Despite being a pioneer of sports activities, wrestling struggles to win over followers after virtually shedding its place within the Olympic Games in 2013, when the International Olympic Committee voted to drop it from the Games programme, efficient 2020.
The resolution induced havoc. The president of the game’s governing physique, FILA (now United World Wrestling), resigned after a movement of no confidence. Two adorned wrestlers returned their medals, whereas one even went on starvation strike.
One cause for the elimination was believed to be the shortage of star athletes within the sport, though it’s extremely standard in some nations like Iran, the United States and the hosts Japan.
IOC had cited low ticket gross sales, low recognition, low TV rankings, and a scarcity of oversight and variety, as competitions for girls have been solely added in 2004.
Back in 2013, the IOC additionally famous that the worldwide wrestling federation had no athletes on its decision-making our bodies, no girls’s fee, no ethics guidelines for technical officers and no medical official on its government board.
Following adjustments in management, and revisions to the programme for 2016, together with rule adjustments and extra girls’s competitions, wrestling efficiently campaigned to be readmitted to Olympics.
Even so, its future stays unsure after the subsequent Games in 2024.
Traced again to cave drawings over 15,000 years outdated, wrestling is taken into account one of many oldest sports activities, believed to have been practiced for the reason that daybreak of civilisation.
Greco-Roman wrestling was the primary model of wrestling included within the Games, with freestyle added in 1904.
Wrestlers have interaction in intense battles stuffed with highly effective and swift strikes. The Russian Federation (previously USSR) has gained probably the most general medals, adopted by high nations just like the United States, Japan, Cuba, Georgia, Iran and Turkey.
Tag: Wrestling Olympics
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Wrestling: An historical sport battles to stay related in Olympics
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India’s Greco Roman wrestlers chunk mud at World Olympic Qualifiers in Sofia
Putting up an abject present, India’s Greco Roman wrestlers drew a clean on the World Olympic Qualifiers as none of them may earn a Tokyo Games quota, right here on Saturday.
India’s brightest probability was with Gurpreet Singh however he was ousted after shedding his 77kg pre-quarterfinal in simply 48 seconds to 2020 European champion Rafig Huseynov from Azerbaijan.
The fast Huseynov pulled off a fast four-point transfer to stun Gurpreet. Before Gurpreet may regroup, the Azerbaijani effected one other four-pointer to finish the bout within the first interval itself.
Gurpeet, who had received a bronze medal finally month’s Asian Qualifiers, had received a walkover from Tajikistan’s Daler Rez Zade in his opening bout.
All Greco Roman wrestlers minimize a sorry determine as none of them may win a bout.
While Sachin Rana forfeited his opening bout to bow out of the 60kg competitors, Ashu (67kg) squandered ‘Par Terre’ place benefit to lose 3-8 in opposition to Aliaksandr Liavonchyk of Belarus.
Sunil Kumar missed probabilities aplenty in opposition to Russia’s Davit Chakvatadze within the 87kg pre-quarterfinal. He was up 1-0 however didn’t reap the benefits of the ‘Par Terre’ as he let the Russian get out of the defensive place.
Chakvatadze was drained in the direction of the ends however the Indian couldn’t reap the benefits of even that.
Deepanshu was pinned by Spain’s Jesus Gasca Fresnada when he was trailing 3-7 in his 97kg pre-quarterfinal.
Only the 2 finalists got Tokyo Olympics quota on this competitors.
Overall, India will area its largest ever contingent of eight wrestlers on the Tokyo Games — 4 males’s free model wrestlers and as many ladies wrestlers.
In the final version in 2016, India had fielded seven wrestlers — two males’s free model, two Greco Roman and three girls wrestlers.
Men’s free model wrestler Sumit Malik (125kg) and Seema Bisla (50kg, girls) earned quotas from this occasion in Sofia.
Before this occasion, Ravi Dahiya (57kg), Bajrang Punia (65kg), Deepak Punia (86kg) and Vinesh Phogat (girls’s 53kg) had certified by means of the 2019 World Championship in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan.
Young weapons Anshu Malik (57kg) and Sonam Malik (62kg) had additionally certified by means of the Asian Qualifier in Almaty, final month. -
At wrestling nationals, no social distancing, stands full and few folks with masks
No masks, no social distancing and packed stands. On Saturday, wrestling grew to become the primary main Olympic sport to carry its nationwide championship because the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
On December 26, the sports activities ministry had launched an eight-page Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for organising competitions within the midst of a pandemic, by which it underlined that the occasions ought to be performed ‘strictly in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs’.
The authorities had mentioned that the organisers ought to guarantee there are particular markings on the ground at gaps of six ft, restrict the presence of assist workers on the venue, guarantee air flow and make obtainable face covers, masks, gloves and sanitisers on the venue. It had additionally mentioned that spectators can be allowed as much as a most of fifty per cent of the capability of the stadium for out of doors occasions.
However on the indoor area of the Noida Stadium, lots of of spectators gathered to look at the lads’s freestyle championship, which has attracted 252 wrestlers in 10 weight classes. The grapplers needed to produce a Covid-negative certificates to be eligible for the championship. However, there was no such requirement for coaches and assist workers accompanying them, in addition to referees and federation officers.
And whereas referees officiating the bouts wore face shields, few others wore masks. People roamed round freely throughout the area of play and at one level needed to be chased out by Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who too didn’t put on a masks and was on the dais the place the dignitaries sat shut to one another.The spectators mingled freely with the wrestlers earlier than and after the bouts, posed for selfies and, in some circumstances, shared meals and cups of tea.
A WFI official mentioned they tried to regulate the group however the orders have been disobeyed. “They did not listen to us. It was not possible for us to keep alternate seating since there were no chairs in the stands; instead, the spectators sat on the steps,” the official mentioned.
Punjab wrestler Sandeep Singh
Protesting farmer’s son is nationwide champ
While his father is on the farmer protests on the Singhu Border in Delhi, Punjab wrestler Sandeep Singh was topped nationwide champion within the highly-competitive 74kg weight class on Saturday.
Sandeep, who belongs to a farming household in Mansa, mentioned one in every of his regrets was not having the ability to be part of his father, Sagar, on the protests. “He has been going there regularly but I haven’t been able to join him as I was preparing for the national championship,” Sandeep mentioned.
The wrestler mentioned he cared in regards to the situation since his profession was funded by the cash his household made out of farming. “I do not have any sponsors so the monthly expense to keep my wrestling going, which is around Rs 30,000, comes from farming. It’s my livelihood. It’s unfortunate I haven’t been able to join the protests and fight for the cause,” he mentioned.
Sandeep defeated Haryana’s Jitender Singh in a closely-contested last, thus opening up the race for a spot within the crew for the Tokyo Olympics qualifiers.
India is but to earn a quota within the 74kg class. Sandeep’s victory means he zooms into rivalry in a crowded area, which additionally contains former nationwide champion Gourav Baliyan, who misplaced within the first spherical to Narsingh Yadav – one other contender. Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, too, competes on this class.The choice trials for a spot within the qualifiers can be held in March.