Wrestling removed as Olympic sport

[looseliam]

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - IOC leaders have dropped wrestling for the 2020 Games in a surprise decision to scrap one of the oldest sports on the Olympic program.

The IOC executive board decided Tuesday to retain modern pentathlon — the event considered most at risk — and remove wrestling instead from its list of core sports.

[source]

Well, that's good. I'm so glad there's still equestrianism, curling, and ping pong. What feats of strength, endurance, and athleticism they take.

[HunterM]

Wrestling is gone??? There goes my Olympic soft porn out the window.

[borg69unimatrix]

That's disappointing, as wrestling in Ancient Greece founded the Olympics. I just wish they still did it in the old traditional style... NUDE. (as well as the rest of the Olympics).

[gsdx]

And boxing survives. Where is the sport in pummelling someone?

[statsguy]

Points from several articles on the subject (i.e. undocumented quotes)

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.

"The common understanding is the purpose of this was to modernise, to look into the future of the Olympics," added Bach, a potential IOC presidential candidate later this year.
IOC sources told Reuters that in the secret ballot there were four sports battling to avoid the cut: field hockey, modern pentathlon, taekwondo and wrestling.

While pentathlon and taekwondo have the support of senior IOC members, wrestling is not strongly represented in the IOC's decision-making body.

Tuesday’s decision to drop wrestling was made by secret ballot by the Olympic committee’s executive board at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. Reasons for the decision were not given in precise detail.

The last sports removed from the Olympics were baseball and softball, voted out by the IOC in 2005 and off the program since the 2008 Beijing Games. Golf and rugby will be joining the Games at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

So modern pentathlon and taekwondo survived but not wrestling. Although unlikely, wrestling still has a chance at being part of the 2020 games:

The IOC said 25 of the 26 Olympic sports were elected as core sports for the 2020 Games which will also include rugby and golf, making their first appearance in 2016.

Wrestling joins baseball and softball, making a joint bid, martial arts karate and wushu, rollersports, wakeboarding, squash and sports climbing as candidates for the one empty spot.

And finally a relevant tweet

So much for IOC's alleged standard of universality for sports: modern pentathlon had athletes from 26 countries in London; wrestling, 71

imo, the IOC continues to get more political and more greedy with each set of games.

[Scealle]

No!!!! Say it isn't so It's one of the sports that I watched during the Olympics. Mainly because it's 100% better than WWE and it actually requires a lot of strength and technique.

- - - Updated - - -

That's disappointing, as wrestling in Ancient Greece founded the Olympics. I just wish they still did it in the old traditional style... NUDE. (as well as the rest of the Olympics).

Lol! Well if they remove diving I am DONE! lol

[borg69unimatrix]

Naked hurdle jumping, naked high jump, naked gymnastics, naked high diving, naked skiing, naked ice skating... Ahhhhhhh the possibilities!!!

[Scealle]

Naked hurdle jumping, naked high jump, naked gymnastics, naked high diving, naked skiing, naked ice skating... Ahhhhhhh the possibilities!!!

Yes indeed

Not sure If I can get of on naked Ice Skating though lol
It's kinda of a serious sport to me and I watch ladies skate more so than guys for their artistry/choreography. So looking at naked girls dance will blind my eye LOL

[Adrock-JD]

I'm still disappointed with the Biathalon.

[borg69unimatrix]

I'm still disappointed with the Biathalon.

I didn't know that being Bi was an Olympic Sport.

[cynicus]

Do they still have that lame Synchronized Swimming horse crap? I'd rather watch paint dry than some of those silly sports--like beach volley ball which just seems a chance to watch girls in skimpy outfits. Too many stupid sports. I was in Oxford last summer and did not bother to even go into London and pay attention.

[gsdx]

I'm so glad there's still equestrianism, curling, and ping pong.

If you don't understand the game, you can't imagine the strength, strategy, skill, and effort involved in it.

Do they still have that lame Synchronized Swimming horse crap?

Another misunderstood sport. When they are underwater doing their leg moves above the surface, they are often holding their breath for 30 seconds and more. That is similar to an athlete running a 100 metre dash while holding his breath.

Still, in post #5, it was rather disturbing to see that television ratings and ticket sales played a part in the decision to drop it. What ever happened to the spirit of the competition?

[MoufOfKhaos]

And boxing survives. Where is the sport in pummelling someone?

So the sport of being able to control your opponents' body and slam him onto the mat to gain points is somehow on a higher level than the sport of being able to dodge, dance around your opponent while choosing a vital opportunity to strike and gain points(provided it goes the distance)?

Such a silly thing to say - i'm surprised at you.

[looseliam]

If you don't understand the game, you can't imagine the strength, strategy, skill, and effort involved in it.



Another misunderstood sport. When they are underwater doing their leg moves above the surface, they are often holding their breath for 30 seconds and more. That is similar to an athlete running a 100 metre dash while holding his breath.

Still, in post #5, it was rather disturbing to see that television ratings and ticket sales played a part in the decision to drop it. What ever happened to the spirit of the competition?

I like curling. I just don't think it should be an Olympic sport.

As for the spirit of competition, it's dead. It's all about sponsorship and revenue. Look at the hack-editing of the US footage from the last Olympics. I have lost all interest in it. Well, except for men's swimming. I can watch men's swimming. And maybe figure skating. Men's swimming and figure skating but the rest are right out.

[gsdx]

Such a silly thing to say - i'm surprised at you.

Sorry. I've just never found boxing entertaining. The idea is, after all, to beat your opponent unconscious.

[Str8Top14701]

The sports that were in the original Olympics should always be in the Olympics. Get rid of equestrian, the horse does all the actual work.

[blackbeltninja]

I didn't know that being Bi was an Olympic Sport.

It is the way I do it.

-d-

[borg69unimatrix]

......Annnnnnd Ninja gets the gold!!!

[looseliam]

The sports that were in the original Olympics should always be in the Olympics. Get rid of equestrian, the horse does all the actual work.

but... but... how are the posh twats to validate their existence? What would poor Mittens do then?

[blackbeltninja]

^Well, I'm sure Waitrose' central kitchens can make a plan of some sort.












Too soon?

-d-

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

why a olimpics no do fleshlight show fa 2 weeks
shows a alls a lands how figa it out

ha