2 ms·
there is also the factor of whether a sport is at the olympics. I believe wrestling is a big sport in west africa. and polo-ish games are pretty big in central
by timwaagh 10y ago
there is also the factor of whether a sport is at the olympics. I believe wrestling is a big sport in west africa. and polo-ish games are pretty big in central asia. these don't appear at the olympics because the ioc is mostly controlled by westerners.
- blackbagboys 10y agoWrestling's removal as a 'core' Olympic sport was pushed by the Chinese, who wanted to get wushu in.
- logfromblammo 10y agoAnd such meta-sport competition could be addressed easily and effectively by bringing back pankration under the aegis of IMMAF. Any martial art not contested separately as a pure discipline could enter competitors in the mixed discipline tournament. Wrestling, boxing, taekwondo, and judo are all martial arts officially contested during the 2016 international games. Additionally, Budo (Japanese) was exhibited in 1964, Glima (Viking) in 1912, and Savate (French) in 1924. Demonstration sports were suspended after 1992, so Wushu (Chinese) was not exhibited at the Beijing games. Instead, a Wushu tournament ran concurrently with the international games, in Beijing, with permission from the international committee. Looked like a duck; quacked like a duck. Sports with a compliant international governing body now get to be in a differently-branded international games every 4 years rather than a one-time demonstration sport just when it is popular in the current host country. Sports can be "promoted" from the "next year" games to the main event. Ju-jutsu, Sumo, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and Karate will be contested in 2017. I am not familiar with any reason why the International Wushu body chooses not to organize events at the other games. But wrestling is not removed. Wrestling is in for 2020, as is Karate--receiving one of the aforementioned promotions.