UWW Constitution June 2024

About the June 2024 editionChanges from October 2021

Key changes from the previous edition

1. The "international competition" threshold: from three countries to fiveThe most significant practical change for wrestlers and clubs. An international competition is now a competition in which more than five countries take part; previously more than three sufficed. Because the requirement to hold a federation licence is tied to this same definition, the range of events for which a licence is required to participate has narrowed.
2. Redesign of the BureauThe former composition — the President, five vice-presidents and thirteen elected members — has been replaced by eighteen elected members, six of whom are vice-presidents. The vice-presidents are chosen from among those same members by the Bureau itself.
3. Strengthened quota for womenThe elected members of the Bureau must include at least five women (including those women who become vice-presidents), and at least two vice-presidents must be women. In the 2021 edition these figures were three seats and one vice-president.
4. Seats reserved for women no longer pass to menThe former rule provided that, if there were not enough female candidates, the seats reserved for women would be opened to male candidates. That rule has been removed, and such seats now remain vacant, to be filled by a female candidate at the next election.
5. Rewritten electoral procedureElections are held by secret ballot, and each voter has as many votes as there are vacant seats. Candidates who meet the conditions — including nationality and gender — and who receive the most votes are declared elected. In the event of a tie, the sitting member of the Bureau takes precedence and, failing that, the oldest candidate; and if the number of candidates equals the number of seats, they are elected without a ballot.
6. Pace of seat renewalInstead of "one third of the seats every two years", six seats are now put to election at each biennial Congress. In addition, where a seat falls vacant for any reason, a successor is elected at the following Congress; previously a vacancy arising from a member reaching the age limit was excluded from this rule.
7. Vacancy in the office of vice-presidentIf a person's membership of the Bureau ends before the end of their term as vice-president, the Bureau shall, at its next meeting, choose a new vice-president for the remainder of that term.
8. Transitional provisions until 2030For the transition to the new structure, it was provided that the seventh and, if necessary, the eighth seat should go to women only, and that the term of the woman receiving the fewest votes should be four years rather than six. Candidatures for the 2024 elections were accepted up to two months beforehand, but from 2026 the three-month deadline is applied strictly, and at the 2028 and 2030 Congresses six members are elected and the minimum of five women will be observed without any relaxation.