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{{short description|Georgian Greco-Roman wrestler and politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Manuchar Kvirkvelia
| image =
| office = Member of the [[Parliament of Georgia]]
| term_start = 11 December 2020
| term_end =
| office2 = President of the Georgian Wrestling Federation
| term_start2 = 26 December 2014
| term_end2 = 17 December 2016
| predecessor2 = [[Eldar Kurtanidze|Luka Kurtanidze]]
| successor2 = Gega Gegeshidze
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|10|12}}
| birth_place = [[Ozurgeti]] ([[Georgian SSR]])
| party = [[United National Movement (Georgia)|United National Movement]]
| profession = Wrestler
}}

'''Manuchar Kvirkvelia''' (Georgian: მანუჩარ კვირკველია; born on October 12, 1978) is a retired Georgian Greco-Roman wrestler and politician, an Olympic champion and a member of the Parliament of Georgia since 2008.

{{MedalTableTop}}
{{MedalTableTop}}
{{MedalSport | Men's [[Greco-Roman Wrestling]]}}
{{MedalSport | Men's [[Greco-Roman wrestling]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{GEO}} }}
{{MedalCountry | {{GEO}} }}
{{MedalCompetition |[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalCompetition |[[Olympic Games]]}}
[[File:Olympic rings.svg|center|80px]]
{{MedalGold| [[Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing]] | [[Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's Greco-Roman 74 kg|74kg]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing]] | [[Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's Greco-Roman 74 kg|74 kg]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FILA Wrestling World Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FILA Wrestling World Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2002 FILA Wrestling World Championships|2002 Moscow]]|66 kg}}
{{MedalGold|[[2003 FILA Wrestling World Championships|2003 Créteil]]|[[2003 World Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 66 kg|66 kg]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2003 FILA Wrestling World Championships|2003 Créteil]]|66 kg}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2002 FILA Wrestling World Championships|2002 Moscow]]|[[2002 World Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 66 kg|66 kg]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2006 FILA Wrestling World Championships|2006 Guangzhou]]|74 kg}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2006 FILA Wrestling World Championships|2006 Guangzhou]]|[[2006 World Wrestling Championships – Men's Greco-Roman 74 kg|74 kg]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|European Championships}}
{{MedalCompetition|European Championships}}
⚫
{{MedalGold|[[2007 European Wrestling Championships|2007 Sofia]]|74 kg}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2002 European Wrestling Championships|2002 Seinaejoki]]|66 kg}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2002 European Wrestling Championships|2002 Seinaejoki]]|66 kg}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2006 European Wrestling Championships|2006 Moscow]]|74 kg}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2006 European Wrestling Championships|2006 Moscow]]|74 kg}}
⚫
{{MedalGold|[[2007 European Wrestling Championships|2007 Sofia]]|74 kg}}
{{MedalBottom}}
{{MedalBottom}}
'''Manuchar Kvirkvelia''' ({{lang-ka|მანუჩარ კვირკველია}}; 12 October 1978) is a [[Georgia (country)|Georgian]] [[Greco-Roman wrestling|Greco-Roman wrestler]] who competes in the 74&nbsp;kg class. Kvirkvelia was born in [[Ozurgeti]] and lives in [[Tbilisi]].<ref name="Beijing">{{cite web|url=http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/0/202230.shtml|title=Kvirkelia, Manuchar|publisher=Beijing.com|accessdate=2008-08-13|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080816043537/http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/0/202230.shtml|archivedate=2008-08-16}}</ref> After winning the world championship in 2003 (66&nbsp;kg) and the European championship in 2007 (74&nbsp;kg), he won the gold medal in the [[Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's Greco-Roman 74 kg|74 kg competition]] in the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in [[Beijing]].<ref name="Beijing"/>


== Early life and family ==
⚫
==References==
Manuchar Kvirkvelia was born on October 12, 1978, in [[Ozurgeti]], [[Guria]], a town in then-[[Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic|Soviet Georgia]]. He graduated in 2007 from the Vita Training University of [[Tbilisi]], receiving a degree in finance.
{{reflist}}

He is married to Inga Shanava and has six children, including three sons and three daughters.

