LAS VEGAS -- The president of the international wrestling federation said there's a possibility that women's Greco-Roman could be added as an Olympic sport.
United World Wrestling head Nenad Lalovic said Thursday at the world championships that increasing gender equity is a must for the sport. But Lalovic added that any move toward women's Greco-Roman likely wouldn't happen until after the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Lalovic said other solutions to increased participation for women, including beach wrestling, have also been discussed.
"In order to have better gender balance, we are reviewing all solutions for the future," Lalovic said.
The IOC currently allows just 18 weight classes across both genders for wrestling. Pressure from the IOC forced the newly branded United World Wrestling to add two Olympic weights for women, which it had to poach from the men's side.
There were 14 men's classes and four women's in London in 2012. There will be six classes each in men's and women's freestyle and Greco-Roman next summer at the Rio Games.
There would certainly be concerns from the male wrestling community about adding a female discipline, given that it doesn't appear the IOC would reward such a move with more Olympic slots for the sport.
Lalovic has worked closely with the IOC to modernize wrestling since it was temporarily kicked off the Olympic program in 2013. Lalovic was recently rewarded by becoming the first wrestling official named an IOC member.
Lalovic also said Thursday that the singlets wrestlers wear and the sport's convoluted team scoring for major events were "old-fashioned" and in need of review. Wrestlers could see uniform changes as soon as the Rio Games.