wresting is a important event in the Olympics and I don’t see any argument against this particular event why Olympic committee have taken this decision. The game have enormous no. of supporter and this very decision hurt the sentiment of many game fans. so pls. review ur decision and take back tis event.
Wrestling “is” the Olympics…it is what made it so…it is the heart and spirit of the games the game of the gods. It is absurd to remove it from the Olympics. Perhaps those who voted for its removal should be whats removed, obviously they do not understand or maybe they forgot about what is real and what is not truely an Olympic sport. Keep Wrestling In The Games!
Keep wrestling in Olympic line up!
Drop badminton if you need rid of something! Wrestling builds the the integrity as any sport and builds the foundation of real men and real leaders!
Let me begin by saying, thank you! The Olympic movement has allowed me to experience the world. I have traveled to 40 nations through this movement. I cannot fully express my gratefulness for the opportunities given to me through the Olympic movement. The opportunities I have had have been more than I could have ever dreamed. I have competed all over the world as an athlete. I have had the privilege of serving Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia as an Olympic Solidarity instructor. I was an Olympic coach for Guam in 2004 Athens Greece. The Olympic movement has helped shape and mold me. This Olympic movement has developed attributes and character traits that endure far beyond my athletic career. This movement has introduced me to many rich, deep friendships around the globe that I am so very grateful.
I am deeply saddened today by the IOC News recommending the removal of the oldest and greatest sport. I was eighteen months old when I had my first wrestling singlet. But it wasn’t until I turned 9 years old that wrestling became very important to me. I was in the third grade when my Dad came home with a big box. My brother and I ran over to see what was in the box. As my dad peeled the box open we got very excited and very confused. My dad had bought a brand new television. My dad had always told us that we would never own a television and we were not allowed to watch TV. So in an excited yet confused state we asked, “Dad what is the TV for?” He said, “Boys this year is the Olympics and we are going to watch it!” There was one sport in particular that my dad wanted us to watch, wrestling. That summer, brothers on the Olympic wrestling team; John and Ben Peterson captured my heart and attention. One brother won the Olympic gold medal and the other won an Olympic silver medal. After the Olympic Games, my brother and I began to dream about being the best in the world in the sport of wrestling. An Olympic dream was birthed.
My brother and I began to wrestle each other in our front room. We did this for several weeks when our dad sat us down and explained that what John and Ben Peterson had accomplished did not just happen from wrestling around in their front room. He explained that what they accomplished took a lot of blood, sweat, tears, time, effort, work, discipline, sacrifice, self-control, endurance, and he went on and on and on. As third graders we had no clue what he was talking about. So the next day we were back in the front room arguing over who just won the gold medal. We were doing victory laps around the room. We had choreographed our own medal ceremony. My dad watched and he called us over and asked, “Boys is that really what you want to be? Do you really want to be the best in the world?” In the third grade we looked up at our dad and said, “Yes, that is what we want!” So in the third grade we began to train to be the best in the world in the sport of wrestling. We began to train 4-6 hours a day 6 days a week. I did that for 21 years; 4-6 hours a day, 6 days a week.
Wrestling has been a big part of my life. Wrestling is one of the oldest sports known to man. We find wrestling even talked about in the Bible. In fact it is one of the greatest wrestling matches of all time. I am thankful for all that this sport and the Olympic movement has allowed me to experience, but I am deeply saddened when I think of the young athletes around the globe that have had their own Olympic dream crushed today with the decision to drop this great sport. I realize that these are difficult decisions. I had to express my feelings of grief over this decision realizing the impact on young athletes across the globe that will not have the opportunities I was afforded through the great sport of wrestling and the Olympic Movement.
I was so saddened and infuriated by the IOC’s decision today. Surely they will reconsider the decision they made today that made so many of us – fans and non-fans, alike – heartsick, confused, angry and disgusted. There is no sport in the world that is older or more grass-roots. What a sad, sad day. I am seriously praying for a reversal! (2 points please)
Please keep wrestling a part of the Olympics program. Wrestling known to many as the thinking man’s athletic event has one of the longest ties to the original Olympics program. It is an encouraging discipline for young men and women through all geographic, ethnic, and cultural levels. It does much for training youngsters in fair play and game playing at many levels both mentally and physically. My own children learned much from the activity as are their children in learning how to relate with others and how to plan a course of action to achieve a goal.
