Wrestling dropped from 2020 Olympics...

[SeriousCat]

Funokashi's desire to promote Karate alongside Judo in the Japanese education system is seen to have reduced it's effectiveness

effectiveness at what? it might not be as good for self-defense or ninja skillz or what-have-you but its presumably more use in competition if its safer?

[evilmags]

I can see why Golf and Tennis are included, as they must subsidise the other sports a fair bit. I also fail to understand why you have to throw a sport out to include one. MMA would certianly make for some serious entertainment. But it would have to be full on. If they are banning kicks and stuff that should be part of the martial art it becomes pointless.

[frankus]

effectiveness at what? it might not be as good for self-defense or ninja skillz or what-have-you but its presumably more use in competition if its safer?

In the case of Okinawan Karate - what was removed was not dangerous, it was the aspects of the discipline that over-lapped with Judo. Jigora Kano introduced Judo in schools and Karate was included when Funokashi removed the throws, holds, chokes etc.

The impact it has in Karate is that the Kata (the formalised moves of the style) lose their intrinsic relation to the style because it describes throws, chokes, arm-locks etc no longer taught. In many places that's fine because they're all about the Kata and they'll imagine a certain move is actually a back kick to knock a gun out of an opponents hand while facing the wrong way to punch another opponent with two hands... rather than a leg-sweep.

I think it was a real shame that the Olympics have misdirected Judo, a great sport that allows for a lot of physical force to be used safely, now it's "too much aggression" where that used to be reserved for strikes, kicks, pinches and the like - it's robbing the sport of it's vitality. Tae Kwondo without punches is 3/5 of Tae Kwondo - why do it?

[bochetagrave]

Having golf in the Olympics (not for the first time, though) is as daft as having tennis or football. If you don't view an Olympic gold as the pinnacle of achievement in your sport, there should be no place for it in the Games.

This.

[jim_branning]

Not a shame at all - did you see the Tae Kwondo in the last Olympics? It was like Irish Country Dancing... no punches... wtf?! And Gemma Howell getting disqualified for aggression after using a move that's been removed since the last Olympics?!

Seriously the Olympics are no place for martial arts, as inclusion requires the removal of totally valid attacks - history shows that destroys martial arts for generations; Funokashi's desire to promote Karate alongside Judo in the Japanese education system is seen to have reduced it's effectiveness - removing throws, chokes, strangles, arm-bars, wrist-locks etc.

yeah they had to ban shomen-ate from aikido championships due to too many broken necks 3rd vertebrae.

wrestling should stay though, it's one of the original events isnt it?

[chillidoggy]

I think they should have bullshitting as an Olympic sport. I know a few potential gold-medallists.

[Myranda_Rose]

The decision may be changed as wrestling is one of the 'original' Greek Olympic sports. A review will be held in September.

Pankrateon is an original Greek Olypmic sport and the olympic commity were quoted as saying "it will NEVER make it into the Modern Olympics" the same governing body deal with both sports has a reputation for being very corrupt...

Not a shame at all - did you see the Tae Kwondo in the last Olympics? It was like Irish Country Dancing... no punches... wtf?! And Gemma Howell getting disqualified for aggression after using a move that's been removed since the last Olympics?!

Seriously the Olympics are no place for martial arts, as inclusion requires the removal of totally valid attacks - history shows that destroys martial arts for generations; Funokashi's desire to promote Karate alongside Judo in the Japanese education system is seen to have reduced it's effectiveness - removing throws, chokes, strangles, arm-bars, wrist-locks etc.

Taekwondo in the olympics is unfortunately the same as not in the olympics... sort of. THere's two governing bodies the WTF and ITF (World/International Taekwondo Federation) one of them scores points for kicks and punches that clearly connect, the other scores ONLY if you "knock your opponent back" which as you're not allowed to punch to the head is pretty damned hard - that's the one they do in the Olympics...

MMA wont get into the Olympics because it's not got a world recognised official body - it has a promotional body that's in many countries...

[axisus]

Golf, football, tennis, basketball should be OUT! They don't need the olympics and the olympics doesn't need them.

Dressage and synchronised swimming should be out as they are a) cr*p and b) not sports


Wrestling definitely IN, proper historic sport. Also Pentathlon should definitely stay (I hear talk it is going).

[Brio]

If you're not naked and oiled up then its NOT an Olympic sport.

[octatonic]

Golf, football, tennis, basketball should be OUT! They don't need the olympics and the olympics doesn't need them.

Dressage and synchronised swimming should be out as they are a) cr*p and b) not sports

Wrestling definitely IN, proper historic sport. Also Pentathlon should definitely stay (I hear talk it is going).

Agree 100%.
Dressage? WTF- why not have darts?

I'd like to see MMA included in the Olympics though.