By Nick Butler at The Hilton in Buenos Aires

Wrestling celebrate following their emphatic first round victory in the 2020 sports raceSeptember 8 - Nenad Lelovic, President of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA), refused to let lingering corruption allegations surrounding previous administrations taint an emphatic victory in wrestling's bid to keep its place on the Olympic programme in 2020.

Following a presentation to International Olympic Committee (IOC) members this morning ahead of their first round triumph over squash and baseball/softball, Lalovic received several questions concerning the conduct of FILA administrations before his time.

He admitted to "having suspicions" but emphasised that the sport is now focused upon "turning towards the future."

"We have suspicions but there is not any real evidence of it," he said.

"The only way to procure such things is to is to step back and view things totally independently.

"We have done this through our athletes commission as well as our modern and democratic constitution.

"But we are now focusing on the modern sport and on a bright future."

FILA President Nenad Lalovic displays wrestlings future aims in brochure form following victory in the 2020 sports raceFILA President Nenad Lalovic displays wrestling's future aims in brochure form after batting off corruption allegations against FILA following victory in the 2020 sports race


Reaction to the victory from within the wrestling world was tempered with relief and a sense that the triumph was one great step on a continuing journey of reform.

Lalovic added that a "new wrestling" has been created but the fight is continuing to improve the sport." 

But the anxiety the sport has faced in 2013 was revealed by the Oscar-winning actor and sporting ambassador Alec Baldwin when he admitted how "grateful, thankful and so relieved" everyone was and that there "had been a lot of tears in that room."

Russian legend Alexander Karelin, a triple Olympic gold medallist, was also present to add his credentials.

"Wrestling is the diamond of the Olympic programme," he said before adding in relation to 2020 that "it has a long tradition in Japan so should be very good there."

Alexander Karelin won three gold and one silver medal at successive Olympics and is one of the greatest names in the history of the sportRussia's Greco Roman heavyweight Alexander Karelin (pictured left on way to victory at Atlanta 1996) won three gold and one silver medal at successive Olympics and is one of the greatest names in the history of the sport





On the other hand, reaction was unsurprisingly far more muted from the squash and baseball-softball delegations after they finished well adrift with 22 and 24 votes respectably in comparison with wrestling's mammoth 49. 

President of the World Squash Federation (WSF) Narayana Ramachandran spoke with a heavy air of disappointment and resignation.

"Today's decision is heart-breaking for the millions of squash players around the world," he said.

"As the only new Olympic sport on today's shortlist, we believed squash offered something for the future and I still hope that our inclusion may still be possible."

After placing second baseball-softball took did find some reasons for positivity as they described the shared resources and unity that the coming together of two sports had enabled. 

World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) President Don Porter explained that they had always realised that they were facing an uphill battle and that wrestling fully deserves its 2020 place.

But with a presentation that they believed had been well received they are not giving up on the future.

World Squash Federation President Narayana Ramachandran alongside world champion Ramy Ashour ahead of their disappointing finish in the 2020 sports raceWorld Squash Federation President Narayana Ramachandran alongside world champion Ramy Ashour ahead of their disappointing third place finish in the 2020 sports race




Once again the IOC members kept their voting cards fairly close to their chests although they reflected the general mood that wrestling was always the outstanding favourite.

Former Hungarian President Pal Schmitt described a good and fair competition were well appreciated appreciated.

However,as a Hungarian, his heart was with wrestling because it is one of the countries stongest sports, he admiitted.

Norway's Gerhard Heiberg said that he saw baseball-softball and squash as still firmly in contention next time new sports are considered.

IOC Presidential candidate Richard Carrion expressed a similar view when he admitted that, "as a Puerta Rican and a baseball fan" he had expected the sport to pool more votes.

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