Tasnim - USA freestyle head coach Bill Zadick, along with his wrestlers, expressed disappointment and frustration over the lack of Iran and Russia in this weekend�s UWW Freestyle World Cup.
The international dual meet, featuring some of the world�s best wrestlers, will run April 7-8 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, in Iowa City, Iowa.
�It�s disappointing that they weren�t able to make it to the event because they have great wrestling traditions,� Zadick told desmoinesregister.com. �Despite our difference in politics on the government side, our federations share a brotherhood and have a really positive relationships that I think both sides value.
�It�ll be a great tournament, great event. We�re super excited to be here in Iowa. We�ll be ready, because we know the rest of the world is ready to come at us.�
Jordan Burroughs also expressed disappointment over the lack of Iran and Russia in this World Cup.
�Absolutely, we want Iran and Russia to be here,� said Jordan Burroughs, Team USA�s starter at 74-kilograms and a five-time world and Olympic champion. �Iran has won the last six World Cups in a row. Every year I�ve wrestled in the World Cup, and we�ve never won as a team, we�ve been beaten by Iran. We wanted those guys to be here. We wanted Russia to be here.
�But at the end of the day, we�re the returning world champs. We are the world champions. At this point, we�d expect those guys to want to be here to knock us off,� he added.