Mikhail Mamiashvili

Last updated
Mikhail Mamiashvili
Mikhail Mamiashvili RN 09-2013.jpg
Mamiashvili in 2013
Medal record
Men's Greco-Roman wrestling
Representing the Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Olympic Games
Olympic rings.svg
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1988 Seoul Middleweight
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1983 Kiev Middleweight
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1985 Kolbotn Middleweight
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1986 Budapest Middleweight
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1989 Martigny Middleweight
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1990 Ostia Middleweight
European Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1986 PiraeusWelterweight
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1988 KolbotnMiddleweight
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1989 OuluMiddleweight

Mikhail Mamiashvili (born 21 November 1963 in Konotop, Ukrainian SSR) is a Russian former Greco-Roman wrestler of Georgian origin. He won an Olympic gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea, competing for the Soviet Union. After retirement, he has held posts in the Russian Wrestling Federation, currently being its president.

Contents

Career

In 1978 along with his parents Mamiashvili moved to Moscow, Russian SFSR. He won gold medals at the 1983, 1985 and 1986 World Wrestling Championships and won the European championship in 1986. He also won two silver medal at the World Wrestling Championships in 1989, 1990. He was USSR National Champion in 1984, 1987, and 1988. He is currently the President of the Russian Wrestling Federation and one of the most powerful men in International Olympic wrestling, serving as a FILA Bureau Member (Federation of Associated Wrestling Style, www.fila-wrestling.com). Mamiashvili was inducted in the FILA Hall of Fame in 2008 for his many accomplishments as an athlete and administrator for Soviet/Russian wrestling. [1]

He is the current chairperson and president of the Wrestling Federation of Russia [:ru] .

Controversy

At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Mamiashvili was accused by a Swedish board member of wrestling's international governing body for giving signs to a referee of a gold medal match involving a Russian wrestler. When the board member informed Mamiashvili of the accusation, Mamiashvili purportedly told him: "You should know that this may lead to your death," despite evidence found by the board member that the referee had been bribed. [2]

In 2015, Mamiashvili was denied a United States visa to attend the UWW World Championships in Las Vegas. [3]

At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Mamiashvili was accused of punching Russia's 63 kg female wrestler Inna Trazhukova in the face twice following her loss to Poland's Monika Michalik in the bronze medal match. [4] [5] [6] Mamiashvili does not deny punching Trazhukova, claiming he wanted to punish her for a lack of effort. [4]

In 2025, Mamiashvili was accused of abusing Chermen Valiev, a former Russian wrestler who transferred to Albania, as Mamiashvili was awarding Valiev a gold medal at the 2025 European Wrestling Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia. Footage at the awards ceremony appeared to show Mamiashvili aggressively placing the gold medal on Valiev and saying something that upset Valiev before Mamiashvili grabbed him in both arms, shoved a bouquet into Valiev’s hands and walked away. Valiev later said that Mamiashvili accused him of being a traitor. [7]

References

  1. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Mikhail Mamiashvili". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2012. "Mikhail Mamiashvili".
  2. ↑ "Russian Wrestling Federation President to miss World Championships after refused visa by United States". 7 September 2015. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  3. ↑ "Russian Wrestling President Denied U.S. Visa on Eve of Championships". 6 September 2015. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  4. 1 2 "Russia's Head Of Wrestling Punched Female Wrestler In Face For Losing Bronze Medal Match". The Big Lead. 2016-08-19. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  5. ↑ "Wrestler says she was hit in the face twice by head of Russian wrestling federation". Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  6. ↑ "Российский борец Тражукова заявила, что ее избил президент Федерации борьбы РФ" . Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  7. ↑ "Russian Olympic Official Sparks Scandal by Berating Ossetian-Born Wrestling Champion". The Moscow Times. 11 April 2025. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
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