Tbilisi: The National Olympic Committee of Georgia extended best wishes to the former wrestler Leri Khabelov who turned 60 years old. He was elected to Georgia parliament in 2012 on the ticket of the Georgian Dream party.
While congratulating the former wrestler the committee stated that “ Leri Khabelov’s sports achievements are outstanding and impressive. He makes the country proud as Olympian, silver medalist, five-time world and four-time European champion and winner of many prestigious international tournaments in freestyle.”
It is to be added that in wrestling he was considered the leader of world wrestling for many decades before his retirement from active sports career. Wrestlers, coaches, and fans of different generations admire Leri Khabelov’s high skills and professionalism as well as his rare perseverance and fighting ability.
Even after joining politics sports was his main field of activity. Similarly as the president of the National Olympic Committee of Georgia he has served Georgian sports for many years and successfully led this great work. Notably Lari Khabelov holds sport very close to his heart and he feels proud to represent the country on various local and international platforms.
During his leadership as the president of the Olympic Committee the sport and the Olympic movement rose to a new height and gained recognition both in Georgia and internationally. It is also a proud moment for the country that the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach highly appreciates the work of Leri Khabelov when he says “Georgia has a big heart and love for sports and one such person is the president of the National Olympic Committee of Georgia Lari Khabelov who has a special attitude towards sports.”
It is also worth noting that due to his extraordinary achievements Lari Khabelov was awarded the highest international awards orders of the International Olympic Committee and the World Association of Olympic Committees. Moreover he was also awarded the Order of Vakhtang Gorgasli, Second Degree Presidential Orders of Excellence and Honor. The members of the Executive Committee of the National Olympic Committee of Georgia and the employees of SEOC wish him personal happiness, prosperity, and success.
