Question Of The Week

Wrestling in the Olympics: Do You Think It's Gone for Good?

The IOC's decision to remove one of its oldest sports sent shock waves throughout the wrestling world. Patch wants to know what you think.

The recent decision by the International Olympic Committee to drop wrestling from the 2020 Summer Games stunned and disappointed wrestling coaches across metro Atlanta. The IOC’s decision really hit home with Patrick Ryan during the recent Georgia  wrestling championship tournament in Macon. Ryan, Lithonia High School’s wrestling coach, said his all-time best wrestler told him, “I don’t even want to wrestle anymore.” “Here is my all-time greatest wrestler, telling me he wants to quit,” Ryan said, “and I had to convince him to keep going.” In a secret vote, the International Olympic Committee’s executive board decided to eliminate wrestling from the Olympics. The committee agreed to pare down the 26 sports it features to 25 so that a new …

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JamesMichael

10:12 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013

I think you meant to say "historic" times.   more ›

IOC’s Decision To Drop Wrestling Is Political, Local Coaches Say

Some Brookhaven and Chamblee coaches believe wrestling will be reinstated for the 2020 games, while others disagree.

Brookhaven and Chamblee school wrestling coaches say last week’s decision by the International Olympics Committee to drop wrestling from the 2020 Olympics was based on politics, not athletics. “The decision to drop wrestling from the Olympics was a real blind side hit to the wrestling community,” said Michael McQuary, an assistant wrestling coach at Marist. “ I believe it was a decision based on politics - the saving of Modern Penthalon by a well-connected IOC board member - and not based on the popularity of the sport.” The committee agreed to pare down the 26 sports it features to 25 so that a new sport could join the lineup in 2020. Wrestling has a chance to make it back into the Olympics, but the Los Angeles Times said that was …

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