A Russian and a Ukrainian have officially received permission from the International Wrestling Federation (UWW) and will represent Bulgaria.

Semen Novikov will make his debut in front of a Bulgarian audience at the state championship in Sliven next week. The Kharkiv-born 25-year-old talent is the 2020 European champion in the classical style and two-time world number 1 under 23. He will fight for the prize places in the 87-kilogram category - a category in which he was competing with the two-time Olympic champion Zhan Beleniuk in his homeland.

Abu-Muslim Amaev is a familiar name to his native audience. The wrestler born in Chechnya became the champion of last year's championship in Bulgaria in the category up to 63 kg in the classics, but until now he was not allowed to compete in international competitions. The 23-year-old CSKA wrestler has been the junior world champion since 2019, BF Borba announced.

After a one-year hiatus, Tarek Abdelsalam is back on the mat. The Egyptian with a Bulgarian passport was forced to end his career due to a serious back injury. But after treatment, the pains have already been overcome. During the forced break, the 2017 European champion coached the national junior wrestling team. Although he is back on the mat, he will continue to act as a mentor as well.

There are also surprises for women. The core of Levski's women's wrestling has already moved to the ranks of CSKA. Thus, Taibe Yusein, Mimi Hristova, Miglena Selishka and Sofia Georgieva, led by the national selector Petar Kasabov, will appear at the championship with the red team.

While the women and the classics will be in full composition at the championship, injuries will prevent some of the freestylers from starting in Sliven. Chechens with Bulgarian passports Ali Umarpashaev, Ahmed Magamaev and Ahmed Bataev are recovering after operations.

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/BNR