Bill Scherr GARY ABBOTT’S MATSIDE CHAT WITH...
Bill Scherr has stepped forward as a leader in the effort to
Keep Olympic Wrestling, serving as the chairman of the Committee to Preserve Olympic Wrestling (CPOW), the group formed by USA Wrestling to lead the American effort. He has a long history of involvement in wrestling and the Olympic move- ment. As a youth in South Dakota, Scherr and his twin brother Jim became outstanding wrestlers, going on to Nebraska where they won NCAA titles together in 1984. Bill won a World freestyle title in 1985 and won four World medals in his career. The brothers were able to make the 1988 Olympic Team which competed in Seoul, South Korea, where Bill took a bronze and Jim placed fifth. He became a success in the financial services industry, but remained in wrestling as a leader and coach. Bill Scherr helped lead the 2016 Chicago bid for the Olympic Games. We spoke with Bill Scherr six weeks after the IOC Executive Board recommended that wrestling not be a core Olympic sport in 2020.
USA Wrestler: What motivated you to accept the position of Chairman of CPOW, and why is this effort so important to you? Scherr: I want to see wrestling remain a part of the Olympic Games. The Olympics are meaningful to the sport of wrestling and wrestling can make a meaningful contribution to the Olympics. I love wrestling, I love the Olympics and I want to see the two stay associated with each other, which is why I accept- ed the role of working with CPOW when they asked me.
USA Wrestler: If you had to explain this to somebody who is
not involved in our sport, why does wrestling belong as a core sport of the Olympic Games? Scherr: It is one of the most fundamental of all sports. First,
when young people get together, either today or 17,000 years ago when the first drawings of wrestling appeared in caves in France, they want to see who is the fastest runner, if there is something around to throw, they want to see who can throw it the farthest, if they are around water they want to see who can swim the fastest, and they will roll around to see who comes out on top in grappling. I would estimate that 50 million people or more globally wrestle. This type of sport, which is so fundamen- tally part of our existence, should be part of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Games should reflect what happens in global sports.
Second, wrestling is one of the most democratic meritocra-
cies of all the sports. Athletes of any sex, size, physical attrib- utes, speed, strength, flexibility, any global location, any culture can participate in wrestling with equal opportunities to succeed. This type of opportunity is the embodiment of the Olympic ideal and Olympic spirit. Third, wrestling brings together peoples of the world from different cultures, who can set aside their differ- ences for a short period of time. When they step on the mat, all are equal and all are friends through wrestling. This is what the Olympics stand for. Wrestling achieves that peaceful harmony through sport as much or more than any sport in the movement. It is a combat sport. Athletes are competing fiercely against one another. When they step off the mat, they always have that kin-
24 USA Wrestler
World champion and Olympic medalist Bill Scherr speaks at the CPOW press conference. Tony Rotundo photo.
ship of competing against one another. It is a good lesson for the world that they can compete fiercely, then come together to solve their differences.
USA Wrestler: Based upon what has occurred in the first six
weeks since the IOC Executive Board recommendation, what do you believe are the biggest challenges wrestling faces to retain its Olympic status? Scherr: It is about finding a way through the difficult proce-
dural steps that are required for us to remain in the program. It is not completely clear as to the exact and best process for us to follow and allows both the IOC and wrestling to both come out ahead in the coming decision.
USA Wrestler: CPOW is tasked with managing the U.S.
effort to Keep Olympic Wrestling. How important is a successful U.S. campaign and strong American leadership to the overall international strategy? Scherr: It’s completely essential if FILA is going to succeed,
that the United States is contributing to the effort significantly. The United States is a leader in the international movement. The only way we will succeed is if there is a united global effort, with all the participants in wrestling coming together to change the sport and convince the IOC that we should remain a part of their program. As a leader in the sport, we need to do our part,
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