Wrestling kicked out of the Olympic ring - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Wrestling kicked out of the Olympic ring

By: Kate Pabich
kpabich@cbs4qc.com

An Olympic sport as old as the games themselves has been thrown out of the ring, and local athletes are not happy about the decision.

Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee announced that starting in 2020 wrestling is out.
Bettendorf High wrester, Fredy Stroker, says it's sad to see. 

"It's pretty sad just a lot of people, internationally and here have a dream of going to the Olympics, especially our age because our age are the ones that would be competing in the 2020 Olympics so it's kind of like a tragedy in wrestling."

Other wrestlers at Bettendorf High School, like Logan Ryan,  say the news comes as a shock.
 
"It's been a sport since ancient times, I don't know why they would take it out right now it just makes no sense to me."

The IOC made the decision after looking into 39 different criteria including TV ratings, ticket sales, anti-doping policy, global participation and popularity.

But Ryan says cutting the sport, is crushing the dreams of many wrestlers all over the world.

"There are people who after college just compete for the Olympics, I mean they're probably more mad than anything."

Both the Freestyle and Greco-Roman categories of wrestling will be included for the last time, in the 2016 summer games in Rio.

But the Bettendorf wrestlers, have more on their plates to worry about than the ancient games.

"You cant look at it right now because we have State Thursday Friday and Saturday so we're just looking to put that on hold and focus on the goal right now."
 
Now there's a chance that wrestling could be voted back in, but it would have to compete with other sports like baseball and wakeboarding.