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No wrestling in the Olympics in 2020

Feb. 12, 2013 @ 8:21 a.m. by Joanna

By Joanna Chadwick

I was disturbed and saddened by this story I saw this morning on the Olympic committee getting rid of wrestling, as of 2020.

It just doesn’t seem possible that the Olympics would not have wrestling. It’s such a wonderful sport, so intense and enjoyable to watch. It’s also one of the oldest.

I don’t understand this decision. What is your take?

I am irked, though, to see how Title IX is blamed for the death of wrestling in college. I don’t think it’s right that colleges have let go of the sport to maintain their STANDARDS of GENDER EQUALITY, but let’s take a look at a sport like football, which has a ridiculous number of athletes and is the reason why most colleges struggle to maintain equality. Blame the colleges for their decisions instead of blaming Title IX.

Title IX insists on women being afforded the same opportunities as men in sports. Gasp!

Thank goodness for that. I say that not only because I benefited from it as a high school athlete but because being allowed to play sports — instead of standing on the sidelines and only being able to watch — it has afforded girls an avenue that gives them more confidence, healthier bodies, better lives. Just like boys.

So focus on how the Olympics are killing the sport. Be mad. Do something about it. Petition. Put the blame where the blame should be. Because this is ridiculous.

 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 12th, 2013 at 8:21 a.m. and is filed under wrestling. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

  • JJFlash

    Yeah, I saw that the 2020 Olympic’s decision. The guy who wrote in the Wichita Eagle Opinion Line today won’t be too happy to hear about this decision. He was complaining about the Eagle not covering the State wrestling tournament very well.
    The reality about sports in college is money. It’s all about the dollar and with college sports football and men’s basketball generate the big revenue to carry all the other sports. Title IX just exacerbates the problem for men’s sports like wrestling that probably doesn’t generate a whole lot of revenue for most universities.

  • http://twitter.com/joannachadwick Joanna Chadwick

    I’m guessing that Opinion Line person didn’t see the story in The Eagle on Sunday and on VarsityKansas.com Saturday night. 
    http://www.varsitykansas.com/2013/02/09/44380/carroll-tops-northwest-for-cl.html

  • JJFlash

    …evidently not

  • Jacob Klein

    Wrestling does not blame title IX and most high level coaches of the sport are advocates of title IX and support what it stands for.  Don’t let the 5%ers influence the opinion the entire wrestling community. We have daughters and due care about women’s equality.  With all due respect title IX and the IOC recommendation are separate.

    If anything wrestling has been on the rise in the last 10-12 years.  High school participation is the highest it has ever been across the nation.  95 college programs have been added in this time period as well, Division 1 included.  Many Div 1 college duals selling out around the nation.  NCAA championships is a sellout.  Wrestling is one of the top sports watched on BTN.   Olympic trials was also a sellout last year.  If you travel down to Stillwater in June for the World Team Trials I am sure you will find sell out crowds as well.  

    This vote is just a recommendation from the IOC.  There will be 2 votes in September with all the IOC members: First vote will be to uphold the decision from Feb 12.  Second vote will be to add a sport from a final 3.  Final 3 voted on in May.  Meeting in May is in Russia and wrestling is supreme in Russia.  Wrestling has a good chance to be voted on 2x in September.  Winter Olympics 2014 is also in Russia, which will hold some weight at these meetings.  The IOC wants a pay day from wrestling and that is what they are going to get.  I can’t believe the US has 0 representatives at a meeting to see which sports are in and which are out of the games.  Wrestling is one of the most popular and diverse sports in the world and will not go down like this.