dstruck Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 Below are talking points we are sharing. We will also be posting this on our website and our new Keep Wrestling in the Olympics Facebook page. Thank you - Gary TALKING POINTS ABOUT WRESTLING AND THE OLYMPICS 1) FILA, the international wrestling federation, the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Wrestling did not expect this announcement. None of these leadership groups anticipated that wrestling was being considered for this. 2) This is a decision by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board. The recommendation is that wrestling not be included as a core sport at the 2020 Olympic Committee. This is not a final decision. 3) The next step is for the IOC Executive Board to recommend a sport for the final spot in the 2020 Olympics. Wrestling will be considered for the position along with seven other sports, which happens in May in St. Petersburg, Russia. Then, the next step is for the entire International Olympic Committee to vote on the final program for the 2020 Olympics, which occurs in September in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 4) This is an opportunity for wrestling to tell its story, not only to the International Olympic Committee leadership but also to the entire world. 5) Wrestling is one of the original sports in the ancient Olympic Games in Greece. Wrestling was also included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. 6) Wrestling is one of the most diverse sports in the world, with nearly 200 nations from all continents participating in the sport. 7) Wrestling is an inclusive sport which provides opportunities worldwide, regardless of geography, race, gender or physical characteristics. Anybody can wrestle. 8) Among Olympic sports, wrestling has more variety of nations which win Olympic medals than almost every other sport. Wrestling is popular all around the world, and many nations have successful athletes and programs in the sport. 9) This is a challenge for the entire wrestling community on the world level. USA Wrestling, as the national governing body in the United States, is putting its full energy and resources behind this. We will work with our wrestling brothers and sisters everywhere on earth to maintain our sport on the Olympic program. 10) Wrestlers are known for their work ethic. As a community, we will work tirelessly from this point forward letting the world know about why wrestling is so special. We believe that we have the ability to be successful 11) Be honest. Explain why wrestling is so important to you, and also important to the world. Do not be negative or critical of the IOC. It is our job to make them our supporters and allies moving forward. 12) USA Wrestling’s Executive Committee, Board of Directors, staff and leaders are already involved working on this issue. We will continue to update the wrestling community about what is going on. 13) What can you do right now? Stay informed. Join “Keep Wrestling In the Olympics” Facebook page, which is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-Wrestling-in-the-Olympics/165311480283702. Updates will be posted regularly. Haley C. Scherr USA Wrestling 719.598.8181 office 719.331.7786 cell www.themat.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Guru Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 Do not be critical of the IOC? The entire sports world has been critical of the IOC for years because they're a bunch of corrupt scumbags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xam148 Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 Would it be possible or easier to just move wrestling to the Winter Olympics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awood2 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Coach Struck, all valid points. I appreciate all the service you have given to wrestling over the years. With all due respect to you, the message that has been relayed for years is that wrestling just does not produce revenues from media coverage. My own editorial comment to the wrestling leadership around the world; keep a core of wrestling rules that the average viewer can understand! It is difficult for myself to watch an Olympic match, not to mention explain to friends and family who gather during the Olympics. Drastic, complex rule changes make it difficult for the loyal fan base to understand, therefore, why would the average Olympic fan take any interest. I can turn on a soccer, basketball, or boxing match in any language with competitors from any country and I can score the contest with a great deal of confidence. With 25 years of wrestling involvement I can't begin to explain how to the starting position in Greco to my friends today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2CJ41 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Do you realize that the rule changes were made from pressure from the IOC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awood2 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 I realize that the IOC pushed for the changes, and most interesting, most changes addressed circumstances in matches where USA won. Rule changes often had the appearance of attempts to limit American dominance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awood2 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 It should be obvious to everyone that IOC is not a fan of wrestling... I am not saying the IOC will do anything to help wrestling, but if folks like Coach Struck have any voice to those who still have influence those are my observations as a fan watching on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2CJ41 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 The IOC doesn't care about any sports....wait check they only care about sports who offer them $$$. My guess this is a ploy by the IOC to garner some income from the Russian mob and oil tycoons. It probably worked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrestling Scholar Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Fila got caught flat footed here and this is all about back room politics. The 15 member IOC executive board made some back room deals, and our wrestling leaders were sleeping and werecut out of the lobbying process. The only thing I've read about why wrestling got cut, was that it had a questionable doping policy and that the wrestling was over supported by IOC money and was not progressing. The Modern Pentathlon association VP is on the board, and he made some sweetheart deals to save their relic of a sport. This was wrestling vs Modern Pentathlon, and wrestling even know it. Note the board is made up of 8 western European members, a guy from Australia, a guy from Costa Rica, a guy from South Africa, a woman from Morroco, a guy from Singapore a guy from Chinese Tapai and Sergei Bubka from the only wrestling country Ukraine. I hope Sergei voted for wrestling. Note they list the sports the board is associated with and I saw 2 that had were fencers plus the president of the Modern Pentathlon that has fencing in it. Two were yachters and 3 played squash. Note wrestling is up against Squash to get voted back in. When was the last time you saw a Squash court, talking about a dyeing sport. I think this board is made up a bunch of rich millionaires who play their country club sports and don't give a crap about the popular sport of the common people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dstruck Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 I thought this was a good response from a respected coach/official: February, 2013 TO: SOUTHERN PLAINS COACHES & STATE LEADERS FR: RUSTY DAVIDSON RE: NATIONAL COACHES COUNCIL Coaches & Leaders, February 12, 2013 This is a hard day. I’m gonna’ start this with a question. Why is it that a kid, who has just been thrown for five, will fight off his back for nearly two minutes ? There’s something in him that knows his family won’t tolerate a quitter. He’s heard his coaches talk, over and over and over, about poise and confidence against adversity. Every fiber of him believes that, somehow… some way… there’s a chance. He digs down, digs in and hangs on. My day started like a lot of yours, reading the gut-punching news that the IOC put forth a recommendation that Wrestling be eliminated from the 2020 menu. Like many, I have spent the day fielding texts and emails and phone calls. Now, the disclaimer: I’m not anybody to know anything, or think anything, or say anything. Still, I am willing and anxious to say this, my friends… “Hang On !” This news hurt me to my core. I’m sure it did you, too. But, if we are what we say we are, we’ve got to honor our family, our coaching and our gut. We are built to confront adversity with honor. We are coded to cry alone, but never to let our adversaries see us break. Our family, in this time of anguish, is global. I am convinced that every wrestler in the United States, in Russia, in Iran, in every club in every country, is beside themselves with worry. As a member of that family, I cannot think that I am the only one hurting. My family will not tolerate a quitter. Our coaches, in this regard, are the leadership of USA Wrestling and of FILA. Both practice what they preach… Poise and Confidence in the face of adversity. I was impressed with our National Staff today, behind the leadership of Rich Bender. We got information-rich coaching in an email of “Talking Points”. This is available to all on www.themat.com Our legacy proves that Wrestling owns the oldest and richest tradition in sport. Our un-paralleled work ethic proves that we can do what it takes to mesmerize 21st century television audiences, world-wide. As we peck away at this, I will make it my business to brag about Wrestling. I gain nothing and no one by bashing another person’s sport. Wrestling does not shine, when I condemn IOC members for making, what they see as, a pure business proposal. We’re on our backs, my friends. There’s no magic powder. We simply have to trust our family upbringing and our coaching and our gut. It is in our nature to find a way. Hang On ! Best Regards to Team and Family, Rusty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts