USA Wrestling has announced the addition of a new Steward for the Living the Dream Medal Fund (LDMF): Hooman “Mo” Tavakolian, who received the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award from the Downstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2017.

Tavakolian has been a leader within wrestling for many years, with a special focus on international relations and sports diplomacy. He has made a huge contribution to wrestling at the international, national and local levels, and continues to develop creative projects to advance the sport.

The Living the Dream Medal Fund, established in 2009, has paid over $6 million in tax-exempt bonuses to over 50 World and Olympic medalists. LDMF bonus amounts are as follows:

• Olympic Games: $250,000 for gold, $50,000 for silver, and $25,000 for bronze

• World Championships: $50,000 for gold, $25,000 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze.

"We're thrilled to welcome Hooman Tavakolian as a steward of the Living the Dream Medal Fund," said Rich Bender, Executive Director of USA Wrestling and a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "His leadership within wrestling and commitment to growing the sport has been immense. As a steward, he is directly supporting and motivating our nation's top wrestlers as they compete on the world stage."

A few spots remain for USA Wrestling to reach its goal of 20 Stewards, each contributing five percent of the total award amount.  We invite those interested in joining this exclusive team to contact Lorraine Rorabaugh at LRorabaugh@usawrestling.org or call 719-598-8181, to learn more.

Hooman ‘Mo’ Tavakolian
Living the Dream Medal Fund Steward

Hooman ‘Mo’ Tavakolian is an athlete-turned-sports diplomat, eBook author, Co-author and a Chief Compliance Officer at a New York City- and London-based hedge fund, He is the Founder of Hoomanties, a sport & gender equality focused charity, and Founder & President of Tavak Partners, a unique sports management, sports diplomacy and consulting firm, representing causes and clients worldwide.  Through Tavak Partners, he is an advocate of gender equality in sports and empowering female athletes from the Middle East and around the world.

Mr. Tavakolian received a BA in Psychology from Hunter College where he was conference runner up and New York Collegiate States placewinner.  Hooman wrestled for both Hofstra University and Hunter College.  Post-graduation, Hooman was the Assistant Coach at Hunter College for two seasons. He is a two-time Veterans National Champion. 

He received an MBA from Long Island University and his Master in Science of Law from Thomas Jefferson School of Law.  He is the former Vice President of the New York Athletic Club Wrestling Club and Director of the infamous Bill Farrell Memorial International Championships held at the New York Athletic Club.

Tavakolian is also the founder of the Become Your Own Dream Scholarship, a scholarship fund that partners with Beat the Streets.  He is also on the board of Beat the Streets NY and Beat the Streets National organization. In April 2017, Hooman was inducted into the Downstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He was also a runner up in 2017 for the prestigious World Peace & Sports Diplomatic Action of the Year’ award.

Mr. Tavakolian was a member of United World Wrestling (“UWW”) Sports for all Commission. He was also a member of UWW Asia Development.

Hooman is an ambassador to wrestling and liaises with the Iranian wrestling federation and other international federations. He was the USA freestyle team leader for the 2017 World Cup held in Iran.

In 2017, Tavak Partners was nominated for a Peace & Sports Diplomatic Action of the Year Award for playing a key role during the 2017 Freestyle World Cup in Iran, persuading the Iranian Ministry of Sport to reverse its decision during the travel ban imposed by the Trump administration that would allow Team USA to participate in the event. That same year, Tavak Partners was able to bring an Iranian female motorcyclist from Iran to the United States to train.

Hooman has a wrestling outreach and mentoring program where he donates wrestling shoes and gear to kids in need around the world.  He has helped rebuild and refurnish wrestling gyms and mats in remote poor neighborhoods around the world.

In 2018, he created a non-profit organization called HOOMANITIES.  With assistance from private donors, corporations, family and friends, he hopes to reinstate hope in humanity through sports. HOOMANITIES will continue Mr. Tavakolian’s wrestling outreach and mentoring program all over the world.

In September 2018, after ISIS bombed a wrestling gym in Kabul Afghanistan, Hooman jumped into action with the help of the USA Wrestling community and created a GoFundMe campaign. The gym was rebuilt and reopened in early December of that same year.

In 2019, Hooman joined USA Wrestling International Relations Committee, where he will be Assisting inbuilding relationships and promoting USAW and athletes internationally. Also in 2019, he was asked to support United World Wrestling Americas, as their lead consultant in International Relations and Marketing.

In 2019, he was also asked to join the United World Wrestling Asia, in assisting with development of ports and youth in the continent. Hooman also joined the board of directors of Titan Mercury Wrestling Club in 2019, which is a major club in the USA that has placed numerous athletes on the USA National Team, including numerous World and Olympic medalists.

In 2020, Hooman joined Rasoul Khadem, Olympic champion and former head of the Iranian Wrestling Federation, to support a local charity to build schools on the border region of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. He successfully built two schools and assisted with supplying essential needs for the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, “Hooman’s Hope,” a book which Hooman co-authored was published and is now on sale. Proceeds from the sales will go to help development of youth through sports.