Olympic Committee Recommends Removing Wrestling As Olympic Sport

[News_Editor]

Olympic Committee recommends removing wrestling as olympic sport < br />

2013-02-13 11:27:36 GMT+7 (ICT)

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (BNO NEWS) -- The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday recommended wrestling be dropped from the Olympic Games.

The 15-member IOC gathered at its headquarters located in Lausanne, Switzerland and recommended that wrestling, which is governed by the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA), not be included on the list of core sports.

With the statement, wrestling, which has been in the Olympic Games since the IOC was founded in 1894, will now join the seven shortlisted sports – baseball/softball, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, wakeboarding and wushu – vying for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic programme as an additional sport.

In a statement, the IOC said the recommendations was made in "an effort to ensure the Olympic Games remain relevant to sports fans of all generations."

In addition, the Committee confirmed it will propose athletics, rowing, badminton, basketball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, football, gymnastics, weightlifting, handball, hockey, judo, swimming, modern pentathlon, taekwondo, tennis, table tennis, shooting, archery, triathlon, sailing and volleyball to the 125th IOC Session for approval as the core sports for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

The eight additional sports are scheduled to make presentations to the Executive Board at its meeting in St Petersburg, Russia, in May. The EB will select which of the eight sports to recommend to the 125th IOC Session for inclusion as an additional sport on the 2020 programme. 

Golf and rugby sevens were added in 2009 as additional sports to the 2016 Olympic programme.

The 125th IOC Session will to take place from September 7 to 10 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2013-02-13

[Exsexyman]

Seems a bit of a shame as wrestling was one of the original sports when the Olympics started in Greece. I would have hoped it would take precedence over so called sports like Synchronized swimming, softball, and people in top hats prancing around on horses to music. I guess wrestling is not considered sponsorship friendly which is all that seems to matter now. Sign of the times i suppose.

[Chicog]

Such a wonderful decision - now they can choose one of the alternate sports you would normally expect at an Olympic Games.

Like Wakeboarding (I shit you not, it's on the list!).

[Jingthing]

I like to watch wrestling but suggest the ratings would be better if they lost the clothes. The decision may not be final. I think there may be some push-back on this. Wrestling is really a classic.

[Mosha]

Such a wonderful decision - now they can choose one of the alternate sports you would normally expect at an Olympic Games.

Like Wakeboarding (I shit you not, it's on the list!).

It's getting ridiculous, I think I saw dancing was on the list too. I'd like to see Kabaddi and Takraw though.

[Exsexyman]

I like to watch wrestling but suggest the ratings would be better if they lost the clothes. The decision may not be final. I think there may be some push-back on this. Wrestling is really a classic.

Great suggestion JT. Now naked MIXED wrestling would surely attract sponsorship, the viewing figures would go through the roof!

[DocN]

Yeah, screw tradition!

We all know that Beach- Volleyball is slightly more attractive, but what about non-sense sports like Synchronized Swimming?!

Who the h&ll needs that?

[Jingthing]

I like to watch wrestling but suggest the ratings would be better if they lost the clothes. The decision may not be final. I think there may be some push-back on this. Wrestling is really a classic.

Great suggestion JT. Now naked MIXED wrestling would surely attract sponsorship, the viewing figures would go through the roof!

Mixed? That's not traditional.

[chuckd]

As crooked as FIFA is turning out to be, perhaps soccer should be banned.

[Potosi]

Strange. Ladies wrestling just got admitted to the London games. Looked good. Equestrian seems to be the only sport were females and males compete with each other, horses, and riders. Sport is the niche where gender segregation remains accepted, and even the feminists don't demand change. Not even in chess, darts, snooker, curling, bowling, archery and other sports that aren't physically demanding.

[Chicog]

Equestrian seems to be the only sport were females and males compete with each other, horses, and riders.

Given the current situation, I'd say cooking might fit that bill as well.

[jamhar]

Uh-Oh, CC , you shouldn't a done it.

Here come the Olympic puns!

maybe we can make a sport out of this

[Jingthing]

I am agreeing with Donald Rumsfeld here!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/donald-rumsfeld-enough-with-the-kumbaya-olympics-lets-keep-wrestling/2013/02/15/f2436d1c-7785-11e2-8f84-3e4b513b1a13_story.html

To exclude wrestling from the Olympics would be a tragedy for the sport, for the athletes and for the proud tradition of the Games. Over thousands of years, wrestling has spread to every continent. It is practiced in hundreds of countries and expressed through a multiplicity of cultures. It has thrived through war, depression, social changes and globalization. But the Olympic committee panel didn’t see fit to include it in the 2020 Games. Something is wrong with that picture.

[Payboy]

I like to watch wrestling but suggest the ratings would be better if they lost the clothes. The decision may not be final. I think there may be some push-back on this. Wrestling is really a classic.

Great suggestion JT. Now naked MIXED wrestling would surely attract sponsorship, the viewing figures would go through the roof!

Mixed? That's not traditional.

Lemme guess, you're pushing for cock-fighting.

[Jingthing]

Lemme guess, you're pushing for cock-fighting.

Maybe at the after parties.

[submaniac]

I concur with exsexyman...wrestling is one of the original sports of the Greeks in the original Olympics (ahem, Greco-Roman wrestling) and it won't be an olympics without it.

