Editorial: Wrestling is back in the Olympics - where it belongs
By World's Editorials Writers on Sep 12, 2013, at 2:30 AM Updated on 9/12/13 at 6:53 AM
OSU coach John Smith (left) celebrates the decision to keep wrestling in the Olympics. JACKIE DOBSON / The Oklahoman
Editorials
The 6,300 employees at the American Airlines Maintenance Facility in Tulsa could use some certainty, but they're going to have to wait.
The loss of 12 lives, 13 counting the suspect, in the Navy shipyard shootings Monday is tragic. With each killing spree the natural reaction is to search for the motive or the psychological reason for such a horrific event.
The International Olympic Committee's decision to drop wrestling from the games was a mistake when it was made. The committee is big enough to admit it made a mistake and has returned wrestling to the games for the 2020 and 2024 games.
The announcement seven months ago to remove wrestling came as a shock for those not only in the wrestling world but to those who follow the games merely occasionally. Wrestling was one of the initial sports in the ancient games in Greece.
Forty-nine IOC members voted to reinstate the grapplers, beating out a joint baseball-softball proposal (24 votes) and squash (22 votes).
Oklahoma has a long tradition in wrestling. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame is in Stillwater, and some of the sport's greatest champions are Oklahomans. An important duel can bring thousands of excited fans to a field house.
So, this is an issue that many Oklahomans were watching carefully.
Changes were made in wrestling to gain reconsideration. Women and athletes were given a larger role in decision-making within FILA, the sport's organizational body. Two weight classes were added for women and rule changes were adopted to make the sport easier to understand and more fun to watch. Under the new rules, more aggressive wrestling will be rewarded.
The general public did have problems with following wrestling and its TV ratings weren't too great. And, as with boxing and other sports, judges were often criticized for being biased.
The organization is attempting to work out those problems. And, for their effort, wrestling has been given another chance.
It is back in the Olympics. As it ought to be.
Original Print Headline: It's back
Editorials
The 6,300 employees at the American Airlines Maintenance Facility in Tulsa could use some certainty, but they're going to have to wait.
The loss of 12 lives, 13 counting the suspect, in the Navy shipyard shootings Monday is tragic. With each killing spree the natural reaction is to search for the motive or the psychological reason for such a horrific event.
