TNA IMPACT WRESTLING Raises Voice To Save Olympic Wrestling

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced "25 Core Sports" for the 2020 Olympic Games dropping one of the original Olympic sports: wrestling.  Wrestling will now have to fight to remain a part of the 2020 games. TNA IMPACT WRESTLING is home to 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle and is dedicated to change this decision.

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The IOC stated reasoning for the decision, according to the report, was an analysis of "more than three dozen criteria, including television ratings, ticket sales, anti-doping policy and global participation and popularity." The IOC has decided to keep recreational sports such as badminton, handball and table tennis in the "25 Core Sports" category and to delete one of the oldest Olympic sports that premiered in the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896.

Kurt Angle is considered the best wrestler of all time to be in both amateur and professional wrestling and is gearing up to fight this decision and organize a battalion of like minds to save this Olympic sport.  

"Wrestling is one of the most competitive sports in the world today," stated TNA Superstar and 1996 Gold Medalist Kurt Angle.  "Winning the gold for my country in one of the original Olympic sports was one of the greatest moments in my life.

"The wrestling community is in a state of shock with this decision– we can not sit back and allow this to happen. I will do whatever it takes and work with my company TNA WRESTLING and the competitive wrestling community to determine what we need to do to reverse this decision."

"The news today from the IOC is very disheartening to all of us at TNA as well as the tens of millions around the world who either participate in amateur wrestling or enjoy watching it in its entertainment form," stated TNA President Dixie Carter.  "We need to join together right now. We encourage our own IMPACT WRESTLING community, WWE and wrestling organizations worldwide as well as competitive amateur coaches and athletes to have a unified voice to make sure wrestling will be an Olympic sport in 2020."

TNA encourages fans to take to social media to let your voices be heard.  Speak out using #SaveOlympicWrestling and @Olympics. 

TNA ENTERTAINMENT, LLC

TNA Entertainment, LLC is a privately held sports entertainment company based in Nashville, Tennessee that specializes in events, products, numerous TV properties, merchandise and music, as well as, the management and promotion of professional wrestlers.  The roster features such greats as Hulk Hogan, Jeff Hardy, Kurt Angle, Sting, James Storm, Bobby Roode, Rob Van Dam, Velvet Sky, Brooke Hogan, the lovely and lethal Knockouts and many more through its highly successful TNA IMPACT WRESTLING weekly broadcasts on SPIKE TV.  In addition, TNA produces monthly PPV events and over 100 live shows a year.  The product is the world's most innovative experience in professional wrestling and is broadcast in over 120 countries.  For more information, please visit www.impactwrestling.com.

SOURCE TNA Entertainment, LLC