(DES MOINES, Iowa) -- Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad is pushing to have wrestling remain an Olympic sport.

On Tuesday, Branstad released a letter addressed to the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge, calling for the sport to remain part of the Olympic Games. The letter was co-signed by 33 governors.

"The same spirit of competition that drove ancient wrestlers has transcended generations, and our states are the beneficiaries of this spirit," the letter stated. "Wrestling accelerates character building. At its core, wrestling is an instinct and embodies the human qualities of hard work, discipline, and perseverance."

The letter comes after the IOC announced that it would be removing wrestling as an Olympic sport, effective in 2020.

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