Mayor Callahan Responds to Wrestling Incident

Statement by Mayor John Callahan For Immediate Release: February 25, 2013 Bethlehem, PA As a community leader, a passionate wrestling fan, and a supportive parent of a student athlete, I should have handled this incident better, no matter how I felt about the calls made during the match. I have a tremendous amount of admiration for the sport of wrestling, and I respect the referee, Dennis Buchmans right to call the match the way he sees it. I personally reached out to Mr. Buchman today to apologize. Weve both been involved in wrestling for decades and had a warm conversation reflecting on the great passion that we have for the sport. Certainly, when Mr. Buchman stepped onto the mat, he didnt expect to find himself in this situation any more than I did. As someone in a line of work subject to plenty of criticism, I can certainly appreciate the difficult job that Mr. Buchman has to do. Its That said, both Mr. Buchman and I agree that this was a minor incident that has become overblown and unfortunately took away from the great effort and dedication shown by the young men who participated in the tournament. I hope that this will no longer distract from the real issues facing Bethlehem and Northampton County.

Dennis Buchman Responds to Wrestling Incident

Statement by Dennis Buchman For Immediate Release: February 25, 2013 Drums, PA I truly appreciate Mayor Callahan reaching out to me today to apologize. It meant a lot to me and I think it sets a good example for our fans and young athletes involved in sports. Unfortunately this incident has been blown out of proportion and is being made into something different than it was. Certainly John and I both want to put this behind us.