A Dagestani coach has reported a difficult situation within the Russian Wrestling Federation.

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The Russian Wrestling Federation, headed by Mikhail Mamiashvili, has accumulated numerous problems. Athletes are not receiving fair compensation and support, but are being pressured, stated Magomed Guseinov, a wrestling coach from Dagestan, in an address to the Russian president.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," during the awards ceremony at the European Championships in Bratislava, Mikhail Mamiashvili, head of the Russian Wrestling Federation, made rude remarks about Russian wrestler Chermen Valiev, who competes under the Albanian flag. Deputy Chairman of the Vladikavkaz Assembly of Representatives, Soslan Bestayev, stated that Mamiashvili should apologize to Valiyev and the Ossetian people. Analysts, however, are confident that there is no nationalist undertone to Mamiashvili's actions.

On May 26, Magomed Guseinov, Honored Coach of Russia in Wrestling of the USSR and the Russian Federation, recorded a video message to Russian President Vladimir Putin asking him to restore order within the country's Wrestling Federation. A minute-and-a-half-long video message was published by the Telegram channel "Chernovik" 2.0. The message claims that members of the North Ossetian national team have also made a similar statement. According to Huseynov, over the 30 years of Mamiashvili's leadership, numerous problems have accumulated in the federation, "which are hindering its development." "We give our health, the best years of our lives, we devote ourselves entirely to training, but we don't see fair compensation or support; we don't see any prize money or sponsorship from the federation," Huseynov stated. The coach noted that many athletes are leaving the country, while many are simply leaving the sport. Huseynov stated that this is happening against the backdrop of what athletes in other federations see: "they offer so many bonuses, but wrestlers aren't treated that way." "When legitimate opportunities to compete in professional leagues and earn a living through their labor arise, instead of supporting the athletes, they create barriers and put pressure on them." "Russian wrestling needs serious reform, transparency, and respect for every wrestler," Guseinov stated.

The channel's report asks "how far did the country's strongest team and most successful federation have been pushed to record an open video message to the country's president." Mamiashvili, it notes, didn't even attend recent matches in Dagestan and North Ossetia, which "leads to a loss of trust on the part of the federation vice presidents."

The publication claims that Mamiashvili has recently only attended PWL-format tournaments, which are held with state funding, "since they are the ones that bring in the money," but the funds don't go toward developing wrestling in the country or supporting promising athletes.