Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 16
By Fatih Karimov – Trend:
The 2017 Freestyle Wrestling World Cup started in Kermanshah, Iran on Feb. 16, the state-run IRINN TV reported.
The event is a dual-style competition that takes place today and tomorrow. In Group A, the US team will face Russia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, while Iran competes against Mongolia, Turkey and India in Group B.
The top teams from each group advance to final match and the second place teams face each other for the third place.
Earlier, Iran barred the US wrestlers from entering the country for participation in the competition, as a response to America’s ban on visa issuance for the citizens of seven countries, including Iran.
However, later Tehran agreed to issue visa for the team members following a US federal judge’s ruling that suspended President Donald Trump’s travel ban.
Members of the US national wrestling team were warmly welcomed by Iranians upon their arrival in Iran on Feb. 13.