Yahoo! Sports reports that the International Olympic Committee has cut wrestling from the Summer Olympics. Wrestling will be removed from the 2020 Olympics as an effort to “streamline” the games.
Wrestling, and not the modern pentathlon, will be removed from the 25 core sports. The move occurred via secret ballot amongst IOC leaders.
Via the Associated Press via Yahoo!:
The board voted after reviewing a report by the IOC program commission report that analyzed 39 criteria, including television ratings, ticket sales, anti-doping policy and global participation and popularity. With no official rankings or recommendations contained in the report, the final decision by the 15-member board was also subject to political, emotional and sentimental factors.
Wrestling, along with baseball, softball, karate and five other sports will now have to apply for inclusion in the 2020 Olympics.
Payout Perspective:
While the move does not directly affect the world of MMA, it’s easy to see that the sport has roots in amateur wrestling. One can think of the many successful fighters coming out of an amateur wrestling program. Without wrestling in the Olympics, many individuals may not take up the sport as competing in the Olympics is one of the main goals in an amateur wrestler’s career. For the sport of MMA, this could mean fewer individuals with a great background in wrestling. This could mean that more MMA gyms teach the sport to aspiring fighters.
Absolutely fucking disgraceful. Wrestling was one of the original Olympic sports, and I actually hoped that grappling (Jiu Jitsu & No Gi) would eventually join Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling in the Olympics. Instead they get rid of Wrestling and we’re left with field hockey, kayaking, synchronized swimming, synchronized diving, dressage and whatever other crap the Olympics is currently composed of. This sounds like some Title IX type bullshit. Thanks for ruining my day International Olympics Committee, now go fuck yourselves.
“Now wrestling will have to face off with seven other sports that are fighting for inclusion in the 2020 Olympics. The list includes includes baseball and softball, which were dropped from the Olympics after Beijing in 2008 and sports trying to make the Olympics for the first time, including karate, squash, roller sports, sport climbing,wake boarding and wushu. The Associated Press said it is “extremely unlikely” that wrestling would be brought back so soon after the committee voted to eliminate it.”
Squash? Sport climbing? Fucking wushu? Are they going to be wearing monk’s robes when they compete in that crap? How about competitive foot massage? Can we include that? They should put the top guys of each sport into a cage. Whoever still standing at the end of 15 minutes wins. Oh wait, we already have that sport, it’s called MMA. Thank God.
I had to look it up because I wasn’t sure what it was. It’s worse than I thought.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ4nf0bTfak
Pretty much what Diego said! This really, really sucks.
However, in terms of this decision’s effect on MMA, this might provide the impetus for better wrestlers to go straight into MMA instead of chasing Olympic dreams. What I’m most curious about is how this will effect the non-Olympic international wrestling scene; without the Olympics as the ultimate carrot, will the international scene suffer? It seems like the absolute best wrestlers’ mettle is forged in international competition.
What Diego said!
Question: how will this effect the non-Olympic international wrestling scene? Without the ultimate carrot of the Olympics, will there be less international wrestling competitions? It seems like a lot of the best wrestlers in the world develop their mettle in international competition. Also, might some of the better wrestlers who would’ve chased Olympic dreams go into MMA instead?
Michelle
Simple Sampson,
Boxing is next.
Boxing is next? Hahahahaha. Sure it is chump.
I’m glad you agree Simple.
By the way, aren’t you embarrassed to weasel out of a bet? Where I’m from, men don’t act that way, but then you’re not really a man are you?
Diego, Simple Simpson is a troll, trolls dont care about bets.
@MV Without wrestling, I think the sport misses out on many kids entering the sport. I definitely think it hurts high school programs and maybe college. Maybe the kids choose to train in MMA with a local gym but I think they miss out on a lot without the ultimate prize of the Olympics. And yes, without the Olympics, international competition will diminish as funding for those types of competition will either be pulled or used elsewhere.
Wushu looks great.
At a Cirque du Soleil show.
Not at the Olympics. Please.
Wrestling is one of the Original Olympic Sports. There should be a rule that makes those untouchable.
I am sad and disappointed. just one word … dressage….(is it even legal?)
The IOC is a corrupt organization which has lost touch with reality.
Some arrogant executive committee in Switzerland decides there is room for an arbitrary number of sports in the Olympics–then plays games like dropping one of the foundational Olympic sports.
The IOC is a business and a brand which makes a large amount of loot, and that pays huge salaries to a bloated, sinecured eurocracy.
They’re almost as crooked as FIFA–and that’s saying something.
Perhaps frisbee golf will knock out boxing next?
I pronounce a full-nelson curse upon all things Olympic.