10K update!!!
Thank you all so much for the amazing support! It is incredible seeing all of you in Latifah’s corner, rooting for her to wrestle while adhering to her faith.
Good news first! USA Wrestling has gone to bat for Latifah! They have presented the issue to UWW and have requested that UWW allow her to wrestle modestly in the same clothing she earned the team spot in. Thank you for the support USA Wrestling!
Unfortunately, UWW is stalling!
They refuse to give Latifah and her coaches an update or try to make progress towards a resolution.
USA Wrestling requested that the UWW Americas (the UWW governing body for the Americas) provide Latifah with an exemption to compete at the Pan Ams. But the UWW Americas president has refused to help. He has simply handed off the issue to others in the UWW leadership.
The Pan Am championship is fast approaching and it is starting to seem like UWW is trying to run the clock out on Latifah. It seems like they want to stop her from representing the United States in the spot that she rightfully earned simply through inaction.
Just to refresh everyone’s memory - Latifah earned this spot using the uniform allowance that USA Wrestling offered her. USA Wrestling made this allowance after consultation with UWW and based on the recommendations of UWW.
UWW and UWW Americas have received a letter of support from a high-level official and are still refusing to do anything to make progress on this issue.
We are now asking the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for their support in this as well. The IOC, while separate from UWW, is the other major international sports governing body. The IOC, through their Fairness, Inclusivity, and Non-Discrimination Framework that they recently published, has shown that they are in support of wrestling for all while respecting differences and variety in the sport.
So what can you do to help….
- Keep sharing this petition. The more the word gets out, the more pressure on UWW to honor at the international level the accommodations they have already allowed at the national level.
- Send respectful emails of support to the decision-makers at USA Wrestling and United World Wrestling. There is an already made template below for you to use. Just copy and paste and send it to the following individuals:
Nenad Lalovic (UWW President), Stanley Dziedzic (UWW Vice President), Cody Bickley (USA Wrestling Director of National Teams High Performance), Rich Bender (USA Wrestling Executive Director), Daulet Turlykhanov (UWW Bureau Member), Francisco Lopez (UWW Americas President), Carlos Roy (UWW Secretary-General), and Susanne Lyons (Chair of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee board of directors)
To: nenad.lalovic@uww.org, sjdziedzic@aol.com, cbickley@usawrestling.org, rbender@usawrestling.org, daulet.turlykhanov@uww.org, francisco.lee@uww.org, carlos.roy@uww.org, international@usoc.org
Dear UWW and USA Wrestling Representatives,
I am writing on behalf of Latifah McBryde, a Muslim wrestler from the United States. She has rightfully earned her place on the USA team to compete at the Pan Am tournament in Mexico in July while wearing a uniform that has been approved for wrestling both nationally and internationally.
I am respectfully requesting that you provide her with a religious exemption, in writing, to allow her to compete while adhering to her faith. I strongly believe that wrestling should be as inclusive and welcoming as possible. I believe that, by providing this exemption, you will only grow and diversify women’s international wrestling.
Please do the right thing and let Latifah wrestle!
Thank you.
[Your Name]