{{Short description|Senegalese wrestler (1942–2025)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Robert Diouf | image = File:Robert Diouf, Senegal.png | alt = | caption = Diouf during his wrestling career | birth_date = {{birth date|1942|2|3|df=y}} | birth_place = Fadiouth, French Senegal | death_date = {{Death date and age|2025|8|29|1942|2|3|df=y}} | death_place = Joal, Senegal | height = 176 cm | weight = 99 kg | country = {{SEN}} | sport = Wrestling | weight_class = Heavyweight | medaltemplates = }}
'''Robert Diouf''', also known as '''Mouhamed N'Diaye''' (3 February 1942 – 29 August 2025), was a Senegalese wrestler. He won the gold medal at the 1969 African Wrestling Championships and also competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics and in the 1976 Summer Olympics.
==Early life== Diouf was born on 3 February 1942 in Fadiouth, Senegal.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/59902|website=Olympedia|title=Robert N'Diaye}}</ref><ref name="auto5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.seneplus.com/sports/robert-diouf-autre-icone-du-royaume-denfance|language=French|website=SenePlus.com|title=ROBERT DIOUF, AUTRE ICONE DU «ROYAUME D'ENFANCE»|trans-title=ROBERT DIOUF, ANOTHER ICON OF THE "CHILDHOOD KINGDOM"|date=20 August 2020}}</ref> He grew up in Joal.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rts.sn/actualite/detail/a-la-une/necrologie-mouhamed-ndiaye-dit-robert-diouf-la-fin-dune-legende|publisher=Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise|language=French|title=NÉCROLOGIE : MOUHAMED NDIAYE, DIT ROBERT DIOUF : LA FIN D'UNE LÉGENDE|trans-title=OBITUARY: MOUHAMED NDIAYE, KNOWN AS ROBERT DIOUF: THE END OF A LEGEND|date=29 August 2025}}</ref> A member of the Serer people, he started wrestling in the ''mbappat'', traditional tournaments that took place after harvest.<ref name="auto4">{{cite news |title=Du premier million de l'arène à son triomphe sur Double Less : Robert Diouf, le sauveur du combat Yékini-Bombardier |url=https://lesoleil.sn/actualites/sports/du-premier-million-de-larene-a-ses-triomphes-sur-double-less-robert-diouf-le-sauveur-du-combat-yekini-bombardier/ |access-date=29 August 2025 |newspaper=Le Soleil|trans-title=From the first million in the arena to his triumph on Double Less: Robert Diouf, the savior of the Yékini-Bombardier fight|author=Diop, Cheikh Gora|language=French |date=29 August 2025}}</ref> At the age of 15, he started participating in regional tournaments and "brilliantly distinguished himself".<ref name="auto5"/> After moving to Dakar for four years to study mechanics, Diouf returned to wrestling.<ref name="auto5"/>
==Career== Diouf was regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of his generation in Senegal and became a national icon.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite news|newspaper=Le Soleil|language=French|url=https://lesoleil.sn/actualites/sports/lutte-deces-de-lancien-champion-mouhamed-ndiaye-dit-robert/|title=Lutte : Décès de l'ancien champion Mouhamed Ndiaye dit Robert|trans-title=Wrestling: Death of former champion Mouhamed Ndiaye, known as Robert|date=29 August 2025|author=Dembélé, Abdoulaye }}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://senego.com/deces-de-mouhamed-ndiaye-robert-lancien-champion-de-lutte-senegalaise-seteint-a-83-ans_1873256.html|website=Senego.com|language=French|title=Décès de Mouhamed Ndiaye « Robert » : l'ancien champion de lutte sénégalaise s'éteint à 83 ans|author=Nar Dia, Abdou|trans-title=Death of Mouhamed Ndiaye "Robert": Former Senegalese wrestling champion dies at 83|date=29 August 2025}}</ref> He helped popularize professional Senegalese wrestling and had several important fights during his career, including against Mbaye Guèye ("The Tiger of Fass"), which ''Le Soleil'' described as marking the "turning point in the history of Senegalese wrestling", as the winner received a prize of one million CFA francs.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto4"/> He lost to Guèye, but in 1970, the next year, defeated him in a rematch.<ref name="auto4"/> Diouf was also known for his fights against Mamadou Sakho, known as "Double Less" or the "Giant of Malifara".<ref name="auto3"/><ref name="auto4"/> Despite weighing {{convert|20|kg|lb}} less than Sakho, Diouf defeated him in freestyle wrestling; Diouf won several years later in a rematch under Senegalese wrestling rules.<ref name="auto5"/><ref name="auto4"/> Distinguished by his "exceptional technique", he competed in 137 fights during his career, compiling a record of 118 wins, seven losses and 12 draws.<ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto3"/>
Diouf was a member of the national wrestling team.<ref name="auto2"/> He competed at the 1969 African Wrestling Championships and won the gold medal in the 100 kg Greco-Roman event.<ref name="auto"/> Two years later, he won silver in the 100 kg freestyle event at the African Championships.<ref name="auto"/> He was selected to represent Senegal at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and was the Senegalese flagbearer at the opening ceremony; competing in the freestyle heavyweight event, he did not medal.<ref name="auto"/> Diouf returned to the Olympics in 1976 in Montreal, competing in both the freestyle heavyweight and the Greco-Roman heavyweight, but did not medal.<ref name="auto"/>
After retiring from his competitive career, he worked as a self-combat and judo coach for the National Police Academy.<ref name="auto5"/> He coached several national champions.<ref name="auto1"/>
==Personal life== Diouf was born to a Christian family, but converted and became a Muslim in 1977, taking the name Mouhamed.<ref name="auto4"/>
Diouf had several sons who competed as wrestlers.<ref name="auto4"/> He lived in Joal in his later years and died there on 29 August 2025, at the age of 83.<ref name="auto5"/><ref name="auto4"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|13227726}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diouf, Robert}} Category:1942 births Category:2025 deaths Category:20th-century Senegalese sportsmen Category:Converts to Islam from Christianity Category:Olympic wrestlers for Senegal Category:Senegalese male sport wrestlers Category:Senegalese Muslims Category:Serer sportspeople Category:Wrestlers at the 1972 Summer Olympics Category:Wrestlers at the 1976 Summer Olympics