By Richard Immel
USA Wrestling
TIRANA, Albania – USA Wrestling President Bruce Baumgartner of Edinboro, Pennsylvania, was elected to a position on the United World Wrestling Bureau, the governing council for the international wrestling federation.

Baumgartner was among seven individuals elected to the Bureau, during the vote held at the UWW Congress held in Tirana, Albania, on October 27. Also elected to the Bureau were Pedro Silva of Portugal, Peter Bacsa of Hungary, Zamel Al-Shahrani of Qatar, Natalia Yariguina of Russia, Buyandelger Peljee of Mongolia and Cholpon Sultanbekova of Kyrgyzstan.

“"I am deeply honored to be elected to the United World Wrestling Bureau,” Baumgartner said following his election on Sunday. This role carries a tremendous responsibility, and I am committed to the growth of our sport. I look forward to making a positive impact on wrestling not just in the United States, but globally. Together, we can continue to elevate wrestling to new heights for future generations.”

Baumgartner’s election means that the United States will continue to have one of its leaders serving on the UWW Bureau. UWW Vice President Stan Dziedzic of the United States was not eligible for re-election, as he reached his term limit according to the UWW Constitution.

“I’d like to thank Stan Dziedzic for his service to wrestling and tenure on the Bureau as he enters his retirement. I hope to honor his legacy,” Baumgartner added.

Baumgartner was one of the greatest and most respected men’s freestyle wrestlers in history and one of the most accomplished Olympic athletes from any sport. He was a two-time Olympic champion, four-time Olympic medalist, three-time World champion and 13-time World and Olympic medalist. He was selected by his peers from the U.S. Olympic Team to carry the flag leading Team USA into the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga., USA.

Visit the National Wrestling Hall of Fame to see all 13 of Baumgartner's World and Olympic medals, displayed in a cabinet that was constructed by Baumgartner and fellow Distinguished Member Greg Strobel. Visitors can also see Bruce’s jewelry from the 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympics and a collection of t-shirts from his career.

He is in his second stint as USA Wrestling president, having served from 1998-2002, and then from 2016 to the present. Baumgartner was re-elected as USA Wrestling president in August, and will serve in the position through 2028, including guiding the organization at the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif. Baumgartner won his first Olympic gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

As a USA Wrestling Board member for decades, he has served on numerous committees within USA Wrestling. In his role as USA Wrestling president, he is also active with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, representing wrestling in important meetings and conferences.

He is retired from an exceptional career in sports management and leadership, working first as varsity wrestling coach, then serving 21 years with distinction as athletic director for Edinboro University. His leadership has impacted generations of sportsmen and sportswomen. He is inducted into numerous Halls of Fame, including the UWW Hall of Fame and the U.S. National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Baumgartner received the UWW Gold Star (then the FILA Gold Star) for his leadership within wrestling. He has served on UWW commissions in different capacities. In 2013, Baumgartner was a leader on USA Wrestling’s Committee for the Preservation of Olympic Wrestling (CPOW), which spearheaded a cooperative international effort to retain wrestling in the Olympic Games. Baumgartner received a certificate from UWW President Nenad Lalovic recognizing his leadership in the successful effort to save Olympic wrestling and help transform the sport heading into the future.

Baumgartner has travelled the world in his career as a wrestler, coach and leader, visiting each continent and countless nations. He has attended six Olympic Games, including four as an athlete. He has attended 19 Senior World Championships, including 11 as an athlete. Baumgartner has been to literally dozens of other major UWW events, including age-group World Championships, the Pan American Games and Pan American Championships.