== Sports career ==
=== Wrestling champion ===
Manuchar Kvirkvelia started wrestling first in his hometown of Ozurgeti and after being discovered, moved to Tbilisi, where he started practicing [[Greco-Roman wrestling]]. During his student years, he earned his living with wrestling and competed in the [[Turkish Wrestling Federation]]. He first appeared on the international mat at the age of 24 at the [[European Wrestling Championships|European Championship]] in the lightweight category in [[Seinäjoki]], [[Finland]], where he won the Silver Medal, finishing second to [[Turkey]]'s [[Şeref Eroğlu]]. That same year, he finished third with the Bronze Medal at the [[World Wrestling Championships|World Wrestling Championship]] held in [[Moscow]]. In 2003, he participated in the European Championship held in [[Belgrade]], where he took 5th place and lost once again to Şeref Eroğlu. However, he won the Gold Medal after winning the World Championship in [[Créteil]], [[France]], defeating his old rival Eroğlu and 1996 Polish Olympic champion [[Ryszard Wolny]]. He took part in the [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Summer Olympic Games]] in [[Athens]], where he would be disqualified after starting a brawl with Şeref Eroğlu, to whom he lost with a crushing score of 1–11.

Manuchar Kvirkvelia moved to the 74&nbsp;kg category of men's Greco-Roman wrestling in 2004. In that category, he won the Bronze Medal at the World Championship in [[Guangzhou]] in 2006 and at that same year's European Championship in Moscow. He won the European Championship held in [[Sofia]] in 2007, winning his second international title, although he would perform poorly at the World Championship in [[Baku]] later that year, finishing 20th.

Kvirkvelia qualified for the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in [[Beijing]], where he defeated China's [[Chang Yongxiang]] to become an Olympic champion and winning the Gold Medal in the 74&nbsp;km competition, becoming the first Georgian gold medal at that year's Olympic competitions.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.messenger.com.ge/issues/1669_august_14_2008/1669_olympic.html |title=Good News: Georgia has Olympic Champions Two golds in one day |date=2008-08-14 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=The Messenger}}</ref> The games coincided with the [[Russo-Georgian War]] and Kvirkvelia said after his victory:<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/1191601.html |title=Success In Time Of Sorrow, Georgian Athletes Compete In Olympics |date=2008-08-16 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty}}</ref> {{blockquote|With our victory, we did not just bring honor to our country but also demonstrated that even becoming Olympic champion does not make us happy if we have no peace in our homeland. We did not need to talk much, everyone saw it. As for the option of withdrawing from the Games, I am the one who wants to get back home as soon as possible, since my wife is awaiting our second child right now.}}

Manuchar Kvirkvelia has been awarded the Medal of Honor by President [[Eduard Shevardnadze]] (2003), the Order of Excellence by President [[Mikheil Saakashvili]] (2008), and the Order of Honor by President [[Giorgi Margvelashvili]] (2018). He is also a Knight of Sports since 2003.

=== President of GWF ===
Manuchar Kvirkvelia was elected as President of the Georgian Wrestling Federation on December 26, 2014, defeating [[Valery Gelashvili]], a member of Parliament endorsed by the governing [[Georgian Dream]] party, with 59 to 43 votes.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/26765426.html |title=საქართველოს ჭიდაობის ფედერაციის პრეზიდენტად მანუჩარ კვირკველია აირჩიეს |date=2014-12-27 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=Radio Tavisupleba}}</ref> His two-year term ended on December 17, 2016 when he was defeated for reelection by Gega Gegeshidze, a former wrestler and controversial figure who had received the support of Georgian Dream, only receiving 24 votes to Gegeshidze's 46.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://tabula.ge/ge/news/592833-kortskheltan-dakavshirebuli-gega-gegeshidze |title=კორცხელთან დაკავშირებული გეგა გეგეშიძე ჭიდაობის ფედერაციის პრეზიდენტი გახდა |date=2016-12-19 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=Tabula.ge}}</ref>

He remained active in the sports management world after 2016. During the 2020 Georgian Olympic Committee President election, he was one of several former athletes to boycott the election, alleging that the Olympic Committee's bylaws had been rewritten to benefit incumbent [[Leri Khabelov]]'s reelection.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30829672.html |title="ჩემპიონთა ლიგა" ოლიმპიური კომიტეტის საპრეზიდენტო არჩევნებს ბოიკოტს უცხადებს |date=2020-09-09 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=Radio Tavisupleba}}</ref>

A businessman, his wealth has estimated him to be a millionaire.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9C%E1%83%94%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98-%E1%83%9E%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%9A%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%94%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A2%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98-%E1%83%A5%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%97%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98-%E1%83%9D%E1%83%AA%E1%83%9C%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%93%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C-/30997210.html |title=მილიონერი პარლამენტარები "ქართული ოცნებიდან" |date=2020-12-20 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=Radio Tavisupleba}}</ref>