I have never even wrestled myself but I have always appreciated this sport and the great work that goes into being a champion. Removing this is just plain insanity.
Wrestling is instinctive in us as a sport (how many of us as boys have grown up wrestling with siblings and friends?), and has been seen in some variant throughout nearly every society that has ever existed.
In a competition thats supposed to be the pinnacle of amateur athletics, banning this would just be the final punctuation in defining what a joke the IOC has allowed modern olympics to become.
To remove Wrestling from The Olympics will not only devistate our great sport but will go a long way towards invalidating the entire Olympic Tradition. This is just plain unexcusable!!
My 10 year old son started wrestling 5 years ago. He loves wrestling.
He’s a tremendous athlete, excelling at the highest levels of every sport he participates in.
2024 would be the earliest that as a 21 year old he could be eligible for the Olympics, but with the recent decision to remove wrestling as an Olympic Sport — that is not possible.
National College Championships are terrific, but wrestling against the best in the world is the ultimate — and wrestling is the ultimate Olympic Sport. Wrestling is an original Greek Olympic sport and is the first and best amateur sport in the world.
Not just my son, but sons worldwide would represent their country well and each dreams of hearing his national anthem played as he wears the gold medal.
Removing wrestling as an Olympic Sport is a tragedy.
My son LJ BEEN WRESTLING. AAU USA WRESTLING SINCE HE. WAS 4 YEARS OLD HE 13 YEARS OLD HE HAS A PATION FOR WRESTLING! !” HE WRESTLE FOR PITBULLS IN CHARLOTTE NC HE WANT TO WTESTLE IN COLLEGE AND OLYMPICS.
I find it impossible to understand the politics behind this decision. Honestly. I don’t think I will watch the Olympics in 2020 because if this decision. Please be humble Olympic Committe and reverse this truly poor decision. Where in ancient art, literature or discussion will you find modern decathlon, trampoline, etc. if you have never wrestled or known a wrestler, find one – talk to them… I guarantee you will be inspired.
i wrestled… (im a girl).. its not about being a man or women’s sport. its about saving an original olympic event that we ALL know as wrestlers and fans of wrestlers that it takes nothing short of the utmost dedication and hard work possible. its about saving a sport we love and respect.
Having Grown up in a wrestling family and culture I was sickened by the news that olympic wrestling was in danger. I was a 4 time state finalist in highschool and I have no doubt that the likes of Dan Russell and the other great heroes I grew up watching shaped my ethic to a high degree. These were real icons that showed us a life of passion and dreams through tremendous sacrifice. Today we have diluted dreams presented to our youth based on falsehoods and Hollywood fantasies. We are giving our children digital screens in place of reality. We create rules to protect and limit their experiences of loss and victory in the name of fairness. And we ignore the fact that young men always have and will continue to look to look for role models and heroes wherever they are presented. Please do not take away these dreams from our youth. Leave us one last place to look for real triumph and greatness in a world that has accepted unreality far too fast.
As a father of 2 daughters that are in wrestling, I can attest first-hand how important this sport is in teaching children true discipline and strength of character! The skill, strength and stamina needed for this sport is incredible! Wrestling is the oldest sport and yet has been removed from the Olympics???? This is completely outrageous as far as I am concerned!
it’s big danger for indian sport history we lost our pride with wrestling olympics so every wrestling lover must try to save that sport please join us.
I had dreams of going to the Olympic for wrestling now it as bin ripped away like a page out of a book save wrestling so people like me can live the dream save the wrestling.
SERIOUSLY????
They like synchronized diving and other crap that aren’t even real sports.
It’s as if the only sports for the Olympics are the ones that require judges scoring. Which is the true definition of a NON-COMPETITIVE SPORT!!!!
