Joel Wicki ends his career. The wrestling king of 2022 is leaving the sport of sawdust at the age of just 28 to devote himself to new projects.
25.01.2026, 18:11
25.01.2026, 19:18
SDA
"The decision has been made, I will retire from active wrestling with immediate effect," said Joel Wicki on the SRF Sportpanorama program on Sunday evening. In a press release, he was quoted as saying: "The decision was not easy for me after such a long and enjoyable time in the sport of wrestling. Wrestling has demanded a lot from me, but it has also given me a lot." Now, however, he is looking forward to a new and hopefully equally exciting phase in his life, "in which I will also be prepared to get involved in youth development. I myself have benefited immensely, so I'm happy to give something back."
Rumors turn out to be true
There had been speculation about Wicki's future for some time. Rumors persisted that the 28-year-old might put his sporting ambitions on hold after the season and devote more time to his private life. His passion for working on his own farm, for hunting and fishing and his ambition to start a family one day were too great for him to juggle everything, according to many of those close to him.
However, Wicki refused to let anyone look at his cards. "I haven't made a decision yet, I can't say what will happen next," he said ahead of the season highlight in Mollis in response to the speculation. No confirmation, no denial. Just this much: "Sometimes you think about when the right time has come. I don't want to stop when I'm physically weak. Because for me, there is life after swinging. My body needs it there too."
Wicki has now decided when the time is right. Instead of retiring on the big stage at the Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festival, he is doing so relatively quietly. Not in front of over 56,000 fans in the arena in Mollis, but in the SRF studio in Leutschenbach in front of a few dozen spectators. He doesn't announce the end of his career far in advance, but surprises viewers with his announcement on "Sportpanorama". Primetime on Sunday evening, that's that. Anything else would have been unworthy of a king. One last time in the limelight that Wicki never sought, but in which he has always moved due to his wrestling style and his successes.
King and first crowned
Wicki celebrated his greatest success in Pratteln in 2022, when he won the final round against Matthias Aeschbacher to become wrestling king. He was only the second king from Central Switzerland after Heinrich Knüsel in 1986 and not only ended a long dry spell for the largest sub-association, but also made up for his own shortcoming. In 2019 in Zug, the Sörenberg native was denied the big time when he was beaten by Christian Stucki in the final competition and found himself tied on points with the Bernese king as the first crowned in rank 1b.
Wicki's last two Swiss festivals were disappointing. As the reigning king, he only finished 9b last year at the Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festival in Mollis after a strong first day of competition - partly because a wrong decision by the judges at the beginning of Sunday took the wind out of his sails. Last year, at the Federal Jubilee Wrestling Festival in Appenzell, he had finished only marginally better in 7th place. These were rankings that were unworthy of Joel Wicki and, not least, took their toll on him.
A bitter blow for Central Switzerland
In his career, Wicki won 76 wreaths and 28 wreath festivals, the last one in mid-September at the Ticino Cantonal Championships in Biasca. He triumphed four times at a sub-association festival and won eight of the prestigious mountain festivals. Last season, he was successful on the Brünig. Prior to that, he had already shown no weakness at the Central Swiss festival in Seedorf and triumphed on his comeback after an injury break of around one month, despite well-known competition from north-eastern Switzerland (Samuel Giger, Werner Schlegel).
Wicki's explosive swinging style repeatedly took its toll. He missed the 2016 Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festival in Estavayer due to a fractured lower leg. In 2021, the man from Sörenberg ended the season prematurely due to an elbow injury, and in 2023 he had to skip the Unspunnen Festival due to another elbow injury. Minor injuries repeatedly forced him to take breaks from competing.
Wicki's retirement is a bitter loss for the Central Swiss Association. With the 28-year-old, the largest sub-association is losing its figurehead and - after Pirmin Reichmuth, who drew a line under his career at the season highlight in Mollis - also the last remaining top wrestler.
