Wrestling dropped from 2020 Olympics.

[Tez3]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/21427455

Thought I'd put it here to get a wider range of posts. I know that it's very popular in America and that it's also popular in countries that can't afford to compete in many sports due to cost.
It could be reprieved though but at a cost to another sport.

"Wrestling is now vying with baseball/softball, squash, karate, sport climbing, wakeboarding, wushu and roller sports for a place in the 2020 Games"

To be honest out of all those wrestling is the only one that is popular and easy to do world wide.

 

[oftheherd1]

Before making its decision, the IOC's programme commission assessed each sport by looking at such factors as TV ratings, ticket sales, anti-doping and global popularity.

Makes sense that TV ratings are more important than tradition or martial application of an included sport.

 

[Instructor]

Well at least we still have Womens Curling..

 

[Tez3]

Well at least we still have Womens Curling..

Different Olympics though and actually it's a sport beloved by a lot of people. Like a lot of things it's easy to disrespect curling but far harder to actually play it. It's becoming very popular with young people which has got to be better than sitting in front of a computer! I enjoy watching and playing though I haven't for years, it's easier to play in Scotland than England.

 

[SahBumNimRush]

I am not an avid wrestling fan, and I admit that I don't watch it when the Olympics are aired. That said, I don't think it should be excluded from the Olympics. It is one of the original events, for crying outloud!

 

[Instructor]

Different Olympics though and actually it's a sport beloved by a lot of people. Like a lot of things it's easy to disrespect curling but far harder to actually play it. It's becoming very popular with young people which has got to be better than sitting in front of a computer! I enjoy watching and playing though I haven't for years, it's easier to play in Scotland than England.

You misunderstand, I love watching curling!

 

[Twin Fist]

for real, keep wrestling, get rid of TKD, that sucks

 

[Instructor]

I am not an avid wrestling fan, and I admit that I don't watch it when the Olympics are aired. That said, I don't think it should be excluded from the Olympics. It is one of the original events, for crying outloud!

Once they told the wrestlers they had to wear clothes it's been all downhill since...

 

[ATC]

I would have gotten rid of Judo to tell the truth. I think once WuShu or Karate is added, they will get rid of Judo.

 

[geezer]

for real, keep wrestling, get rid of TKD, that sucks

I'd second that. Nothing against TKD. My son takes TKD and it's been great for him. But TKD is a modern sport that is of specifically Korean origin (assuming you ignore it's roots in Karate). By contrast, wrestling, in its various forms, is about as universal and ancient as it gets. It may not have much of a fan base, but the grappling arts really express the essence of individual human competition. With this decision, the Olympics really seem to be losing credibility and relevence. These decisions should be more than a popularity contest. Besides, if all people are looking for is entertainment, why bother with the Olympics at all. Theres always videogames.

 

[Omar B]

I gotta say, I had a feeling. The London coverage of Wrestling, fencing, judo and TKD was terrible, I assumed one of those would get the axe ... or white water rafting.

 

[Makalakumu]

Wrestling is the oldest sport in the world. It was one of the original Olympic sports. This is dumb, IMO.

 

[chinto]

well I would think they would keep wrestling! it was in the Olympics in ancient times! one of the few events that are in the modern olympics that was from the originals.

 

[Tez3]

I gotta say, I had a feeling. The London coverage of Wrestling, fencing, judo and TKD was terrible, I assumed one of those would get the axe ... or white water rafting.

Do you mean the television company's coverage of the sports or the sports themselves were poor?

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

It is a shocker but tv ratings drive everything. Very sad for the future of wrestling.

 

[Steve]

What I'd like to see is submission wrestling. No-gi wrestling in the spirit of CaCC wrestling, with wins by pins, submissions or points. Since wrestling already has the International and National governing bodies, it would be a much easier sell than, say, getting BJJ involved.

 

[geezer]

What I'd like to see is submission wrestling. No-gi wrestling in the spirit of CaCC wrestling, with wins by pins, submissions or points. Since wrestling already has the International and National governing bodies, it would be a much easier sell than, say, getting BJJ involved.

I could go with that. But I can't imaging dumping wrestling completely! Somebody needs to practice some submission techniques on the IOC!

 

[Makalakumu]

What I'd like to see is submission wrestling. No-gi wrestling in the spirit of CaCC wrestling, with wins by pins, submissions or points. Since wrestling already has the International and National governing bodies, it would be a much easier sell than, say, getting BJJ involved.

That would be awesome and exciting to watch! No gi jujutsu would explode in popularity! Lots of NAGA competitors could filter into this. Imagine how this sport would look in Rio in 2016?

 

[Steve]

That would be awesome and exciting to watch! No gi jujutsu would explode in popularity! Lots of NAGA competitors could filter into this. Imagine how this sport would look in Rio in 2016?

Exactly what I was thinking. It would be a forum in which you could attract competitors across several disciplines of grappling. Many... I'd say most... of the elite level BJJ players would likely compete, as would the guys who compete primarily in elite level tournaments like the ADCC and NAGA.

The pace would be fast, particularly at the lower weight levels, and the infrastructure for sponsorship as an olympic event is already in place.

 

[Makalakumu]

Exactly what I was thinking. It would be a forum in which you could attract competitors across several disciplines of grappling. Many... I'd say most... of the elite level BJJ players would likely compete, as would the guys who compete primarily in elite level tournaments like the ADCC and NAGA.

The pace would be fast, particularly at the lower weight levels, and the infrastructure for sponsorship as an olympic event is already in place.

What about the point system though? I wonder how all of these grappling approaches would compromise on this? I would love to see a sub/pin only event, but I think that is unrealistic.