In Lausanne, Switzerland, the 15 members in the board of directors held a secret ballot that discussed and voted on the removal of wrestling in the 2020 Olympics but voted to keep the modern pentathlon. In the 2012 Olympics, 26 countries participated in this pentathlon with an average of 12.5 million viewers. On the other hand, wrestling had medalists from 29 countries and averaged 23 million viewers. The final meltdown of votes and decisions end in September of 2013.
“What makes them so powerful to take a child’s dream away?” Nathan Sorci, a senior at Reardan high school said.
High school wrestling had expanded to 40,000 in the last decade, including 8,200 women. There is 96 new wrestling programs have been added to the U.S. along with 21 intercollegiate women’s wrestling.
“It’s not fair for the kids that do little guys wrestling. They have dreams to go to college in order to make the Olympics.” Junior Alvarado, a senior at White Swan said, “Taking out wrestling will shoot down those dreams.”
Wrestling is the sixth most popular sport for schools in the U.S. with more than 270,000 participates. The U.S. Olympic committee has vouched to fight the IOC’s decision toward the sport. The IOC plans to eliminate wrestling in order to make room to add another sport. This addition meeting will take place in May of 2013.
“Why would they bring women’s wrestling in during the 08’ Olympics, and now decide to take wrestling completely out? They didn’t only disappoint the men, but the women as well.” Ray Compton, a junior at Colfax high school said.
Kids of all ages try out wrestling because their friends are participating in it, but then most of them end up liking it and never want to quit. They will try harder and harder to get to the top. That is where the dreams come from.
“I was pretty short and heavy set my 7th grade year and my friends said wrestling would be fun and a good exercise,” Compton said, “so I tried it out and ended up really liking it.”
Ray Compton is a six foot junior at Colfax high school who plans on wrestling in college soon after he graduates. But because of the International Olympic Committee’s’ (IOC) decision to remove wrestling has put an impact on his dreams.
Not only did this decision impact Compton, but those who are younger and the beginning to wrestle for their first time.
“In my freestyle/gyco roman wrestling club, there are a lot of kids aging from five to 18 who look up to Olympic wrestling.” Hugo Barajas, a senior at White Swan high school said.
The Olympic games were abolished in 393 A.D. but among the first sports was wrestling. In 1896, wrestling was included at the start of the modern Olympics.
“The whole removal of wrestling is ridiculous and very harmful to the dreams of younger kids who love wrestling. I mean it’s one of the first original sports put into the Olympics.” Compton said.
Earlier this year, high school state wrestling was held as always in Tacoma, Washington. 1200 wrestlers participated with 39 three-time state champions including girls. At this event, cheerleaders from all schools walked around giving out a little piece of paper saying “SAVE OLYMPIC WRESTLING” with sites to go to and vote for the rescuing.
“Wrestling is a lifestyle to some kids. Take that away and wrestling will cease to exist.” Alvarado said.
“Many kids are going to have their dreams crushed. All the work they put in, they’ll think it was for nothing.” Barajas said.