How about a petition that removes any sport that relies on Judges to determine a winner??
OR Let’s remove any Olympic committee member that wants to remove real sports from the sensitive public?
OR Stop TV viewing from determining which sports are to stay and go.
For those wondering:
Weightlifting? – REAL
all combative contact sports (boxing, wrestling, martial arts etc…) – REAL
Individual and team competitions (soccer, volleyball, tennis, Even badminton etc…) – REAL
Track and field -REAL
Swimming events – REAL
Sorry but Gymnasts might be real athletes but NOT a sport if they added DUELING RINGS (2 Gymnasts on ring facing each other, leg fighting until one falls) -REAL. another idea, HIGH VAULT (highest vault wins).
Get the idea Olympic committee?
actually no. i was a national champion gymnast AND wrestled while winning girls states. gymnastics is a real sport…. you cant just say that. i understand the competition aspect but having done both i can easily say gymnastics and wrestling are equally as mental and physical even though the physical aspect is completely different. it takes the same skill requirement as well as mental capabilities to achieve goals in both sports so dont talk about what you dont know.
Wresling. It was there in first Olympics of Ancient times. It was part of Olympics for at least 3000 years.
Just how yo ucan chancel wrestling and still call it olympics?
I would hope that the IOC revisits their decision to exclude wrestling as an olympic sport. Wrestling was a core sport in the original olympics . The sport is ingrained in many cultures throughout the world. Wrestling is an organized sport in these countries and this organization allows for the identification of the “best” and enhances training and advancment of these gifted and dedicated individuals. As a basic sport requireing less expensive epuipment it does not exclude less wealthy individuals or less wealthy nations. In the olympics the best atheletes in the sport compete on a world stage to determine the world’s best and to celebrate a common sport shared by diverse cultures and nations. In voting to remove wrestling as an olympic sport the IOC will do irreviocable damage to an amateur sport and diminish the spirit of the modern olympics
read most comments. flat out feel that WRESTLING is a competition of skill in all levels of individual talent , dedication and skill. this sport and I use that term with high regards. sport is a true definition of all levels of academic and athletic competition. our school system recognizes this, our colleges recognize this…. .. but our olympic agenda wants to eliminate? hmm … tired of politics.. this is ethics.. and wrestling has been part of the olympics and should remain a goal for our youth!@ to develop and persever into bigger and better. martial arts, wrestling creates character, and a level of respect like no other sport……
KEEP WRESTLING….. THINK AND VOTE TO KEEP FOR OUR YOUTH.
What ever it takes to keep my sport alive i definately wanna do it!!!
keep wrestling
Save this great sport!!!!
wresting is a important event in the Olympics and I don’t see any argument against this particular event why Olympic committee have taken this decision. The game have enormous no. of supporter and this very decision hurt the sentiment of many game fans. so pls. review ur decision and take back tis event.
wrestling stays in the olympics!this is far worst than voting rio for the 2016 summer games!
I have over 8500 signatures here already… please consider joining me…
wrestling STAYS i dont give a shit who says otherwise
wrestling STAYS and i’ll do anything to make my statement true.
I signed it. Let me know if I can do anything to help
http://www.facebook.com/WrestleClub
Wrestling “is” the Olympics…it is what made it so…it is the heart and spirit of the games the game of the gods. It is absurd to remove it from the Olympics. Perhaps those who voted for its removal should be whats removed, obviously they do not understand or maybe they forgot about what is real and what is not truely an Olympic sport. Keep Wrestling In The Games!
golf instead of WRESTLING ???!!!
the world is really ending…
Keep wrestling in Olympic line up!
Drop badminton if you need rid of something! Wrestling builds the the integrity as any sport and builds the foundation of real men and real leaders!
