(ATR) Jim Scherr tells Around the Rings the legacy of Raphaël Martinetti is strong – but that he made the right choice to resign as president of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles.
Four days after wrestling was left off the IOC list of 25 "core sports" for the 2020 Olympics – and a day after vowing to "fiercely" fight for its reinstatement in comments made to ATR – the Swiss handed over the reins Saturday to Nenad Lalovic of Serbia during an emergency meeting in Phuket, Thailand.
"After discussions and input from the membership, Martinetti felt it was in the best interests to help wrestling and the FILA for him to resign," says Scherr, a former U.S. Olympic Committee CEO who now serves as commissioner of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.
"I think that was probably a very difficult decision for him, but the right one that he made. I think his legacy in the sport has been a strong one, and hopefully people will remember the positive things that he’s done over time."
Scherr, who ran USA Wrestling from 1990 to 2000 after finishing fifth in 90kg freestyle at Seoul 1988, the same Games his twin brother Bill won bronze in 100kg freestyle bronze, was added to the FILA Bureau in Thailand along with Alexander Kareline of Russia and Pedro Gama Filho of Brazil.
"I’m very pleased to have joined the FILA Bureau at this time, especially considering it’s a difficult time for wrestling and I hope I can make a positive contribution to serve the sport," he tells ATR.
Scherr says he does not know his Serbian colleague well. Lalovic, the new acting president, serves on the European Council of Associated Wrestling as well as Ethical and Legal Commissions for FILA.
"Certainly, the Bureau believed at this time he’s the right person to step in and address this," Scherr says, noting an extraordinary congress may be called by the Bureau or by at least one-third of FILA's national federations in order to either approve the Serb or appoint someone else.
"The FILA Bureau has confidence is Lalovic, and we’ll go from there."
After its Tuesday snub from the IOC, wrestling now joins karate, roller sport, squash, sport climbing, wakeboard, wushu as well as a joint bid by baseball and softball for consideration by EB members at their May meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia with one or more to be recommended for a vote of the IOC Session scheduled for September in Buenos Aires.
According to Scherr, the FILA Bureau should focus on three priorities in the coming months.
"Obviously, they need to have a delegation with Mr. Lalovic and meet with IOC President Jacques Rogge, listen to what Mr. Rogge has to say, take it seriously, and then be willing to make those changes to help improve," he tells ATR, adding that he assumes Rogge will keep his early March appointment with FILA.
"I don’t what President Rogge’s reaction will be, but I’m assuming he’ll meet with the new leadership of FILA as he would have with President Martinetti."
Scherr says FILA’s other two points of emphasis will be global outreach and preparation for wrestling’s presentation to the IOC Executive Board in St. Petersburg.
"They need to coordinate and positively mobilize all of the different national federations and the efforts that these national federations and the general public in their countries are undertaking to have their voice heard," he explains.
"Lastly, they need to work with the IOC and prepare for the EB meeting and then the IOC Session."
Reported by Matthew Grayson
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