Wrestling no longer an Olympic sport starting in 2020

[illwauk]

As someone who finds cable unnecessary (and thus unable to access ESPN the few times they actually feature college wrestling) the only time I get to watch wrestling on TV is during the Olympics. Although I'm confident that enough of a stink will be raised about this that they'll ultimately end up keeping it.

[Kevin W.]

As someone who finds cable unnecessary (and thus unable to access ESPN the few times they actually feature college wrestling) the only time I get to watch wrestling on TV is during the Olympics. Although I'm confident that enough of a stink will be raised about this that they'll ultimately end up keeping it.

I doubt it. They couldn't convince the IOC to keep baseball.

[FiddySicks]

This is an absolute outrage. The Olympics would not even exist if it weren't for wrestling. Wrestling is the oldest sport in history. It is the hardest thing that anyone can compete in. Cutting weight, staying in shape, staying well rested, mental toughness. Nothing else in the world is as hard as wrestling. Preparation for a match is almost as hard as the match itself.. Who am I facing? What's his technique like? What takedowns does he use? How's his ground work? Whats my weight? Can I eat this? Oh I just won the match but didnt burn enough weight while wrestling to be good for weigh outs...time to go run. If you want to challenge me when I say "nothing else in the world is as hard as wrestling", save it. I'll believe you when you cut 13 pounds in 4 hours for a sporting competition you are involved with in 17 hours.

I agree completely. I played every sport imaginable as a kid and wrestling was the only sport I flat out quit on at mid season. It's the freaking hardest sport I've ever done.

[illwauk]

As someone who finds cable unnecessary (and thus unable to access ESPN the few times they actually feature college wrestling) the only time I get to watch wrestling on TV is during the Olympics. Although I'm confident that enough of a stink will be raised about this that they'll ultimately end up keeping it.

I doubt it. They couldn't convince the IOC to keep baseball.

How much of the world really plays baseball though? Every civilization (or damn near) in the history of humankind has had some form of wrestling, and modern wrestling is a direct descendent of pankration... one of the original olympic disciplines.

[Needschat]

I can't believe that the IOC would, oh wait. We're talking about an organization that allows cycling to STILL be an Olympic sport, an event that's NOT CLEAN AT ALL, while allowing an original sport to go away. I have a strong feeling this happened because the wrestling organization did NOT pay enough!!

On Twitter, the professional "wrestlers" are up in arms, as are the football players that wrestled in high school and/or college, over this.

[aci]

As someone who finds cable unnecessary (and thus unable to access ESPN the few times they actually feature college wrestling) the only time I get to watch wrestling on TV is during the Olympics. Although I'm confident that enough of a stink will be raised about this that they'll ultimately end up keeping it.

I doubt it. They couldn't convince the IOC to keep baseball.

How much of the world really plays baseball though? Every civilization (or damn near) in the history of humankind has had some form of wrestling, and modern wrestling is a direct descendent of pankration... one of the original olympic disciplines.

I think that was the exact reason the IOC gave for taking baseball off the Olympic program. There are only about 8-10 countries who are really into baseball, maybe a dozen where a reasonable enough number play it to even have a hope in hell of being competitive. That doesn't really make for an Olympic sport.

[BLUELANDbeliever]

Statement from Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the NWHOF:

The IOC has alerted a silent giant in the world of sport that will protest its Executive Committee’s recommendation to eliminate the sport of wrestling from the 2020 Olympic Summer agenda.

The International and National Federations of Wrestling need to request an investigation into the decision making process of the IOC’s Executive Committee decision.

Their decision was not justified by the criteria they claim to use for these decisions. The IOC Executive Committee meeting in St Petersburg this May will determine a more accurate picture of our sports future on the 2020 Olympic agenda.

Global participation is vibrant in one of the Olympic Movements stewards of the flame. The sport of wrestling has 180 participating countries in comparison to Modern Pentathlon, which has 53 countries. In fact, Wrestling has more global participation than many of the other core sports on the current Olympic agenda.

The sport has had to prove its relevancy time and again and has prevailed. That is why we are mankind’s oldest sport. The interpretation of the word “Wrestling,” means to survive. The IOC has found a way to unite countries like America, Russia and Iran in a battle of sport relevancy.

It would be a tremendous support to our case for inclusion if our “friends in the media” around the world would spotlight our case for inclusion and the decision making process of the IOC's Executive Committee and its IOC membership in determining this agenda item.

[illwauk]

I can't believe that the IOC would, oh wait. We're talking about an organization that allows cycling to STILL be an Olympic sport, an event that's NOT CLEAN AT ALL, while allowing an original sport to go away. I have a strong feeling this happened because the wrestling organization did NOT pay enough!!

The more I think about this, the more I believe this could be a golden opportunity for the wrestling organization to hold its own world championship. If they're successful... and wrestling certianly has enough of a following to make a World Baseball Classic-style wrestling tournament viable... the IOC will just look like the corrupt idiots they are and it may encourage other sports to host their own independent championships.

[rams80]

As someone who finds cable unnecessary (and thus unable to access ESPN the few times they actually feature college wrestling) the only time I get to watch wrestling on TV is during the Olympics. Although I'm confident that enough of a stink will be raised about this that they'll ultimately end up keeping it.

