Olympics without a fight. Commentary on sports absurdity
The International Olympic Committee will consider the option of excluding all forms of wrestling, namely Greco-Roman, freestyle and women's, from the 2020 Games program of the year. This recommendation was made at a meeting of the IOC Executive Board. Previously, the most likely candidates for the deprivation of Olympic status were such sports as badminton, table tennis or pentathlon. But, after weighing all the pros and cons, the members of the Executive Committee decided to stop at the struggle. On this occasion, one can express sincere bewilderment. Wrestling is the most ancient form of martial arts, it was included in the program of the Olympic Games in ancient times, representing one of the most spectacular and courageous sports. Who are the people who make such recommendations? For what purpose are they doing this? Finally, by what criteria are guided, in the choice, say, between badminton and Greco-Roman wrestling? These questions can be answered by recalling, for example, the recent Olympic Games. In wrestling competitions, 18 sets of medals were played. According to the total number of awards, the first place in this category was taken by Russia, having won a total of 11 medals, including 4 gold. Wrestling - historical patrimony of the Russian athletes, each Olympiad collecting in this field a solid medal crop. Hence the reasonable question that does not require explanation - against whom, first of all, is this initiative directed? The answer is obvious.
And now we will try to find out who benefits from a positive solution to this issue. The answer can be found in the table of the overall medal standings. Wrestling brought only pitiful 3 medals to the United States. It is much easier to put pressure on the IOC in order to make this controversial decision, rather than train your own victorious galaxy of wrestlers. At the same time, you can once again hurt Russia's self-esteem, which too often became manifest its disobedience to the bearers of "universal human values." Many will argue, they say Russia has long been no competitor to the States at the Olympics. Today it is, but the emphasis is on the future.
Already, in Russia, the first signs of a sports revival are visible: more and more sports complexes are being built, the number of people involved in sports is growing. If things continue this way, then Russian athletes will very soon return to their former glory and glory. And then there's the Chinese. This is only from the mouth of the followers of the American economic model of development can be heard about the beneficial effects of healthy competition. In fact, no healthy competition is beneficial for Americans; they simply do not need it, neither sports, nor economic, nor political, nor any other. In the course of logical reasoning, another reasonable question arises: why should we exclude any kind of sports from the Olympic program at all ?! In my opinion, this is counterproductive and causes damage to the reputation of the IOC itself.
Alas, big sport today is increasingly becoming a victim of big politics. If these recommendations are approved, then, unfortunately, we will have to state a fact: today's International Olympic Committee has become another political tool in the hands of the powerful. The decision of the Committee will be announced this September. It remains for us to wait anxiously, hoping for the triumph of common sense.
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