Lagos, Sep 12 (IANS): Nigeria has lauded the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reinstate wrestling as an Olympic sport.

In a statement reaching Xinhua, Minister of Sports Bolaji Abdullahi described the news of the reinstatement as gladdening.

The IOC had in February 2013 downgraded wrestling from a sport that would feature in the 2020 Olympics to a candidate status.

Wrestling had thus had to compete for a space in the Olympics now slated for Tokyo, Japan with sports such as squash, baseball and softball.

The decision had shocked countries like Nigeria, where wrestling is popular, leading to the lobby to restore the sport to the Games and sending an official position to the IOC.

At the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina at the weekend, the members voted to reinstate wrestling as an Olympic sport, with the sport receiving 49 votes.

The Baseball/softball bid got 24 votes, while squash got 22.