USA Wrestling President Bruce Baumgartner Elected to United World Wrestling Bureau

USA Wrestling President Bruce Baumgartner has been elected to a position on the United World Wrestling Bureau, the governing council for the international wrestling federation.

Baumgartner, from Edinboro, Pennsylvania, was among seven individuals elected during the vote at the UWW Congress in Tirana, Albania, on October 27.

“I am deeply honored to be elected to the United World Wrestling Bureau,” Baumgartner said. “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 is 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 Ceremony of the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta.

He is in his second stint as USA Wrestling president, having served from 1998-2002, then from 2016 to the present. Baumgartner was re-elected as USA Wrestling president in August and will serve in the position through 2028.

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

“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.

As a USA Wrestling Board member for decades, Baumgartner has served on numerous committees within USA Wrestling. He has also served on UWW commissions in different capacities. In 2013, Baumgartner was a leader on USA Wrestling’s Committee for the Preservation of Olympic Wrestling, which spearheaded a cooperative international effort to retain wrestling in the Games.