Wrestling might be the oldest grappling art but it’s surely the one politics are most involved in. However the political climate involved someone besides the usual USA/Iran/Israel this time – Russia.

The Russian Foreign Ministry claims that the United States has barred Russian wrestlers from competing in the upcoming Freestyle World Cup in Iowa.

Zakharova released a statement accusing the U.S. embassy in Moscow of refusing to arrange visa interviews for the Russian wrestling team.

 ”We regard the US actions as another obvious example of obstructing the participation of Russian athletes in international competitions,” Zakharova said in an official statement. “The American authorities also clearly are not averse to eliminating strong competitors for their athletes.”

The shortage of staff is likely due to Russia’s decision to cut the US diplomatic staff by two thirds in a response to Washington pulling the same moves.

“The point, however, is that non-issuance of visas for our athletes is a gross violation by the United States of its obligations as a state that undertook to host international competitions,” added Zakharova. “It is about direct and open discourses the nation of the team of one of the participating countries.”

 

This isn’t the first time USA has shown such antics. In 2017, after Trump’s executive order restricting travel to the USA for Muslim majority countries Iran banned US wrestlers. Following a temporary ban of the travel ban Iran reinstated visas for US wrestlers.

As of now it’s unclear if Russian wrestling team will be competing come April in Iowa.