I doubt it. They couldn't convince the IOC to keep baseball.

The arguments behind dropping baseball and softball are defensible. It is popular in only a few sports in the world, those spots it is popular in get proportionally fewer Olympic qualifiers, and the host city has to build an entire stadium for that sport that will never really be used afterwards.

[charger77]

[Kevin W.]

But would they really want to take a chance on giving a gold medal to a guy who would make his opponents humble?

[dbadefense1990]

So let's see here:

-The IOC cans wrestling (whose biggest stage is the Olympics).

-Yet, they still allow soccer (which no true football diehard cares about because the real international event is the World Cup).

The f### is wrong with that committee???

[dbadefense1990]

This is an absolute outrage. The Olympics would not even exist if it weren't for wrestling. Wrestling is the oldest sport in history. It is the hardest thing that anyone can compete in. Cutting weight, staying in shape, staying well rested, mental toughness. Nothing else in the world is as hard as wrestling. Preparation for a match is almost as hard as the match itself.. Who am I facing? What's his technique like? What takedowns does he use? How's his ground work? Whats my weight? Can I eat this? Oh I just won the match but didnt burn enough weight while wrestling to be good for weigh outs...time to go run. If you want to challenge me when I say "nothing else in the world is as hard as wrestling", save it. I'll believe you when you cut 13 pounds in 4 hours for a sporting competition you are involved with in 17 hours.

Completely agree with all, except the bolded part. Olympic Boxing has some disagreement with you. The way you have to condition yourself to move around, handle facials, uppercuts, avoid grogginess, all in multiple rounds for a set time limit. I applaud anyone who goes into this realm.

[bosrs1]

This is an absolute outrage. The Olympics would not even exist if it weren't for wrestling. Wrestling is the oldest sport in history. It is the hardest thing that anyone can compete in. Cutting weight, staying in shape, staying well rested, mental toughness. Nothing else in the world is as hard as wrestling. Preparation for a match is almost as hard as the match itself.. Who am I facing? What's his technique like? What takedowns does he use? How's his ground work? Whats my weight? Can I eat this? Oh I just won the match but didnt burn enough weight while wrestling to be good for weigh outs...time to go run. If you want to challenge me when I say "nothing else in the world is as hard as wrestling", save it. I'll believe you when you cut 13 pounds in 4 hours for a sporting competition you are involved with in 17 hours.

Completely agree with all, except the bolded part. Olympic Boxing has some disagreement with you. The way you have to condition yourself to move around, handle facials, uppercuts, avoid grogginess, all in multiple rounds for a set time limit. I applaud anyone who goes into this realm.

Boxing is another sport I'm surprised survived while wrestling was cut. Between ongoing head injuries to boxers and the overall declining popularity of the sport (particularly the Olympics version) you'd have thought it would have been cut. This really was more about who bribed the IOC the best more than anything. They're getting to be just as bad as FIFA in terms of corruption.

[sportstar1212]

I can't believe this. Why couldn't have they gotten rid of ping pong, or other stupid sports like that instead of an original Olympic sport?

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I understand the joke, but how sad for Kurt Angle -- and actual American wrestling champion -- to be left off.

And I would put Andre and Hogan on opposite sides of the bracket, just so you don't waste that matchup in a semi-final.

Also, I would have loved to have seen a "Parts Unknown" flag.

[charger77]

Putting Andre in the other bracket is no guarantee to the final, he'd have to go through the longest running WWF champion of all time (and my Grandma's cousin lol).

[dfwabel]

I can't believe that the IOC would, oh wait. We're talking about an organization that allows cycling to STILL be an Olympic sport, an event that's NOT CLEAN AT ALL, while allowing an original sport to go away. I have a strong feeling this happened because the wrestling organization did NOT pay enough!!

On Twitter, the professional "wrestlers" are up in arms, as are the football players that wrestled in high school and/or college, over this.

Cycling has two members of the UCI on the IOC (the current president and the former president is honorary). Wrestling has not had an IOC member in over a decade. It is somewhat their own fault for not trying hard enough. I liken this to when a military base closes or an auto plant when every area is put on warning that they could close. The Russian wrestling president threw the FILA president under the bus for not keeping the membership abreast of this possibility.

Unless they are wanting to recognize Chinese New Year, does the FILA (governing body) main page still have to have "Season's Greetings" on February 12?

[Viper]

My theory is that Ara Abrahamian ruined it for all his fellow wrestlers when he abandoned his bronze medal at the Beijing Games.

On the other hand, by that theory taekwondo should also be out because of that Cuban dude who kicked the referee in the head after losing in the same Olympics.

[max]

If we're changing the Olympics, I heard a great idea a long time ago:

Gold Medal - World Record

Silver Medal - Olympic Record

Bronze Medal - Making the Olympics

So, all competitors get at least a bronze medal, then if they break the OR or WR, they get Silver or Gold along with Bronze, or all three if they break the OR and WR.

*I'll venture to say that this would only work in timed sports/strange mixed-event events...

I am surprised equestrian hasn't gone yet. Seems a little too "traditional" (stupid clothes, helpless animals).