Prime Minister Vladimir Putin greets participants and guests at the opening ceremony of the “Russian Wrestling Hall of Fame” exhibition
The message reads, in part:
“It may be symbolic, but this vast and largely unique exposition is timed to coincide with the 140th birthday of Ivan Poddubny who brought fame to Russia at the most prestigious arenas in the world. In the past decades, generations of Russian wrestlers continued the victorious traditions of this legendary athlete, have written bright pages in the history of global wrestling and provided unforgettable moments of triumph to their numerous supporters. Today, Russian representatives of all martial-arts styles rank among the recognised leaders and invariably win awards at major competitions.
I am convinced that this exhibition will become one of the most outstanding events of the Year of Russian Wrestling, proclaimed by the Bureau of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA), and that it will be of interest to both professionals and amateurs.”