== Political career ==
Manuchar Kvirkvelia joined the [[Progress and Freedom|Progress and Freedom party]] (P&F), a right-wing party created by businessmen [[Kakhaber Okriashvili]] and [[Tsezar Chocheli]] ahead of the [[2020 Georgian parliamentary election|2020 parliamentary election]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/369922 |title=UNM-led Bloc Presents Majoritarian Candidates |date=2020-09-23 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=Civil Georgia}}</ref> When the party merged with the ''[[Strength Is in Unity]]'' electoral bloc led by the [[United National Movement (Georgia)|United National Movement]], he was nominated by the coalition as candidate for the Guria Majoritarian District. He ran against 13 candidates, including incumbent MP Khatuna Gogorishvili ([[European Georgia — Movement for Liberty|European Georgia]]) and GD's Vasil Chigogidze.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/377815 |title=490 MP Candidates to Run in 30 Majoritarian Constituencies |date=2020-10-29 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=Civil Georgia}}</ref> Kvirkvelia was defeated in the first round, ending second with 22.9%.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/379735 |title=GD Wins 14 Majoritarian Districts, Runoffs Expected in 16 |date=2020-11-01 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=Civil Georgia}}</ref> He won a seat in the [[Parliament of Georgia]] nonetheless through the bloc's electoral list,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/372434 |title=UNM-led Bloc Unveils Proportional-Party List |date=2020-10-01 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=Civil Georgia}}</ref> but was one of 49 MPs to refuse to recognize the results and boycotted their seats after allegations of massive voter fraud surfaced.

Kvirkvelia joined Parliament in May 2021 after a short-lived EU-facilitated agreement between Georgian Dream and the opposition. Since then, he has served as Deputy Chairman of the Sports and Youth Committee. One of the least active MPs, he's only participated in less than 1% of votes on the floor. He is one of the largest donors of the ''Strength is in Unity'' bloc.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/372978 |title=Watchdog on UNM Bloc Majoritarian Candidates’ Donations, Business Activities |date=2020-10-04 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=Civil Georgia}}</ref>

⚫
== References ==
<references />


{{Footer Olympic Champions Greco-Roman wrestling welterweight}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Greco-Roman wrestling welterweight}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Kvirkelia, Manuchar}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kvirkvelia, Manuchar}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
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[[Category:Male sport wrestlers from Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Male sport wrestlers from Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Olympic wrestlers of Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Olympic wrestlers for Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Wrestlers at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Wrestlers at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Wrestlers at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Wrestlers at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
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[[Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:World Wrestling Championships medalists]]
[[Category:World Wrestling Championships medalists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Presidential Order of Excellence]]


{{Georgia-Olympic-medalist-stub}}

Latest revision as of 02:15, 19 August 2024

Manuchar Kvirkvelia
Member of the Parliament of Georgia
Incumbent
Assumed office
11 December 2020
President of the Georgian Wrestling Federation
In office
26 December 2014 – 17 December 2016
Preceded byLuka Kurtanidze
Succeeded byGega Gegeshidze
Personal details
Born (1978-10-12) October 12, 1978 (age 46)
Ozurgeti (Georgian SSR)
Political partyUnited National Movement
ProfessionWrestler

Manuchar Kvirkvelia (Georgian: მანუჩარ კვირკველია; born on October 12, 1978) is a retired Georgian Greco-Roman wrestler and politician, an Olympic champion and a member of the Parliament of Georgia since 2008.

Manuchar Kvirkvelia
Medal record
Men's Greco-Roman wrestling
Representing  Georgia
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 74 kg
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2003 Créteil 66 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Moscow 66 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Guangzhou 74 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2007 Sofia 74 kg
Silver medal – second place 2002 Seinaejoki 66 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Moscow 74 kg

Early life and family

[edit]

Manuchar Kvirkvelia was born on October 12, 1978, in Ozurgeti, Guria, a town in then-Soviet Georgia. He graduated in 2007 from the Vita Training University of Tbilisi, receiving a degree in finance.

He is married to Inga Shanava and has six children, including three sons and three daughters.

Sports career

[edit]

Wrestling champion

[edit]

Manuchar Kvirkvelia started wrestling first in his hometown of Ozurgeti and after being discovered, moved to Tbilisi, where he started practicing Greco-Roman wrestling. During his student years, he earned his living with wrestling and competed in the Turkish Wrestling Federation. He first appeared on the international mat at the age of 24 at the European Championship in the lightweight category in Seinäjoki, Finland, where he won the Silver Medal, finishing second to Turkey's Şeref Eroğlu. That same year, he finished third with the Bronze Medal at the World Wrestling Championship held in Moscow. In 2003, he participated in the European Championship held in Belgrade, where he took 5th place and lost once again to Şeref Eroğlu. However, he won the Gold Medal after winning the World Championship in Créteil, France, defeating his old rival Eroğlu and 1996 Polish Olympic champion Ryszard Wolny. He took part in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, where he would be disqualified after starting a brawl with Şeref Eroğlu, to whom he lost with a crushing score of 1–11.

