On 13 October, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received Nenad Lalović, the president of United World Wrestling (UWW), who is currently visiting the country.

The meeting reviewed issues related to expanding practical cooperation with this prestigious global organization, specifically in providing organizational and expert support and in further promoting combat sports in Uzbekistan.

It should be noted that traditional wrestling disciplines—such as Greco-Roman, freestyle, and women’s wrestling—along with mixed martial arts, are actively developing in the country.

In recent years, Uzbek athletes have achieved outstanding results on the world stage, securing 45 major titles, including gold medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships.

During the talks, Nenad Lalović highly praised the wide-ranging reforms underway in New Uzbekistan to promote mass participation in sports. He commended efforts to expand modern and inclusive infrastructure, host prestigious international tournaments regularly, and engage young people more broadly in the sports movement.

The parties also discussed organizing major continental and world championships in Uzbekistan, establishing a Regional Wrestling Academy under the federation’s patronage, and cooperation in key areas such as sports medicine, nutrition, psychology, and other priority fields.

President Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of promoting combat sports among children and youth, introducing modern methods for selecting and training talented athletes, and improving the infrastructure—from neighborhood clubs and gyms to sports mastery schools and specialized complexes. These measures, as the Head of State noted, should lead to new achievements at the Olympic Games and other major competitions.

At the end of the meeting, the President of Uzbekistan presented Nenad Lalović with one of the country’s highest honors — the Order of Friendship (Do‘stlik)—in recognition of his significant personal contribution to the development and support of mass sports and combat disciplines.