Strong aside: what to expect from the Russian national team at the Freestyle Wrestling World Cup

This Saturday, September 13, the World Freestyle Wrestling Championship starts in Zagreb, before which the Russian national team faced visa difficulties. It was only by the evening of September 11 that it became clear that all the Russian wrestlers who had applied to participate in the World Cup had received Schengen visas, with the exception of team leader Abdulrashid Sadulaev, who would be replaced by Magomed Kurbanov in the 97 kg category. The two-time Olympic champion was refused a visa.

Without superduels

As journalist Vladimir Ivanov wrote on his telegram channel, Sadulaev issued a single-entry tourist visa to Spain in January 2024 to participate in the European Championship in Romania. He flew to Bucharest from Spain, and was naturally refused entry to the country, and at the same time received a 59—month ban on entry to the Schengen countries, since he could enter Romania either on a national visa or a multiple-entry Schengen visa. In any case, Sadulaev would not have gone to the Paris Olympics — it was held without Russian wrestlers, but the mistake with the visa still greatly spoiled his international career.

In 2025, Sadulaev applied for a visa to Slovakia to participate in the European Championship, unsuccessfully. After winning the CR-2025 at the end of June, he publicly appealed to the head of the FSBR Mikhail Mamiashvili with a request to help him with a Schengen visa, but the attempt to go to the World Cup in Croatia initially looked doomed — there is no sports federation in the world that is able to resolve visa issues of this nature, and even when it comes to the Schengen countries.

The 2026 World Cup will be held either in Bahrain (Manama) or Slovakia (Bratislava). Thus, if Slovakia, the Schengen country, hosts the 2026 World Cup, Sadulaev will miss it too. But he can become a participant in the 2026 World Cup, since this tournament will not be held in the Schengen area - Novi Sad (Serbia), Skopje (Macedonia) and Tirana (Albania) are applying for it.

Attention grabbing: what to expect from the Russian Freestyle Wrestling Championship

The strongest athletes will have the opportunity to compete at the world Championships

Sadulaev's non-admission to the 2025 World Cup is, if not a tragedy, then a big nuisance for Sadulaev and for freestyle wrestling in general. The most intriguing confrontation in this sport right now is the dispute between Sadulaev and Paris Olympic champion Ahmed Tazhudinov, a 22-year-old Dagestani from Bahrain. Tazhudinov defeated Sadulaev at the 2023 World Cup, but Abdulrashid was injured then. It is very interesting to see how a healthy Sadulaev would have fought against Tazhudinov.

Due to visa problems, Sadulaev lost the opportunity to become a seven-time world champion in 2025 and repeat the record of Alexander Medved and Valentin Yordanov. Anyway, Abdulrashid is 29 years old, he still has time to win his third Olympic Games, and a couple more world championships with European championships to eventually become the most decorated freestyle wrestler in history.

Sidakov vs. Valiev

Russian wrestlers will compete at the World Cup in a neutral status, without a flag and anthem. The Russian Wrestling Federation will be represented by Musa Mehdikhanov (up to 57 kg), Olympic champion-2021, two-time world champion Zaur Uguev (up to 61 kg), Ibrahim Ibragimov (up to 65 kg), Sayin Kazyryk (up to 70 kg), Olympic champion, three-time world champion Zaurbek Sidakov (up to 74 kg), world champion Ahmed Usmanov (up to 79 kg), Ibrahim Kadiyev (up to 86 kg), Amanula Gadzhimagomedov (up to 92 kg), Magomed Kurbanov (up to 97 kg), Abdullah Kurbanov (up to 125 kg).

Traditionally, every Russian participant in the World Cup is highly rated, gold can be in every weight category. The heavyweight gold will surprise the most, and the most anticipated fight, in Sadulaev's absence, will be Zaurbek Sidakov vs. Chermen Valiev in the category up to 74 kg. Valiev is an Ossetian, but due to the fierce competition in Russia, he decided to fight for Albania. In the spring of this year, they clashed in the final of the European Championship, Valiev won, and the president of the FSBR Mikhail Mamiashvili called him a traitor at the award ceremony, which caused a big scandal.

Another intrigue: for the first time at a major tournament, Denis Tsargush, a three—time world champion and bronze medalist at the 2012 Olympics, will be the head coach of the Russian national team.

The World Freestyle Wrestling Championship will last from September 13 to 16.