On Tuesday February 12, 2013, The Associated press was first to break the story of the ouster of wrestling from the 2020 Olympic Games.
Ciltius, Altius, Fortius......Faster, higher, stronger.
This has been the motto of the modern Olympic Games since it's beginnings in 1896.
By removing wrestling from the summer Olympics the IOC basically erased a large portion of "stronger" from the equation.
Many people around the world are outraged that wrestling, one of the original events of the 776 B.C. Olympic Games will be no more.
Wrestling, running, jumping, equestrian, and boxing were all contested in the ancient Olympic Games.
However, wrestling has not always been part of the Modern Olympic Games. Only Swimming, cycling, athletics, fencing, and gymnastics have been in every Olympic Games since 1896.
In 2016 wrestling will be one of 28 sports included in the Rio Olympics.
It seems very sad that golf and table tennis are on that list and wrestling will be no more after the 2016 Games.
The ramifications go far beyond the Olympic level.
Wrestling is a huge sport in many countries around the world. It's a mainstay of high school and college athletic programs.
Although only a handful of wrestlers will ever get a chance at the Olympic Games, it's a source of inspiration to many young wrestlers that the sport they love has long been considered world and Olympic class.
If wrestling is no longer part of the Olympic Games, will funding dry up on the grass roots level? Will colleges continue to fund wrestling programs at the same pace, or will the majority of support now go to other Olympic sports like swimming and track?
Will there still be wrestling scholarships?
Will there still be funding for international quality wrestling tournaments around the world for young wrestlers to aspire to?
One wonders if it's IOC inner politics or fixation on financial considerations that have led to the ouster of wrestling.
The sport is not very high on the glamor scale compared to swimming or track, and therefore is not as interesting to television networks or advertisers.
Ciltius, Altius, Fortius, does not mean fastest, highest, and strongest, it means faster, higher, and stronger.
At it's very roots, the true spirit of the modern Olympic Games was conceived to provide a venue for the youth of the world to meet and compete through self-improvement and not necessarily to win.
Strive to be as fast as you can, as strong as you can, and jump as high as you can, has long been the clarion call. Winning a medal was not necessarily the only accomplishment that counted.
Just being part of something magical like the Olympic Games and doing your best for your country and yourself provides an amazing and unforgettable experience.
This opportunity is being taken away from the athletes and fans who love the sport of wrestling.
One can't help but wonder if the IOC has lost it's way and has forgotten that when the modern Olympic Games were first created in 1986, they were built on the foundation of fair-play and participation.
Wrestling has always exhibited and excelled in these ideals and deserves to remain an integral part of the Olympic Games forever.
http://www.examiner.com/article/wrestling-being-removed-as-olympic-sport
Ciltius, Altius, Fortius......Faster, higher, stronger.
This has been the motto of the modern Olympic Games since it's beginnings in 1896.
By removing wrestling from the summer Olympics the IOC basically erased a large portion of "stronger" from the equation.
Many people around the world are outraged that wrestling, one of the original events of the 776 B.C. Olympic Games will be no more.
Wrestling, running, jumping, equestrian, and boxing were all contested in the ancient Olympic Games.
However, wrestling has not always been part of the Modern Olympic Games. Only Swimming, cycling, athletics, fencing, and gymnastics have been in every Olympic Games since 1896.
In 2016 wrestling will be one of 28 sports included in the Rio Olympics.
It seems very sad that golf and table tennis are on that list and wrestling will be no more after the 2016 Games.
The ramifications go far beyond the Olympic level.
Wrestling is a huge sport in many countries around the world. It's a mainstay of high school and college athletic programs.
Although only a handful of wrestlers will ever get a chance at the Olympic Games, it's a source of inspiration to many young wrestlers that the sport they love has long been considered world and Olympic class.
If wrestling is no longer part of the Olympic Games, will funding dry up on the grass roots level? Will colleges continue to fund wrestling programs at the same pace, or will the majority of support now go to other Olympic sports like swimming and track?
Will there still be wrestling scholarships?
Will there still be funding for international quality wrestling tournaments around the world for young wrestlers to aspire to?
One wonders if it's IOC inner politics or fixation on financial considerations that have led to the ouster of wrestling.
The sport is not very high on the glamor scale compared to swimming or track, and therefore is not as interesting to television networks or advertisers.
Ciltius, Altius, Fortius, does not mean fastest, highest, and strongest, it means faster, higher, and stronger.
At it's very roots, the true spirit of the modern Olympic Games was conceived to provide a venue for the youth of the world to meet and compete through self-improvement and not necessarily to win.
Strive to be as fast as you can, as strong as you can, and jump as high as you can, has long been the clarion call. Winning a medal was not necessarily the only accomplishment that counted.
Just being part of something magical like the Olympic Games and doing your best for your country and yourself provides an amazing and unforgettable experience.
This opportunity is being taken away from the athletes and fans who love the sport of wrestling.
One can't help but wonder if the IOC has lost it's way and has forgotten that when the modern Olympic Games were first created in 1986, they were built on the foundation of fair-play and participation.
Wrestling has always exhibited and excelled in these ideals and deserves to remain an integral part of the Olympic Games forever.
http://www.examiner.com/article/wrestling-being-removed-as-olympic-sport
