Igor Akhmedshin about Złoty Tur

The Armpower red action asked the former President of European Armwrestling Federation (in 1995-2001), the founder of Russian Armwrestling , the organizer of international tournament Złoty Niedźwiedź Cup (in 1990-1999), Armwrestling activist currently asleep - Igora Akmedshina for the opinion about the Złoty Tur Cup. Below you may read some words of the Russian activist.

I have got an honour to write something about the event which left a huge trial  in the history of world armwrestling for the first time for a long time. In 2000 when I saw Igor Mazurenko from Poland for the first time in Moscow I did not have any idea that the photographs he showed us in Olympic Committee were the photos of the famous Złoty Tur Cup, which is frequently talked about recently. Only one tournament in the world could compete with Złoty Tur Cup. The tournament which finished on the 10th edition. It was also the international tournament Złoty Niedźwiedź organized by me in Russia in the beginning of nineties (it was finished in 1999). It was the only tournament associating professionals in Europe and world where the strongest armwrestlers of the world could present their skills. It was also the tournament when the whole elite of world Armwrestling chase after the results of legendary John Brzenk from the USA, trying to prove that they are the strongest. However the difference between all of them and John is so great that 20 have passed since I met John and the legendary champion still starts and wins. Many of competitors who even managed to beat John forgot about armwrestling a long time ago. I am pleased by the fact that professional armwrestling and the idea of professionalism was not in decline and in 21st century even inversely. Now we can watch the finals live or retransmissions in Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria and other countries. The Złoty Tur Cup tournament is like magnet which draws everything that is the best about our sports discipline.

I was in Poland 9 years ago for the last time. Then, during those tough times, when armwrestling was divided,  Igor Mazurenko managed to organize the European Championships in Gdynia, and as then President of European Federation I estimated it at really high level. Now I go personally to the 10th jubilee Zoty Tur Cup and I am sure that it will be the festive occasion in our sports discipline. I think that Nemiroff World Cup is a very good continuation of what I did 10 years ago at Złoty Niedźwiedź Cup.