SR 11 (LSB 2229SS (7) 85)

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 11

BY  BOWMAN, ZAUN, SODDERS, HART, WILHELM, HOGG, HORN, DEARDEN, BRASE, SENG, HATCH, RAGAN, DVORSKY, BEALL, DOTZLER, DIX, CHELGREN, SEGEBART, FEENSTRA, WHITVER, ERNST, ZUMBACH, BREITBACH, HOUSER, BEHN, BOETTGER, KAPUCIAN, GUTH, ROZENBOOM, SMITH, SINCLAIR, BOLKCOM, McCOY, SCHOENJAHN, MATHIS, TAYLOR, BLACK, PETERSEN, DANIELSON, JOCHUM, SCHNEIDER, CHAPMAN, JOHNSON, QUIRMBACH, SORENSON, BERTRAND, ANDERSON, GREINER, COURTNEY, and GRONSTAL

A Resolution opposing the decision of the International Olympic Committee to end wrestling as an Olympic event.

   WHEREAS, the sport of wrestling, which combines both freestyle and Greco-Roman events, goes back to the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896; and
   WHEREAS, over the last century, wrestling expanded to feature 344 athletes competing in 11 medal events in freestyle and seven in Greco-Roman at the London Olympics, and women’s wrestling was added at the 2004 Athens Games; and
   WHEREAS, Iowa has a rich heritage in the sport of wrestling at all levels, including a premier high school program and the world-class collegiate programs at Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Northern Iowa; and
   WHEREAS, Dan Gable won three state championships at Waterloo West High School and then wrestled at Iowa State where he won multiple national championships and later won Olympic gold, thereafter becoming a coaching legend at the University of Iowa and at the 1980, 1984, and 2000 Olympics; and
   WHEREAS, Jake Varner, a former Iowa State wrestler, won gold at the 2012 London Olympics; and
   WHEREAS, the action of the International Olympic Committee threatens the future of a sport practiced for three millennia and threatens the future of Iowa’s college and high school wrestling programs, which have been carefully developed over the last 50 years; NOW THEREFORE,

   BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate opposes the action of the International Olympic Committee to end wrestling as an Olympic event and urges that body to reconsider its action.