as the qualifier for the Africa Games.

The GAF President said about 180 athletes were expected to participate in the Armwrestling category of the 13th Africa Games next year.

Present at the meeting were Mr. Ahmed Nasser, President of the Association of African Sports Confederation (UCSA), Mr. Assen Hadjitodorov, President of World Armwrestling Federation (WAF), Mircea Simeonescu, Secretary General of the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF), Julien Boumsong, Secretary General of the Armwrestling Federation of Africa (AFA), Pharm. Kofi Addo-Agyekum, Vice President, Armwestling Federation of Africa (AFA).

The Africa Games has been scheduled for March 8 to 23, 2024.