by Lee Roy Smith Executive Director, National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum

On behalf of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, I would like to offer a brief tribute to a FILA Hall of Famer buried today, whose life was a gift to the wrestling world. Raiko Petrov passed away last week in his native Bulgaria at age 81. Petrov was a long-time FILA Bureau member, an academic of international acclaim, a wrestling historian, coach and former wrestler.

Petrov's body of research and work in the sport spans over half a century. He published over 350 scientific articles and 67 books dealing with various scientific issues, including theory and methodology of wrestling, pedagogy, psychology, biomechanics, sports history, etc. His most renowned books were published by FILA and shared with the world in English and French. Some of his most prominent books are Principles of Freestyle Wrestling for Children and Adolescents (1977), Children on the Mat (1978), Freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling (1986), Olympic Wrestling Throughout the Millennia (1993), The ABC's of Wrestling (1996), 100 Years of Olympic Wrestling (1997) and The Roots of Wrestling (2000). His latest work, Wrestling in Selected Works of World Literature, was published in 2010.

Petrov's work helped transform the sport by promoting the most scientifically advanced information of his time for coaches and wrestlers with books like Freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling. Such books as Olympic Wrestling Throughout the Millennia and The Roots of Wrestling are classic publications that promote the rich heritage of the sport's cultural contributions to society.

I for one can testify to the inspiring influence his work has had on the many wrestlers, coaches, leaders, advocates, and fans of the sport. As someone who represents an organization responsible for preserving the history of the sport, I know that we owe a great depth of gratitude to Raiko Petrov for the legacy of research he documented for the benefit of the sport.

May he rest in peace.