After USA Wrestling announced that team USA would not be sending a team to this year's World Championships, it held a press conference to discuss its rationale and address media questions and concerns. This press conference has been made available to the public.

Full release from USA Wrestling:

Watch USA Wrestling Presser on Worlds decision: Bruce Baumgartner, Veronica Carlson, Dr. Bernie Feldman, Rich Bender

Watch the USA Wrestling Zoom press conference held on Wednesday afternoon, which gave updates and information on the decision by USA Wrestling's Executive Committee on Tuesday not to send a team to the 2020 Senior World Championships in Serbia.

The featured speakers were:

* Bruce Baumgartner, President, USA Wrestling

* Veronica Carlson, Executive Committee member, Chairperson of Athlete Advisory Committee

* Bernard J. Feldman, M.D., member of USA Wrestling COVID-19 Advisory Committee

* Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director

Click below for Press Conference Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_WaybSOQa8

These leaders answered media questions and discussed the unanimous vote by USA Wrestling’s Executive Committee not to participate in the Senior World Championships due to health and safety issues caused by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. The Executive Committee is a 13-member volunteer committee which acts on behalf of the USA Wrestling Board of Directors between Board meetings.

Baumgartner was re-elected as USA Wrestling president for his second straight term at the 2020 USA Wrestling Board of Directors meeting. This is his second stint as USA Wrestling President, and he has served on the Board of Directors for many years. Baumgartner was one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, a two-time Olympic champion, four-time Olympic medalist and three-time World champion in freestyle wrestling.  He is retired after serving as Athletic Director, wrestling coach and administrator for Edinboro University.

Veronica Carlson is a member of USA Wrestling’s Executive Committee, one of three athlete representatives on the committee. She serves as Chairperson of USA Wrestling’s Athlete Advisory Committee. Carlson was a Senior World Team member for USA Wrestling in women’s freestyle, and was a Junior World silver medalist.

Bernard J. Feldman, M.D., serves on USA Wrestling’s COVID-19 Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the United World Wrestling Medical Commission, and is a member of the UWW International Wrestling Hall of Fame. Feldman has served over three decades as a volunteer physician for USA Wrestling and United World Wrestling.

Rich Bender has served as USA Wrestling Executive Director since 2001, and has been a USA Wrestling employee since 1988. He was Competition Manager for wrestling for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. He serves as a member of the Board for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. 

Click below for Press Conference Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_WaybSOQa8