Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports Development and United World Wrestling Bureau member Baraladei Daniel Igali has reached Astana ahead of the 2026 World Wrestling Championships.
Igali is due to take part in two UWW Bureau sessions as well as the federation’s Elective Congress on October 23. Discussions are set to focus on the governance, administration and continued growth of wrestling worldwide.
In his role on the UWW Technical Commission, he is expected to join talks concerning routes to Olympic qualification, tournament rules and measures aimed at ensuring fairness between wrestling nations.
The former Olympic gold medallist has consistently called for fairer representation and a more balanced allocation of resources across global sport, especially for developing nations. He maintains that inadequate finances and limited facilities should not prevent African countries and other under-resourced nations from competing at elite level.
During the Congress, Igali is expected to advocate stronger institutional stability, administrative continuity and long-term development initiatives within wrestling.
He said the meetings could also bring practical gains for Bayelsa State in areas including technical administration, athlete development, event organisation and the adoption of international best practice. Those lessons are expected to assist the state’s planning for the 2028 National Sports Festival.
Igali expressed appreciation to Bayelsa State Governor Senator Douye Diri for backing his international assignments.
Meanwhile, Team Nigeria will aim to bring an end to its three-year wait for a medal at the World Wrestling Championships.
Igali said he remains determined to ensure that his work with UWW produces tangible benefits for sporting progress in both Bayelsa State and Nigeria.