Manuchar Kvirkvelia moved to the 74 kg category of men's Greco-Roman wrestling in 2004. In that category, he won the Bronze Medal at the World Championship in Guangzhou in 2006 and at that same year's European Championship in Moscow. He won the European Championship held in Sofia in 2007, winning his second international title, although he would perform poorly at the World Championship in Baku later that year, finishing 20th.

Kvirkvelia qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where he defeated China's Chang Yongxiang to become an Olympic champion and winning the Gold Medal in the 74 km competition, becoming the first Georgian gold medal at that year's Olympic competitions.[1] The games coincided with the Russo-Georgian War and Kvirkvelia said after his victory:[2]

With our victory, we did not just bring honor to our country but also demonstrated that even becoming Olympic champion does not make us happy if we have no peace in our homeland. We did not need to talk much, everyone saw it. As for the option of withdrawing from the Games, I am the one who wants to get back home as soon as possible, since my wife is awaiting our second child right now.

Manuchar Kvirkvelia has been awarded the Medal of Honor by President Eduard Shevardnadze (2003), the Order of Excellence by President Mikheil Saakashvili (2008), and the Order of Honor by President Giorgi Margvelashvili (2018). He is also a Knight of Sports since 2003.

President of GWF

[edit]

Manuchar Kvirkvelia was elected as President of the Georgian Wrestling Federation on December 26, 2014, defeating Valery Gelashvili, a member of Parliament endorsed by the governing Georgian Dream party, with 59 to 43 votes.[3] His two-year term ended on December 17, 2016 when he was defeated for reelection by Gega Gegeshidze, a former wrestler and controversial figure who had received the support of Georgian Dream, only receiving 24 votes to Gegeshidze's 46.[4]

He remained active in the sports management world after 2016. During the 2020 Georgian Olympic Committee President election, he was one of several former athletes to boycott the election, alleging that the Olympic Committee's bylaws had been rewritten to benefit incumbent Leri Khabelov's reelection.[5]

A businessman, his wealth has estimated him to be a millionaire.[6]

Political career

[edit]

Manuchar Kvirkvelia joined the Progress and Freedom party (P&F), a right-wing party created by businessmen Kakhaber Okriashvili and Tsezar Chocheli ahead of the 2020 parliamentary election.[7] When the party merged with the Strength Is in Unity electoral bloc led by the United National Movement, he was nominated by the coalition as candidate for the Guria Majoritarian District. He ran against 13 candidates, including incumbent MP Khatuna Gogorishvili (European Georgia) and GD's Vasil Chigogidze.[8] Kvirkvelia was defeated in the first round, ending second with 22.9%.[9] He won a seat in the Parliament of Georgia nonetheless through the bloc's electoral list,[10] but was one of 49 MPs to refuse to recognize the results and boycotted their seats after allegations of massive voter fraud surfaced.

Kvirkvelia joined Parliament in May 2021 after a short-lived EU-facilitated agreement between Georgian Dream and the opposition. Since then, he has served as Deputy Chairman of the Sports and Youth Committee. One of the least active MPs, he's only participated in less than 1% of votes on the floor. He is one of the largest donors of the Strength is in Unity bloc.[11]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Good News: Georgia has Olympic Champions Two golds in one day". The Messenger. 2008-08-14. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  2. ^ "Success In Time Of Sorrow, Georgian Athletes Compete In Olympics". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2008-08-16. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  3. ^ "საქართველოს ჭიდაობის ფედერაციის პრეზიდენტად მანუჩარ კვირკველია აირჩიეს". Radio Tavisupleba. 2014-12-27. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  4. ^ "კორცხელთან დაკავშირებული გეგა გეგეშიძე ჭიდაობის ფედერაციის პრეზიდენტი გახდა". Tabula.ge. 2016-12-19. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  5. ^ ""ჩემპიონთა ლიგა" ოლიმპიური კომიტეტის საპრეზიდენტო არჩევნებს ბოიკოტს უცხადებს". Radio Tavisupleba. 2020-09-09. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  6. ^ "მილიონერი პარლამენტარები "ქართული ოცნებიდან"". Radio Tavisupleba. 2020-12-20. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  7. ^ "UNM-led Bloc Presents Majoritarian Candidates". Civil Georgia. 2020-09-23. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  8. ^ "490 MP Candidates to Run in 30 Majoritarian Constituencies". Civil Georgia. 2020-10-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  9. ^ "GD Wins 14 Majoritarian Districts, Runoffs Expected in 16". Civil Georgia. 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  10. ^ "UNM-led Bloc Unveils Proportional-Party List". Civil Georgia. 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  11. ^ "Watchdog on UNM Bloc Majoritarian Candidates' Donations, Business Activities". Civil Georgia. 2020-10-04. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
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