Wrestlers to protest Olympic ruling to drop sport

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Wrestlers from the world's top wrestling nations plan to lie on their mats Thursday in Tehran in a unique show of unity to protest a decision by the International Olympic Committee to drop wrestling from the 2020 games.

Csaba Hegedus, a senior official with the international wrestling federation, announced the decision at a meeting attended by officials from the world's top wrestling countries late Wednesday in Tehran.

Iran's Wrestling Federation says members of wrestling teams attending the World Cup Tournament in Iran also will observe a minute of silence to demonstrate their opposition to the decision.

The fight to keep wrestling in the Olympics has brought Iran and the U.S. into a rare alliance, a remarkable display of common cause despite political hostility between them.