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My Thoughts on the IOC - #*!^ 'em
I'm so tired of the crap that our sport takes. Seriously, we need to start being solely focused on surviving and thriving on our own independent of a crooked organization like the IOC. What have they done for our sport in the last 20 years? We went from 10 weight classes per style in 1992 and prior down to 8 weight classes per style in 1996. FILA just went along with this and adjusted the weights per the IOC's edict that 10 weight classes per style was too much. Then by 2000, the IOC wanted to cut the weight classes to 7 per style and FILA went along with it in the hopes that it might lead to Women's Wrestling becoming an Olympic Sport. So, the IOC throws the sport of wrestling a bone in 2004 by introducing women's wrestling, but only with 4 weight classes. FILA does the right thing and continues to recognize 7 women's weight classes for all other events besides the Olympics. I only wish they would have done the same thing with men's Freestyle and Greco after '92 when the IOC told them they had to cut down to 8 weight classes. And, now they cancel it altogether. We, as an International wrestling community, should just be done with the IOC. I understand the 'prestige' of the Olympics, but we crown World Champions every year. How much more can we as a sport take of a group that clearly does not care about wrestling continuing to slash opportunities and control/destroy the dreams of our athletes? We need to take back control of those dreams and stop being manipulated by an organization who provides nothing more than mythical glory and hypocritical ideals.
Think about how pure we would like to believe the Olympic dream is compared to what it has really become for all of sports. And then think about how little they have shown the history and ceremony of the true spirit of the Olympic games through their utter lack of respect for the oldest sport known to man. In that same time frame that I referenced in which the IOC has decimated Olympic wrestling opportunities up until today, think about the actions of the IOC and how they reflect on the true spirit of the historical Olympic movement. The IOC has been wrought with numerous scandals. They have opened up the games to true professional athletes (NBA and NHL players). Top officials have turned their back on numerous drug scandals only to severely punish others. They have gotten so indulged in the commercial aspect of the games that they would rather award tickets to rich corporate sponsors and have stadiums be half empty rather than opening up tickets to sale to the fans who really appreciate the competition. Why do we want to be part of this? We can preserve the values and virtues that our sport has far better by putting our foot down and no longer caving and/or groveling to the IOC and focusing on our own movements and agendas to crown and reward the greatest athletes in the world.
What will petitions and outrage get us? Perhaps a temporary reprieve.....with provisions....provisions such as the elimination of a style....or the further reduction of weight classes? I say NO! Our efforts and resources can be put to far better use by bidding farewell to the IOC and putting all our efforts and resources towards making FILA a better governing body of our sport.
I'm fired up about this! As I'm sure we all are......
Think about how pure we would like to believe the Olympic dream is compared to what it has really become for all of sports. And then think about how little they have shown the history and ceremony of the true spirit of the Olympic games through their utter lack of respect for the oldest sport known to man. In that same time frame that I referenced in which the IOC has decimated Olympic wrestling opportunities up until today, think about the actions of the IOC and how they reflect on the true spirit of the historical Olympic movement. The IOC has been wrought with numerous scandals. They have opened up the games to true professional athletes (NBA and NHL players). Top officials have turned their back on numerous drug scandals only to severely punish others. They have gotten so indulged in the commercial aspect of the games that they would rather award tickets to rich corporate sponsors and have stadiums be half empty rather than opening up tickets to sale to the fans who really appreciate the competition. Why do we want to be part of this? We can preserve the values and virtues that our sport has far better by putting our foot down and no longer caving and/or groveling to the IOC and focusing on our own movements and agendas to crown and reward the greatest athletes in the world.
What will petitions and outrage get us? Perhaps a temporary reprieve.....with provisions....provisions such as the elimination of a style....or the further reduction of weight classes? I say NO! Our efforts and resources can be put to far better use by bidding farewell to the IOC and putting all our efforts and resources towards making FILA a better governing body of our sport.
I'm fired up about this! As I'm sure we all are......
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