To the distinguished members of the IOC,
Let me begin by saying, thank you! The Olympic movement has allowed me to experience the world. I have traveled to 40 nations through this movement. I cannot fully express my gratefulness for the opportunities given to me through the Olympic movement. The opportunities I have had have been more than I could have ever dreamed. I have competed all over the world as an athlete. I have had the privilege of serving Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia as an Olympic Solidarity instructor. I was an Olympic coach for Guam in 2004 Athens Greece. The Olympic movement has helped shape and mold me. This Olympic movement has developed attributes and character traits that endure far beyond my athletic career. This movement has introduced me to many rich, deep friendships around the globe that I am so very grateful.
I am deeply saddened today by the IOC News recommending the removal of the oldest and greatest sport. I was eighteen months old when I had my first wrestling singlet. But it wasn’t until I turned 9 years old that wrestling became very important to me. I was in the third grade when my Dad came home with a big box. My brother and I ran over to see what was in the box. As my dad peeled the box open we got very excited and very confused. My dad had bought a brand new television. My dad had always told us that we would never own a television and we were not allowed to watch TV. So in an excited yet confused state we asked, “Dad what is the TV for?” He said, “Boys this year is the Olympics and we are going to watch it!” There was one sport in particular that my dad wanted us to watch, wrestling. That summer, brothers on the Olympic wrestling team; John and Ben Peterson captured my heart and attention. One brother won the Olympic gold medal and the other won an Olympic silver medal. After the Olympic Games, my brother and I began to dream about being the best in the world in the sport of wrestling. An Olympic dream was birthed.
My brother and I began to wrestle each other in our front room. We did this for several weeks when our dad sat us down and explained that what John and Ben Peterson had accomplished did not just happen from wrestling around in their front room. He explained that what they accomplished took a lot of blood, sweat, tears, time, effort, work, discipline, sacrifice, self-control, endurance, and he went on and on and on. As third graders we had no clue what he was talking about. So the next day we were back in the front room arguing over who just won the gold medal. We were doing victory laps around the room. We had choreographed our own medal ceremony. My dad watched and he called us over and asked, “Boys is that really what you want to be? Do you really want to be the best in the world?” In the third grade we looked up at our dad and said, “Yes, that is what we want!” So in the third grade we began to train to be the best in the world in the sport of wrestling. We began to train 4-6 hours a day 6 days a week. I did that for 21 years; 4-6 hours a day, 6 days a week.
Wrestling has been a big part of my life. Wrestling is one of the oldest sports known to man. We find wrestling even talked about in the Bible. In fact it is one of the greatest wrestling matches of all time. I am thankful for all that this sport and the Olympic movement has allowed me to experience, but I am deeply saddened when I think of the young athletes around the globe that have had their own Olympic dream crushed today with the decision to drop this great sport. I realize that these are difficult decisions. I had to express my feelings of grief over this decision realizing the impact on young athletes across the globe that will not have the opportunities I was afforded through the great sport of wrestling and the Olympic Movement.
Wrestling with this decision,
Dan Russell
Good post Dan,
Dropping Wrestling is complete madness and I truly hope they come to there senses.
I was so saddened and infuriated by the IOC’s decision today. Surely they will reconsider the decision they made today that made so many of us – fans and non-fans, alike – heartsick, confused, angry and disgusted. There is no sport in the world that is older or more grass-roots. What a sad, sad day. I am seriously praying for a reversal! (2 points please)
Keep Wresting
The reasoning of the IOC defies me. 1st baseball now wrestling yet they keep trampoline better known as bouncy castle for adults
Please keep wrestling a part of the Olympics program. Wrestling known to many as the thinking man’s athletic event has one of the longest ties to the original Olympics program. It is an encouraging discipline for young men and women through all geographic, ethnic, and cultural levels. It does much for training youngsters in fair play and game playing at many levels both mentally and physically. My own children learned much from the activity as are their children in learning how to relate with others and how to plan a course of action to achieve a goal.
Keep wrestling in the Olympics!!
I have never even wrestled myself but I have always appreciated this sport and the great work that goes into being a champion. Removing this is just plain insanity.
The Olympics without Wrestling would be like Hockey without a puck. You can go through the motions, but there is no point.
