The IOC pins wrestling?
Yesterday, the International Olympic Committee Executive Board recommended that wrestling be dropped from the Olympics after 2016. After the announcement, the entire state of Iowa had a temper tantrum.
Though the Olympic versions of wrestling are different than the “American folkstyle” used at the high school and collegiate level in the US, it is still wrestling and the Games served as the ultimate platform for the sport; a gold medal at the Olympics is wrestling’s crowning achievement. It has been an Olympic sport since the modern Games began in 1896. However, after considering the sport’s popularity and media appeal, the IOC now has the sport struggling with one shoulder on the mat.
Wresting is Iowa’s unofficial state sport. It is the athletic bedrock of the Hawkeye State and Iowa City is arguably the sport’s Mecca. Needless to say, the IOC recommendation, complete with the shocked reactions of wrestling legends and local coaches, was likely the lead story of every newscast across the state.
The IOC has obviously caught the ire of the wrestling community, and wrestlers everywhere will fight hard to convince the committee to keep the sport on the Olympic program. Fingers are pointing at the sport’s governing body, the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (its acronym, FILA, is based on the federation’s French name: Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées). Apparently, FILA took wrestling’s Olympic status for granted and did not lobby the IOC. The fate of Olympic wrestling will ultimately be decided at an IOC session in September.
History and tradition aside, I think the IOC’s recommendation is well-founded. Though wrestling in its myriad forms seems to have international appeal, interest seems to be concentrated in small pockets. Iowa is one of those, but the sport is even losing out here. When school budgets tighten, wrestling is often sacrificed for the benefit of football and basketball. Depending on its popularity, which varies from city to city and school to school, it may even be less important than baseball and softball — two sports the IOC already cut from the Olympic program. Given the fact the IOC dropped baseball and softball, it seems amazing wrestling has made it this long.
Also, wrestling does not garner widespread media attention, or the TV ratings, which is the IOC’s main concern. Why include a sport that few people care enough about to watch, especially when global sponsors want as much exposure as possible? To be honest, I do not think I have watched a second of Olympic wrestling (thought I doubt NBC has cared enough to broadcast matches).
The sentimentalist in me wants compromise, though. Cutting the sport seems drastic, so perhaps FILA could strike a deal with the IOC: reform and reboot the sport at the Olympic level. The Olympics uses both freestyle and Greco-Roman, so perhaps one could be dropped. (The IOC introduced women’s freestyle wrestling in 2004. It seems a little strange that it would vote to discontinue the sport after just four Games.) Perhaps a more exciting version should be chosen, maybe even one that needs to be developed.
Somewhat oddly, I attended my first wrestling meet in about fifteen years on Sunday. My cousin’s son wrestled in a competition at Carver-Hawkeye Arena that morning, so my dad and I went to watch. Afterward, we stayed for the Nebraska-Iowa dual. Not only was it entertaining, it reintroduced me to the intensity and passion of the sport. Everyone seemed to be a coach during the junior’s wrestling tournament; family and friends voiced encouragement and instruction from the stands. During the Nebraska-Iowa dual, a chorus of “twoooooooooo” echoed through the arena during every Hawkeye takedown — and every time the fans thought there was a takedown.
Sure, the IOC’s recommendation hurts, but I think wrestling is a great sport that is more than an Olympic status.
Though the Olympic versions of wrestling are different than the “American folkstyle” used at the high school and collegiate level in the US, it is still wrestling and the Games served as the ultimate platform for the sport; a gold medal at the Olympics is wrestling’s crowning achievement. It has been an Olympic sport since the modern Games began in 1896. However, after considering the sport’s popularity and media appeal, the IOC now has the sport struggling with one shoulder on the mat.
Wresting is Iowa’s unofficial state sport. It is the athletic bedrock of the Hawkeye State and Iowa City is arguably the sport’s Mecca. Needless to say, the IOC recommendation, complete with the shocked reactions of wrestling legends and local coaches, was likely the lead story of every newscast across the state.
The IOC has obviously caught the ire of the wrestling community, and wrestlers everywhere will fight hard to convince the committee to keep the sport on the Olympic program. Fingers are pointing at the sport’s governing body, the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (its acronym, FILA, is based on the federation’s French name: Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées). Apparently, FILA took wrestling’s Olympic status for granted and did not lobby the IOC. The fate of Olympic wrestling will ultimately be decided at an IOC session in September.
History and tradition aside, I think the IOC’s recommendation is well-founded. Though wrestling in its myriad forms seems to have international appeal, interest seems to be concentrated in small pockets. Iowa is one of those, but the sport is even losing out here. When school budgets tighten, wrestling is often sacrificed for the benefit of football and basketball. Depending on its popularity, which varies from city to city and school to school, it may even be less important than baseball and softball — two sports the IOC already cut from the Olympic program. Given the fact the IOC dropped baseball and softball, it seems amazing wrestling has made it this long.
Also, wrestling does not garner widespread media attention, or the TV ratings, which is the IOC’s main concern. Why include a sport that few people care enough about to watch, especially when global sponsors want as much exposure as possible? To be honest, I do not think I have watched a second of Olympic wrestling (thought I doubt NBC has cared enough to broadcast matches).
The sentimentalist in me wants compromise, though. Cutting the sport seems drastic, so perhaps FILA could strike a deal with the IOC: reform and reboot the sport at the Olympic level. The Olympics uses both freestyle and Greco-Roman, so perhaps one could be dropped. (The IOC introduced women’s freestyle wrestling in 2004. It seems a little strange that it would vote to discontinue the sport after just four Games.) Perhaps a more exciting version should be chosen, maybe even one that needs to be developed.
Somewhat oddly, I attended my first wrestling meet in about fifteen years on Sunday. My cousin’s son wrestled in a competition at Carver-Hawkeye Arena that morning, so my dad and I went to watch. Afterward, we stayed for the Nebraska-Iowa dual. Not only was it entertaining, it reintroduced me to the intensity and passion of the sport. Everyone seemed to be a coach during the junior’s wrestling tournament; family and friends voiced encouragement and instruction from the stands. During the Nebraska-Iowa dual, a chorus of “twoooooooooo” echoed through the arena during every Hawkeye takedown — and every time the fans thought there was a takedown.
Sure, the IOC’s recommendation hurts, but I think wrestling is a great sport that is more than an Olympic status.
