I am diverting from my writing blog to state something dear to my heart, wrestling.
When the news that wrestling was being omitted from core sports of the Olympics, many stated it should be a wakeup call for wrestling. Outcries about this decision soon appeared, and the sport of wrestling soon was changed.
Wrestling’s world governing body (FILA) began to reform the sport. It got a new president and changes soon followed. Rules were changed, including 2 minute rounds instead of three. These changes were made to make wrestling “more entertaining” and more dramatic for the television audience.
These changes are WRONG, for wrestling should not have changed, the Olympics should have!
First let me state why wrestling was removed as one of the core sports. It is simple: economics.
The motto for the Olympics is “Citius, Altius, Fortius” which means “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” This was the principles that the Olympics were first founded on, the ability of the athletes in their sport. This is now a myth, a lie, for the motto of the current Olympics should be: “Mo money, mo money, mo money.”
Once, X-style games were added to the Olympics, it changed, and for the worse. The Olympics, instead of a show for athleticism, became a money making venture. The Olympic committee was no longer concerned with the value of a person as an athlete, but the money value of that athlete. The Olympics always was influenced by finances, but now it has escalated into a business.
Wrestling is one of the purest sports still in the world. It has changed over time, but very little compared to others. It is not flashy; the ability of the athlete is based on the wrestling mat, not based on how flamboyant it is. It is hard for something to make money when it is not flashy or flamboyant.
This is what Pro-wrestling is about, not amateur wrestling. Pro-wrestling in fact, was created to be more entertaining, more exciting. They Olympic Committee wants to turn amateur wrestling into Pro-wrestling, and we must stop them.
I was an amateur wrestler, and am in change of promoting it with the United States Martial Arts Association; I am also a part time pro-wrestler. I know and appreciate the difference between the two. One is based on athleticism, the other on showmanship. We must fight to maintain the difference between the two. We must keep the barrier strong between the two, for without it, the one will turn into the other.
Wrestling can live without the Olympics, it did for generations when there were no Olympics, it can continue again. I think wrestling is too good for the Olympics, and we do not need it to promote the sport.
What can we do to help wrestling? Write to your counties amateur athletic organization. Write to the Olympic Committee. Write to FILA. Mostly support your local wrestling. Go to matches at school or college.
Get involved do not let the degradation of the Olympics also degrade our sport.
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