United World Wrestling Announces New Olympic Qualification System for LA 2028

United World Wrestling Restructures Olympic Qualification System Ahead of LA 2028 ## New Four-Stage Pathway to Determine Wrestling Field for the Games United World Wrestling (UWW), the international governing body for the sport, has announced a major restructuring of its Olympic qualification system ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games. The new system will feature a four-stage pathway to determine the wrestling field for the quadrennial event. This represents a significant departure from the previous qualification process, which had been in place for several Olympic cycles. "We believe this new system will make the road to the Olympics more equitable and accessible for wrestlers around the world," said UWW President Nenad Lalović. "By breaking down the qualification into multiple stages, we aim to provide more opportunities for athletes to secure their spot on the Olympic roster." The four stages of the new UWW qualification system are as follows: 1. Continental Qualifiers: Wrestlers will compete in their respective continental championships, with quota places allocated based on the results. 2. World Qualification Tournament: A global competition open to all nations, where additional Olympic spots will be up for grabs. 3. Ranking Series: A series of high-level events throughout the quadrennium, where wrestlers can accumulate points to improve their ranking and qualify for the Games. 4. Host Country Allocation: The host nation, in this case the United States, will be allocated a number of spots based on their performance and participation in the sport. The new system is designed to create a more balanced and inclusive pathway for wrestlers to reach the Olympic stage, ensuring that the LA 2028 wrestling competition features the best talent from around the globe.