When news broke out about the International Olympic Committee’s decision to get rid of wrestling in 2020, many became enraged. Defendants of the sport argued that wrestling was the oldest Olympic sport and therefore held a special place in the Olympic Games. Many also said wrestling was boring and not one of the more popular Olympic sports. Whereas golf, the newest sport added, has a huge following across the globe and includes huge stars such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickleson, and Rory McIlroy.
I’m not heartbroken about wrestling no longer being a part of the Olympics, but I’m also not head-over-heels about golf being its replacement. Who I am heartbroken for are the wrestlers around the world who have participated in the Olympics and those whose dream is to participate in the games. Wrestling is still very popular in many central and Eastern European countries. Most of the wrestlers in the games come from these countries. For them, the Olympics are the peak of the mountain. Any medal, or simply the chance to participate in the Olympics, are as good as it gets for wrestlers.
Golfers already have their major events. They have four majors and countless other big tournaments. Golf doesn’t need the Olympics. Tennis is in a similar position. Big names like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer show, but the Olympics are not their top priority. The players say it’s a big deal to them and say all the right things, including how big of an honor it is to represent their country, but at the same time, Olympic tennis is not that big. Even tennis fans agree that Wimbledon and Roland Garros have more buzz around them than the Olympic Games.
Other professional sports, like basketball, have the same problem in the Olympics. LeBron James and company won gold in 2008 in Beijing. However, it wasn’t until his NBA championship in 2012 where James finally got the proverbial monkey off of his back of supposedly not winning anything and not being clutch down the stretch in the fourth quarter. Even in the eyes of the fans, the Olympics are not a big deal for certain sports.
Wrestling was a symbol for the old-school Olympics that represented tradition and amateurism. Sports are changing across the board, so it comes as no surprise to see the Olympics doing the same. The Olympics are still a high-profile event that draws the attention of people around the globe, but it’s the big names and high-profile stories that come with professional athletes that keep people interested. Wrestling just doesn’t do that. Enter golf.