In a move that will cause some consternation among the wrestling community, the International Olympics Committee (IOC) has decided to remove the sport from the roster of the 2020 Olympic Games.
There are 26 core sports in the Olympics and the IOC decided that one sport would have to go to make room for a new one in seven years time. The IOC’s Mark Adams explained the rationale behind the decision.
“This is a process of renewing and renovating the program for the Olympics. In the view of the executive board, this was the best program for the Olympic Games in 2020. It’s not a case of what’s wrong with wrestling, it is what’s right with the 25 core sports,” he said, according to the AP.
USA Wrestling has long been against this move and announced on its website that it has created a Facebook page called “Keep Wrestling in the Olympics” to rouse support to keep the sport a part of the Olympics.
“USA Wrestling would ask every supporter of wrestling to “like” the “Keep Wrestling in the Olympics” Facebook page and to spread the word to every corner of your wrestling community,” reads the latest update on their site.
American wrestlers have enjoyed huge success at the Olympics, and 2000 gold & 2004 bronze medalist Rulon Gardner only recently spoke to Muscle & Fitness about his desire to make a comeback at the 2016 Olympics.
However, it would now seem that the sport, which has been a staple at the games since 1896, will take its last bow in Rio de Janeiro in three years time.