How can the oldest sport not be in the olympics?
Wrestling is instinctive in us as a sport (how many of us as boys have grown up wrestling with siblings and friends?), and has been seen in some variant throughout nearly every society that has ever existed.
In a competition thats supposed to be the pinnacle of amateur athletics, banning this would just be the final punctuation in defining what a joke the IOC has allowed modern olympics to become.
Keep wrestling alive
If it wasn’t for werstling I don’t know where I would be today it help me a great deal when I was in school
I was never a wrestler, but respect those who are!
To remove Wrestling from The Olympics will not only devistate our great sport but will go a long way towards invalidating the entire Olympic Tradition. This is just plain unexcusable!!
keep wrestling going
My 10 year old son started wrestling 5 years ago. He loves wrestling.
He’s a tremendous athlete, excelling at the highest levels of every sport he participates in.
2024 would be the earliest that as a 21 year old he could be eligible for the Olympics, but with the recent decision to remove wrestling as an Olympic Sport — that is not possible.
National College Championships are terrific, but wrestling against the best in the world is the ultimate — and wrestling is the ultimate Olympic Sport. Wrestling is an original Greek Olympic sport and is the first and best amateur sport in the world.
Not just my son, but sons worldwide would represent their country well and each dreams of hearing his national anthem played as he wears the gold medal.
Removing wrestling as an Olympic Sport is a tragedy.
My son LJ BEEN WRESTLING. AAU USA WRESTLING SINCE HE. WAS 4 YEARS OLD HE 13 YEARS OLD HE HAS A PATION FOR WRESTLING! !” HE WRESTLE FOR PITBULLS IN CHARLOTTE NC HE WANT TO WTESTLE IN COLLEGE AND OLYMPICS.
I find it impossible to understand the politics behind this decision. Honestly. I don’t think I will watch the Olympics in 2020 because if this decision. Please be humble Olympic Committe and reverse this truly poor decision. Where in ancient art, literature or discussion will you find modern decathlon, trampoline, etc. if you have never wrestled or known a wrestler, find one – talk to them… I guarantee you will be inspired.
Wrestling IS the Olympics. It was part of the original Olympics, How can anyone say it is not one of the core sports, ever.
Keep one of the worlds oldest and best sports in the Olympics.
Softball instead wrestling come on we have enough women sports
Wrestling is quickly becomming a women’s sport, also!
i wrestled… (im a girl).. its not about being a man or women’s sport. its about saving an original olympic event that we ALL know as wrestlers and fans of wrestlers that it takes nothing short of the utmost dedication and hard work possible. its about saving a sport we love and respect.
I’d like to get someone from this movement as my guest on my radio show.
It airs Fridays 10amESt, 9Central
Please contact me directly at NotSoSoccerMom.com
Jill Hickey
@NotSoSoccermom
UMMM
I just looked at your past guess list, Why would you want someone from this movement on your show?
Having Grown up in a wrestling family and culture I was sickened by the news that olympic wrestling was in danger. I was a 4 time state finalist in highschool and I have no doubt that the likes of Dan Russell and the other great heroes I grew up watching shaped my ethic to a high degree. These were real icons that showed us a life of passion and dreams through tremendous sacrifice. Today we have diluted dreams presented to our youth based on falsehoods and Hollywood fantasies. We are giving our children digital screens in place of reality. We create rules to protect and limit their experiences of loss and victory in the name of fairness. And we ignore the fact that young men always have and will continue to look to look for role models and heroes wherever they are presented. Please do not take away these dreams from our youth. Leave us one last place to look for real triumph and greatness in a world that has accepted unreality far too fast.
As a father of 2 daughters that are in wrestling, I can attest first-hand how important this sport is in teaching children true discipline and strength of character! The skill, strength and stamina needed for this sport is incredible! Wrestling is the oldest sport and yet has been removed from the Olympics???? This is completely outrageous as far as I am concerned!
it’s big danger for indian sport history we lost our pride with wrestling olympics so every wrestling lover must try to save that sport please join us.
