![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/files\/2013\/02\/ancient_olympics_wrestlers.jpg\" "\\"ancient_olympics_wrestlers\\"")
<\/a>Wrestlers, marble bas relief sculpture, Greece, 510 B.C.<\/p><\/div>\n
The\u00a0wrestling\u00a0community was blindsided by that stunning news. It generated wide-spread coverage, with headlines like this from the New York Times: “Olympic Fixture Since 708 B.C. will be Dropped<\/a>“.\u00a0(Wrestling is still on for the 2016 Olympics in Rio.)<\/p>\n I have deeply divided feelings about the Olympics.<\/p>\n On the one hand, what’s not to love about sport as a\u00a0fundamental\u00a0human endeavor? Who isn’t moved by heroic efforts? Inspired when individuals or teams transcend stodgy boundaries of nationality, race or class?<\/p>\n On the other hand…good golly! One can cite a litany of unattractive qualities and\u00a0allegations: politics, hypocrisy, ruinous expense, behind-the-scenes corruption, undue media influence, bad media coverage, doped athletes, poor residents evicted to construct venues that sit idle after the party leaves town, etc., etc.<\/p>\n But let’s set all that aside for the moment and set this discussion up thusly: if there is such a thing as the modern Olympics, what sports deserve to be there? Does core tradition stand for anything, or will the circus henceforth be devoted to\u00a0glitter\u00a0and high ratings?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Speaking of core tradition, when Greeks showed up to compete (buck naked) in the original “Ancient Olympics<\/a>“, they wrestled. According to the official Olympic web history the key sports contested<\/a> were:<\/p>\n Pentahalon:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Pentathlon became an Olympic sport with the addition of wrestling in 708 B.C., and included the following running\/jumping\/discus throw.\u00a0Running contests included:<\/span><\/p>\n Jumping:<\/strong><\/p>\n Athletes used stone or lead weights called halteres to increase the distance of a jump. They held onto the weights until the end of their flight, and then jettisoned them backwards.<\/p>\n Discus throw:<\/strong><\/p>\n The discus was originally made of stone and later of iron, lead or bronze. The technique was very similar to today’s freestyle discus throw.<\/p>\n Wrestling:<\/strong><\/p>\n This was highly valued as a form of military exercise without weapons. It ended only when one of the contestants admitted defeat.<\/p>\n Boxing:<\/strong><\/p>\n Boxers wrapped straps (himantes) around their hands to strengthen their wrists and steady their fingers. Initially, these straps were soft but, as time progressed, boxers started using hard leather straps, often causing disfigurement of their opponent’s face.<\/p>\n Pankration:<\/strong><\/p>\n This was a primitive form of martial art combining wrestling and boxing, and was considered to be one of the toughest sports. Greeks believed that it was founded by Theseus when he defeated the fierce Minotaur in the labyrinth.<\/p>\n Equestrian events:<\/strong><\/p>\n These included horse races and chariot races and took place in the Hippodrome, a wide, flat, open space.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Viewers today expect track and field (oh, right! that’s now called “athletics”) boxing, gymnastics, swimming – too many events to name, actually. And they change a lot too. (See a current list here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n Women’s participation was limited by period chauvinism as the modern Olympic movement began, but that inequity has been greatly improved. By way of example, the 800 meters was\u00a0the longest “distance” race women<\/a> could enter at the Olympics until the 1500 was added in 1972. Now women are there for the marathon, pole vaulting, boxing and yes, wrestling (freestyle).<\/p>\n Indeed, it’s the addition of new events that arguably forces the retirement of others.<\/p>\n Some might say that American objections to dropping wresting stem from the fact the U.S. shows strongly in that sport. Wrestling is offered in many U.S. high schools and colleges. You probably know someone who wrestled too, or maybe you wrestled yourself?\u00a0<\/span>Given that broad foundation, the U.S. does win a disproportionate share of medals. <\/span><\/p>\n But wrestling is considered a ‘universal’ sport. Unlike things like sailing (requires water, and $$) or equestrian sports (horse + $$$$) wrestling is dirt cheap. With some sports what I’ll call the source cultures have a certain advantage (judo in Asia or fencing in Europe). Not so with wrestling. All around the world, it boils down to two bodies, a few pieces of protective gear and may the best competitor win.<\/span><\/p>\n Some decided that was the problem: wresting is too basic. It’s not a marquee sport. These days it’s all about ratings, market potential and having a strong lobby.<\/span><\/p>\n Wrestling represents something very primal in human culture. But it needs saying that the modern sport has a number of questionable qualities too,\u00a0particularly\u00a0the\u00a0unhealthy practices employed to “make weight”<\/a>.<\/p>\n It’s easy to laugh at sports like synchronized\u00a0swimming – although what those\u00a0athletes\u00a0do happens to be insanely<\/em> difficult. Pretty much everyone can think of some sport they would vote off the Olympic island in a nanosecond. The\u00a0perversity\u00a0of what gets kept verses what gets dropped was perhaps highlighted by the IOC’s decision to drop wrestling but keep the modern\u00a0pentathlon, a lesser-known event<\/a> that was invented for the modern Olympics. (The Wall Street Journal has a break down of how elimination voting went.)<\/a><\/p>\n I am (just) old enough to remember\u00a0Avery Brundage<\/a>\u00a0whose harsh, inflexible standards were aimed at keeping the Olympics untainted by the evils of professionalism. (Never mind the way athletes were developed as “pros” in Eastern block nations, or how this disadvantaged anyone who had to earn a living somehow.)\u00a0In my view, Brundage took that cause way, way\u00a0too far. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Even so, it makes my head spin to see professional tennis players at the Olympics. How did matters come to this? Entire squads of NBA\u00a0<\/span><\/span>millionaires\u00a0hit the court at the summer games, the NHL dominates winter Olympic ice hockey. But the IOC says humble wrestlers should stop dreaming of a few medals to call their own?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n