[Hedghog]

Nude synchronized swimming would be interesting.

Present format,like watching paint dry.

[Jingthing]

If they were serious about preserving any "soul" in modern commercial Olympics they would be wise to designate some classical sports as golden and untouchable. Wrestling would clearly be one of those.

[macksview]

I like to watch wrestling but suggest the ratings would be better if they lost the clothes. The decision may not be final. I think there may be some push-back on this. Wrestling is really a classic.

oh i just had trouble retaining my breakfast, the thought of a two equally hirsute and sweaty naked armenian and syrian men grappling each other and taking turns to become dominant and submissive just entered my thoughts.

yes, wrestling is one of the original sports, so must be respected for its history, but surely mixed naked wrestling will become a sell out.

i can see it now, representing thailand pornparn gripalot vs the pride of australia, darryl the 120 kilo forklift driver.

[Songhua]

What next? Javelin and discus?

Can't see too many manhours being lost with people staying home for the day to watch the Sport Climbing gold medal round.

[Mosha]

A Bulgarian gold medalist has sent back his medals won in the ring, in protest at wrestlings removal from the Olympics.

[Sing_Sling]

Golf, Football and Tennis . . . how utterly ridiculous.

For me the Olympics has lost its luster, its excitement . . . I used to stay up late and watch as many events as possible but then the networks started to pretty much only show their athletes and it became even more boring.

[7by7]

To me, the Olympics should represent the pinnacle of achievement for any participant.

This is clearly not the case for sports such as football, golf and tennis; so they should be out.

I know very little about wrestling (isn't The Rock WWE champion at the moment!?) but as far as I know, it is the case for real, proper wrestling; so it should be in.

But theses days the Olympics aren't about sporting achievement; they're about making money. Wrestling doesn't attract high enough TV ratings, which means little or no sponsorship/advertising revenue. So out it goes.

Baron de Courbertin must be spinning in his grave.

[folium]

Golf, Football and Tennis . . . how utterly ridiculous.

For me the Olympics has lost its luster, its excitement . . . I used to stay up late and watch as many events as possible but then the networks started to pretty much only show their athletes and it became even more boring.

You obviously didn't watch the London Olympics, with both in its TV coverage and the experience live on the ground making it probably the best ever Olympics.

Golf I agree with you there, given it's barely even a sport (sadly it was included in the 1900 and 1904 Olympics). Football...you should have seen the Mexican team at the final at Wembley (and the teams are largely under-23s so are a great opportunity for younger talent), while Andy Murray at Wimbledon was another great match (and tennis was one of the sports in the 1896 Athens Olympics)

Personally I would not be that sad to lose wrestling as it strikes me as just a re-enactment of a rather grisly scene from Borat!! Perhaps you could take JT's suggestion of nude wrestling to its logical conclusion and have a Gaylimpics!

If you are going to play the historical precedent card you need to realize that the only sports that have featured in every Olympics since the 1896 restart are athletics, gymnastics, fencing, cycling, & swimming.

Thank god baseball and softball have been dropped, perhaps the IOC could reinstate quality sports like croquet, polo, cricket and most of all tug of war which graced 6 Olympics. Would pay good money to see USA v. Iran tug of war.....

[Potosi]

I concur with exsexyman...wrestling is one of the original sports of the Greeks in the original Olympics (ahem, Greco-Roman wrestling) and it won't be an olympics without it.

I would protest on the grounds that it is a sport with its roots in Europe. And that's probably the problem, the white man continues to win most of the medals. You solve this by taking European sports out, and Asian sports in. Like all those newcomers Taekwando, Badminton, table tennis.

[Jingthing]

...

Personally I would not be that sad to lose wrestling as it strikes me as just a re-enactment of a rather grisly scene from Borat!! Perhaps you could take JT's suggestion of nude wrestling to its logical conclusion and have a Gaylimpics!

...

Yeah, and the ORIGINAL Olympics weren't homoerotic? In, let me check ... Greece.

Turkey is getting there with their famous oil wrestling:

Edited February 24, 2013 by Jingthing

[doggie888888]

I like to watch wrestling but suggest the ratings would be better if they lost the clothes. The decision may not be final. I think there may be some push-back on this. Wrestling is really a classic.

Great suggestion JT. Now naked MIXED wrestling would surely attract sponsorship, the viewing figures would go through the roof!

Mixed? That's not traditional.

What about female wrestling in wet t shirt? In some parts of the usa, that's traditional isn't it?

[mopar71]

Replacing wrestling with golf is beyond belief. A gold medal is the top achievement in wrestling. Pro golfers will toss their medals into their kitchen junk drawer.

The UN, Nobel Prize Committee and now the Olympic Committee are three disgraces of the 21st century.

[transam]

They want to chuck out an original Olympic sport yet we have a zillion non physical sports included. Seems the controllers are lazy folk. Soon we will have who can type the quickest on a PC keyboard Gold medal. .

[Sing_Sling]

They want to chuck out an original Olympic sport yet we have a zillion non physical sports included. Seems the controllers are lazy folk. Soon we will have who can type the quickest on a PC keyboard Gold medal. .

SMS Olympic Champion