Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Exiling Wrestling from the Olympics

The powers-that-be in charge of the Olympics are recommending that wrestling be dropped from the 2020 Summer OlympicsNot golf, or synchronized swimming, or rhythmic gymnastics, or table tennis. Wrestling – one of the original Olympic sports.
I must admit that I’m incredibly biased on this topic, since I wrestled for 10 years. But I am hardly the only person to agree that this is an incredibly dumb decision. The United States and Iran actually have found common ground, decrying the decision and seeking the return of wrestling to its rightful place.
Many have speculated as to the reasons why the bigwigs running the Olympics have targeted wrestling for destruction. The International Olympic Committee, which is in charge of determining what is and isn't part of the Olympics, is well known for its corruption. Others note that international wrestling has foolish rules, and that its organizers are bad leaders. True enough.
But I can’t help but wonder whether there is something more to the removal of wrestling then the incompetence of its defenders. For modern culture is growing soft and feminized, and any instance of men being men – even in sports – is rapidly coming under attack.
Wrestling is one-on-one combat with another man (yes, I know there is women’s wrestling). Wrestling is the pinnacle of struggle, where one man seeks to overcome another in physical combat. 
I can’t quite shake that nagging feeling that wrestling was too manly for a culture which seeks to undercut manhood at every turn.

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