Federación Venezolana de Lucha

What is the Federación Venezolana de Lucha?

The Federación Venezolana de Lucha is the national federation for wrestling in Venezuela. The Comité Olímpico Venezolano (COV) lists it under that name among the “Federaciones inscritas en el Comité Olímpico Venezolano” — the federations registered with the committee — with José Barreto as president and @fvlucha as its contact handle.^[1]

Under the Ley Orgánica de Deporte, Actividad Física y Educación Física of 2011, a national sports federation is an entity of private law “para la promoción y desarrollo del deporte y la actividad física con alcance y carácter nacional” — for the promotion and development of sport at national level.^[6] The sport it covers is Olympic wrestling in the three styles in which Venezuela enters the continental championships of United World Wrestling (UWW): freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling.^[3]

What does the federation govern or do?

Powers under Venezuelan law. Article 49 of the 2011 sports law sets out the attributions of a national federation, among them directing the activity of its sport, setting technical standards, exercising disciplinary authority and organising competitions.^[6]

International entries. Entries to UWW championships are made by country. For the 2026 Pan-American Championships, UWW’s published entry list shows Venezuela with wrestlers in freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling.^[3]

Continental representation. Venezuela was represented at the 2020 congress of United World Wrestling Americas: the minutes of the congress held in Ottawa on 11 March 2020 list “Venezuela, José Barreto” among the accredited delegates of national federations.^[4]

When was the federation founded and where is it based?

The COV directory, consulted in October 2026, gives the federation’s president as José Barreto and its contact handle as @fvlucha.^[1] Under Article 48 of the 2011 sports law, a national federation is constituted as a private-law entity of national scope, made up of the members of the state sports associations of its sport.^[6]

Venezuela has entered wrestlers at the Olympic Games for decades. Olympedia’s table of Venezuela’s wrestling entries at the Olympic Games runs from the 1968 Games to the 2024 Games, in men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman and in women’s freestyle.^[5]

How is the federation recognised?

COV. The Comité Olímpico Venezolano lists the Federación Venezolana de Lucha among the federations registered with it.^[1]

Continental body. Venezuela is an affiliated national federation of United World Wrestling Americas: at the March 2020 congress, the secretary verified a quorum of 24 of the 32 affiliated national federations, with Venezuela’s delegate among those present.^[4] UWW’s Pan-American Council page lists José Barreto of Venezuela among its members, alongside members from Argentina (the treasurer), Chile, Colombia, Mexico and the United States.^[2]

World body. Venezuela appears on United World Wrestling’s entry list for the 2026 Pan-American Championships.^[3]

Venezuelan law. National federations are private-law entities under Article 48 of the 2011 sports law.^[6]

What does the federation organise?

National teams. Venezuela’s wrestlers compete internationally as national selections. UWW’s entry list for the 2026 Pan-American Championships, held in Coralville, Iowa, United States, from 7 to 10 May 2026, includes Venezuelan wrestlers in freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling, among entries from across the Americas.^[3] The championship is the continental event covered under Pan American Wrestling Championships.

Multi-sport Games. Wrestling is part of the Olympic programme, and Olympedia records Venezuelan wrestlers at the Games from 1968 to 2024.^[5] Under the 2011 sports law, organising competitions in its sport is among the attributions of a national federation.^[6]

Youth Games. Caracas 2026, the II Juegos Bolivarianos de la Juventud, which the COV’s site lists under the date 25 November 2026, is to include “Lucha” among its combat sports.^[7]

Who are its members?

Under Article 48 of the 2011 sports law, Venezuelan national federations “están constituidas por los integrantes de las asociaciones deportivas estadales” — they are made up of the members of the state sports associations — and may in exceptional circumstances be formed directly by the members of clubs.^[6] Article 44 defines the state associations as private-law entities made up of the clubs that promote a sport in each state.^[6]

The federation is in turn a member body. It is listed by the COV,^[1] and Venezuela is among the affiliated national federations of United World Wrestling Americas, whose 2020 congress counted 32 affiliates.^[4] At that congress the secretary recorded twenty-four of the thirty-two national federations present, “which constitutes 75% of the totality of National Federations affiliated to the UWWA”.^[4]