WORLD STRONGMAN
International Union
World Strongman International Union (WSM) is an international non-governmental organization established in 2003 in Latvia. Founded by Vladislavs Redjkins, the federation was built on a vision to transform ancient strength traditions into a modern, unified global sport.
Today, WSM is the definitive governing body for the discipline, uniting national federations from more than 60 countries. We manage our global operations through our International Headquarters in Dubai, UAE, and our dedicated Technical Office in Latvia.
Strongman is more than a show; it is a professional speed-power all-around discipline. We bridge the gap between ancient cultural heritage and modern athletic standards. By implementing precise measurement, weight calibration, and standardized scoring, we ensure that every achievement is recorded with absolute integrity.
Fostering an environment where athletes of all levels can thrive through certified coaching and training curriculums.
Maintaining stringent anti-doping standards in full compliance with WADA and promoting clean sport worldwide.
Promoting Strongman for everyone. We support Adaptive Strongman for para-athletes and foster youth engagement regardless of gender, age, or ability.
Elevating the status of World Strongman on the global stage and seeking inclusion in multi-sport events like the Asian & World Games.
This is not just a roadmap, but a vision for the future of Strongman—a sport that embodies physical strength, resilience, and unity. We are building a global community that celebrates diversity, respects tradition, and pursues excellence.
— Vladislavs Redjkins, President of World Strongman
Vladislavs Redjkins is the Founder and Chief Manager of the World Strongman International Union. A Latvian sports administrator and academic researcher, he has been active in strongman sport since 1996 and has dedicated over two decades to building the international governance structure for the discipline. Under his leadership, WSM became the first federation to create a structured digital ranking system for strongman sport globally.
This peer-reviewed academic publication establishes the theoretical and methodological foundation for strongman as an institutionalized competitive discipline. The research defines strongman as a specialized speed-power all-around sport that systematizes and sportizes traditional strength games from various cultures. WSM's competition classification system, weight categories, and ranking methodology are grounded in this academic framework — making WSM the first strongman federation to base its governance structure on peer-reviewed sport science research.
View Publication → DOI: 10.34685/HI.2019.1.1.008