From Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling has been receiving many inquiries from media outlets regarding the process to apply for accreditation for the United World Wrestling (UWW) Senior World Championships in Oslo, Norway, October 2-10.
This morning, United World Wrestling provided this information:
Interested media should to go through the normal Athena press centre link: https://athena.uww.org/press. This is the initial step to get them in the system and to flag they would like to be accredited as press.
Please Note: When you go to this link, please click the box “I understand, I’m not a NF Media Representative.” This will take you to a competition list. Click the button for Senior World Championships, then complete the online form that follows.
This was the normal procedure for media accreditation for UWW events prior to the start of the pandemic. For the age-group World Championships this past summer, media were not able to apply for accreditation online, and access was very limited. Decisions on acceptance of media requests will be made by UWW and the local hosts.
United World Wrestling has informed us that the organizing committee in Oslo and the local health authorities there are meeting to determine event capacity and any pandemic-related restrictions for the championships. As soon as USA Wrestling is informed on this, we will share what we know. At this point, many of those decisions are still being made.
When you apply online, you may receive a notice from UWW with the following information:
"Due to the covid-19 situation and its uncertainty, media registrations will not be validated until future notice. Once we are able to provide media access according to health and sanitary regulations, you will be informed."
If you are a U.S. media outlet, please let Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling know that you have applied for accreditation to cover the Worlds in Oslo, by emailing him at gabbott@usawrestling.org. It is helpful for us to know who is planning to attend the event, in case we can provide support in any way in the future.
NEW USA WRESTLING SEASON MEANS UPDATING SAFESPORT AND BACKGROUND CHECK
On August 20, USA Wrestling opened the registration process for the new 2021-22 membership season, which officially begins September 1. This is important, because USA Wrestling manages its online media accreditation process through the membership system.
As always, journalists must pass USA Wrestling’s background check and complete the U.S. Center for Safe Sport online education to be accredited to cover USA Wrestling events. With the start of the new season, many journalists are no longer be current with their required background check or annual SafeSport training refresher.
Media must pass the USA Wrestling background check every two years, and must take a SafeSport refresher course every membership season.
Please note, a number of journalists have already been accepted for the World Team Trials in Lincoln, Neb., September 11-12. Most, however, are no longer current with one or both of their requirements. For those who wish to cover this event, as needed, please do the Background Check and/or SafeSport course immediately. If you are not current, you will not receive a credential for this event.
An email was sent by USA Wrestling on Thursday, August 27 to all persons in the media pool who are not current with their requirements. Please follow the instructions in that email in order to become current.
A number of events have now been opened for media to apply for in the 2021-22 season. As additional events for the season are finalized, they will be added to the list of events open for media applications.
Below are instructions on how to apply for USA Wrestling media credentials, for those who are not currently in the media pool.
How to apply for credentials online
All journalists who wish to cover the a USA Wrestling national event must comply with USA Wrestling’s Athlete Safety Media Policy, which requires journalists to pass USA Wrestling’s background check and complete the U.S. Center for Safe Sport online education. The background check and Safe Sport training is free of charge to approved journalists.
Most journalists, including those who have been accredited in the past, may need to take the Safe Sport training again. The U.S. Center for Safe Sport has created new refresher course materials, which are required even for those who have previously taken this training. Many others may have to take the background check again, as it only covers two seasons.
The media accreditation system is integrated with USA Wrestling’s membership system, which keeps a record of those who have passed the background check and have completed Safe Sport training. No journalist will be added to the media list of any USA Wrestling national or regional event until they have completed the Athlete Safety Media Policy procedures.
All journalists seeking credentials will need to have create an account at https://www.usawmembership.com
Once a journalist has signed into their existing account, or created a new account, they will be able to proceed with the media accreditation request process. Once in your account:
1) Go to the top of the website and click the “USAW Events” scrollbar
2) Scroll down and click “Media Credentials”
3) Click the button in the upper right corner entitled “Create Media Pool Request” or by clicking the “Manage Requests” button in your media request list.
Journalists will be asked to provide information including email, phone, state, media outlet, media outlet website and job function (which includes print journalist, print photographer, internet reporter, Non-Rights Holder Broadcast, Rights Holder Broadcast or Press Attache/SID).
At this time, journalists can click their request from a list of events. When the events are chosen, click Make Media Request.
Once a journalist has submitted their media request, the person can come back at any later time and request additional events as necessary by clicking the Manage Requests button in their media request list.
Journalists will receive an email with the status of their media request, and other instructions on the background check or Safe Sport training as necessary. (Please make sure to apply at least a week prior to an event, in order to allow enough time for the background check).
In order to get the free background check, a journalist must apply for an event credential first. Sign into your profile and request at least one event and the entire process will be initiated.
Any questions on the media accreditation process and media access at USA Wrestling events should be made to Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling Director of Communications, at gabbott@usawrestling.org or via cell phone at 719-659-9637
