Fighting for Peace: Arm Wrestling as Hope for War Refugees

Fighting for Peace: Arm Wrestling as Hope for War Refugees

There's a lot going on in the world of arm wrestling, and not just in home training rooms. Igor Mazurenko, a former world champion and a true legend in Ukraine, is at the center of this fascinating sport. As is well known, arm wrestling is considered a national sport there and is practiced with great passion. While Igor trains vigorously, his strength seems to lie not only in his muscles, but also in his drive to find distraction after the harsh times of war. As wn.de reports, the author met Igor in an old school where he wanted to set up a training room and describes him as a “champ”. One can say that the relationship between the two is based on mutual respect, with Igor humorously calling the author the “world champion of all photographers”.

But it's not just Igor who attracts attention. At the Expo Center in Kuala Lumpur, Roland Kamtschiev, current world champion in arm wrestling with the right hand and vice world champion with the left, delivered an impressive performance. He won two world titles in the weight class up to 105 kilograms. Weser-Kurier reports that Kamtschiev defeated his opponents with impressive speed, and in the final against the Polish defending champion Mariusz Grochowski he also showed what he was capable of with his left arm. After a nerve-wracking duel with extra time, he was finally able to secure the title here too.

From Ukraine to the world of sport

The passion for arm wrestling has also reached war refugees from Ukraine. Oleg Aborniev, a talented athlete who uses a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy, has achieved remarkable success in recent years. Aborniev, who has been active in para-armwrestling since 2011, won two gold medals at the European Championships in 2023 and two silver medals at the World Championships in Kazakhstan, as 20min.ch reports. He now represents Switzerland in international arm wrestling after being granted participation thanks to his S status.

However, his journey was not easy. Oleg and his mother fled to Switzerland in February 2022 due to the Russian war of aggression. In this new home he not only finds sporting support, but also support from his club Cobra in Münchenbuchsee, which helped him get a table for training. Despite the challenges of life as a FL refugee, Oleg remains highly motivated and is actively involved in the inclusion of new competition categories in the World Armwrestling Association for people with cerebral palsy.

A strong network

Whether in Ukraine, Germany or Switzerland – a community seems to be forming in the world of arm wrestling that not only celebrates top sporting achievements, but also the personal struggle against adversity. Igor, Roland and Oleg are just a few faces that show how strong the human will is to take new paths and recapture old dreams. Even if the war remains at home, sport helps many to free their minds for a moment and regain a bit of normality. So arm wrestling remains not just a competition, but also a sign of hope and community.