Wrestling

Marchl plans the Olympic revolution

Markus Ragginger (right) can count on help from Toni Marchl (above).(Bild: GEPA)

AC Wals veteran is annoyed by the difficult wrestling qualification for the Summer Games. A solution with fair criteria will be discussed from the fall.

Wrestling stronghold AC Wals has already produced a proud 13 participants in the Olympic Games. However, the criteria for this have become increasingly strict. Recently, almost only podium places at World Championships or zone qualifying finals have sufficed. Even Salzburg's last participant, Amer Hrustanovic 2016 in Rio, only made it thanks to a wild card (which was subsequently abolished). He had previously lost the duel between the third-placed qualifiers. "No more," says former Wals boss and association vice-president Toni Marchl.

A mix of judo and weightlifting
The sixth-placed athlete at the 1992 Games in Barcelona already had his fingers in the pie when the sport was on the brink of elimination from the Olympics in 2013. Now he wants the qualifying revolution. "If you miss one date because you're ill, that's it," he criticizes. Marchl has a mix of judo and weightlifting in mind. In addition to World Championship and European Championship placings from different years, six Grand Slam tournaments and the world rankings will determine the participants. There will also be a global wildcard system for those moving up in the field.

The plan is for the mode to reach the Olympic Committee in the fall. This could also give showcase Walser Markus Ragginger a fair chance.