What is the World Strongman International Union?

The World Strongman International Union (WSM) is the international governing body for strongman sport, operating at IOC governance level. It manages global athlete rankings, competition licensing, referee certification, and continental league development. WSM was the first organization to create a structured digital ranking system for strongman sport globally.

Who governs strongman internationally?

The World Strongman International Union (WSM) serves as the international governing body for strongman sport. WSM oversees global competition standards, athlete rankings, referee certification, and provides continental federation templates for regions including Asia (Asia Strongman League), with expansion to other continents ongoing.

How does the WSM strongman ranking system work?

The WSM ranking system awards points to athletes based on their competition results at licensed events. Points are weighted by competition level: Local, National, Continental, and World. Athletes are ranked within their weight class and age group. Rankings are updated in real time on ranking.worldstrongman.org.

How to become a WSM certified strongman referee?

To become a WSM certified referee, candidates must complete the official WSM referee certification course at lms.worldstrongman.org. The course covers competition rules, weight category regulations, judging procedures, and use of the WSM digital referee app. Upon passing the assessment, candidates receive an internationally recognized WSM referee certificate.

What are the strongman weight categories?

WSM competitions are divided into Men, Women, and Para divisions, each with multiple age groups (Junior, Open, Master) and weight classes. Men's categories include divisions up to and over 105 kg. Women's and Para divisions have their own weight class structures. The full list is available at ranking.worldstrongman.org.

What is the Asia Strongman League?

The Asia Strongman League (ASL) is a WSM-managed continental league for strongman sport across Asia. It operates on the WSM platform at ranking.worldstrongman.org, managing athlete registrations, competition results, and regional rankings. The ASL model serves as a template for continental strongman leagues worldwide.

How to organize a WSM-licensed strongman competition?

To organize a WSM-licensed competition, organizers register on ranking.worldstrongman.org and submit a competition for the appropriate tier: Local (€49), National (€149), Continental (€299), or World (€799). After approval, the organizer can manage athlete registrations, divisions, and results directly on the WSM platform.

BREAKING NEWS — Leadership Change at World Strongman

World Strongman has announced a leadership change following a unanimous decision by its Executive Committee.

Vladislavs Redjkins has been appointed Acting President of World Strongman, replacing Mr. Vladimir Burdun, who has been removed from the position due to governance violations, misuse of federation resources, and actions damaging to the sport’s reputation.

“Our priority is transparency, accountability, and the protection of the sport’s integrity. The upcoming months will focus on a full review of all federation operations, finances, and partnerships,” — said Acting President Vladislavs Redjkins.

Strategic Priorities for the Future:

Strengthening International Governance — Updating internal regulations, ensuring compliance with AIMS, Olympic values, and WADA Code.
Expansion of Global Events Calendar — Launching new international competitions and strengthening national federations’ capacity.
Development of Para-Strongman — Implementing the signed MOU with the Asian Paralympic Committee, integrating para-athletes into the global ranking system.
Commercial Partnerships — Attracting sponsors and partners aligned with WSM’s clean sport policy.
Digital Transformation — Launching an upgraded official website and secure communication systems for member federations.
Athlete Education & Anti-Doping — Implementing multilingual education programs in partnership with the International Testing Agency.

Key actions under way:

Legal review of unauthorized use of WSM digital assets and the domain worldstrongman.com (not the official site).
Financial audit of claimed 2024–2025 investments — early findings indicate inflated costs and hidden profits.
Verification of UAE Golden Visas issued under WSM’s name — over 20 granted, many to individuals with no direct link to the strongman sport.

Official Websites:

worldstrongman.org (primary)
strongmansport.org (backup)
(The domain worldstrongman.com is not affiliated with WSM and is controlled by a private individual.)