Keep wrestling in the Olympics….its very very great and we enjoy of watching this sport….
Please save the sport I love, this is the most important thing in my life. With out wrestling in the Olympics my dream is dead.
I had dreams of going to the Olympic for wrestling now it as bin ripped away like a page out of a book save wrestling so people like me can live the dream save the wrestling.
SERIOUSLY????
They like synchronized diving and other crap that aren’t even real sports.
It’s as if the only sports for the Olympics are the ones that require judges scoring. Which is the true definition of a NON-COMPETITIVE SPORT!!!!
How about a petition that removes any sport that relies on Judges to determine a winner??
OR Let’s remove any Olympic committee member that wants to remove real sports from the sensitive public?
OR Stop TV viewing from determining which sports are to stay and go.
For those wondering:
Weightlifting? – REAL
all combative contact sports (boxing, wrestling, martial arts etc…) – REAL
Individual and team competitions (soccer, volleyball, tennis, Even badminton etc…) – REAL
Track and field -REAL
Swimming events – REAL
Sorry but Gymnasts might be real athletes but NOT a sport if they added DUELING RINGS (2 Gymnasts on ring facing each other, leg fighting until one falls) -REAL. another idea, HIGH VAULT (highest vault wins).
Get the idea Olympic committee?
actually no. i was a national champion gymnast AND wrestled while winning girls states. gymnastics is a real sport…. you cant just say that. i understand the competition aspect but having done both i can easily say gymnastics and wrestling are equally as mental and physical even though the physical aspect is completely different. it takes the same skill requirement as well as mental capabilities to achieve goals in both sports so dont talk about what you dont know.
save wrestling.
Start helping by Passing this website on to EVERY wrestling coach, peewee to college, you know.
save wrestling
Wresling. It was there in first Olympics of Ancient times. It was part of Olympics for at least 3000 years.
Just how yo ucan chancel wrestling and still call it olympics?
lets keep wrestling
life=wrestling
IT WAS THE VERY CORE OF THE OLYMPICS IN THE BEGINING / HOW CAN THE COMMITTEE THINK OF REMOVING IT !!!!!!!.
WRESTLING WAS THE OLYMPICS FROM THE BEGINING/ WHAT IS THE COMMITTE THINKING OF ADVERTISING DOLLARS !
I would hope that the IOC revisits their decision to exclude wrestling as an olympic sport. Wrestling was a core sport in the original olympics . The sport is ingrained in many cultures throughout the world. Wrestling is an organized sport in these countries and this organization allows for the identification of the “best” and enhances training and advancment of these gifted and dedicated individuals. As a basic sport requireing less expensive epuipment it does not exclude less wealthy individuals or less wealthy nations. In the olympics the best atheletes in the sport compete on a world stage to determine the world’s best and to celebrate a common sport shared by diverse cultures and nations. In voting to remove wrestling as an olympic sport the IOC will do irreviocable damage to an amateur sport and diminish the spirit of the modern olympics
Wrestling vs twirling ribbons? Come on I.O.C., we need Wrestling!
As a mother and a coach, I was sickened to witness the death knell of my son’s dream. SAVE OUR SPORT!
Lets keep wrestling in the olympics! I want a shot and I know a lot of other people do to.
I HEARD CHEERLEADING INSTEAD OF WRESTLING!?!?!?! hell no.
wrestling is one of the 5 original olympic events. originating in 776 B.C. SAVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!
read most comments. flat out feel that WRESTLING is a competition of skill in all levels of individual talent , dedication and skill. this sport and I use that term with high regards. sport is a true definition of all levels of academic and athletic competition. our school system recognizes this, our colleges recognize this…. .. but our olympic agenda wants to eliminate? hmm … tired of politics.. this is ethics.. and wrestling has been part of the olympics and should remain a goal for our youth!@ to develop and persever into bigger and better. martial arts, wrestling creates character, and a level of respect like no other sport……
KEEP WRESTLING….. THINK AND VOTE TO KEEP FOR OUR YOUTH.