Dr. Vincent Zuaro becomes first official from the United States to be inducted into the FILA Hall of Fame

Posted on | August 18, 2010 | No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Krista Graff, National Wrestling Hall of Fame
August 17, 2010

STILLWATER, Okla. – Longtime international wrestling official Dr. Vincent Zuaro will be inducted into the Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées (FILA) International Hall of Fame during the Wrestling World Championships on Sept. 4 in Moscow, Russia.

Zuaro will become the first official from the United States to be recognized by the FILA Hall of Fame for his career as a referee.

“This induction means a great deal to me as I have given much of my life to the sport,” Zuaro said from his home in New York City. “I never expected a reward like this, it’s been a labor of love.”

Zuaro officiated in five Olympic Games, 34 World Championships, six Pan American Championships and 30 years of national tournaments in addition to a long career as a collegiate referee. Three times he was presented the FILA Cross/Star, the highest award of international wrestling, as well as the Gold Whistle, for his Olympic and World officiating. In 1970, he founded the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association, responsible for educating American referees, and authored the USA Wrestling rule book for 20 years.

Zuaro joins two Greco-Roman wrestlers, two men’s freestyle wrestlers, one women’s freestyle wrestler and a legendary Russian coach in the FILA Hall of Fame Class of 2010. The awards are housed in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater.

In Greco-Roman, the list includes Georgia’s Roman Rurua and Poland’s Andrzej Wronski. The freestyle inductees are Russia’s Anatoli Beloglasov, Bouvaisa Saitiev, and women’s freestyler Nikola Hartmann-Duenser of Austria. Legendary coach and wrestler Ivan Yarygin will be the 2010 recipient of the FILA Legend award.

“This 2010 FILA Hall of Fame class offers us a glimpse at the steep tradition of Russian wrestling. It features Russia’s three-time Olympic Champion, Bouvaisa Saitiev and the only wrestler in history to win a gold medal at three different weight classes, Anatoli Beloglasav,” said Stan Dziedzic, President of the FILA Hall of Fame Commission. “Legend Ivan Yarygin rounds out Russia’s honorees and FILA looks forward to honoring all of the inductees after its Congress Meeting in Moscow.”

Rurua and Wronski combined to win eight World-level medals with Rurua winning one Olympic gold and Wronski winning two in Greco-Roman.

Beloglasov earned three gold medals at the World Championships and an Olympic Gold in 1980. Saitiev’s impressive career includes six World gold medals and three Olympic gold medals.

Hartmann-Duenser carries with her five World gold medals, three of which were won consecutively in 1993, ’94, and ’95. Yarygin, holds two Olympic gold medals, one World gold medal and is a former USSR National Coach.

2010 FILA Hall of Fame Inductees

Greco-Roman

Roman Rurua (Georgia)

1968 Olympic Gold, 4x World Gold (1966,’67, ’69, ’70)

Andrzej Wronski (Poland)

2x Olympic Gold (1988, ’96), 1994 World Gold, 1999 World Silver, 2x World Bronze(1993, ’97)

Freestyle

Anatoli Beloglasov (Russia)

1980 Olympic Gold, 3x World Gold (1977,’78, ’82), 1983 World Bronze

Bouvaisa Saitiev (Russia)

3x Olympic Gold (1996, 2004, ’08), 6x World Gold (1995, ’97, ’98, 2001, ’03, ’05)

Women’s freestyle

Nikola Hartmann-Duenser (Austria)

5x World Gold (1993, ’94, ’95, ’98, 2000)

Official

Dr. Vincent Zuaro (United States)

5x Olympic Referee (1964, ’68, ’72, ’84, ’88), 34x World Referee

Legend

Ivan Yarygin (Russia)

2x Olympic Gold (1972, ’76), 1973 World Gold, USSR National Coach