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Wrestling cut from Olympics

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    Decision to boot tradition met with opposition

  • Duration 4:52
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This transcript is automatically generated

They said no -- -- grapples and throws.

Him.

Well wrestling with featured in the first modern Olympics back in 1896500.

Years ago I believe but it won't be around for this summer games in 4040.

Yes the international Olympic committee's executive committee voted Tuesday to drop the sport opted to cut it instead of ratings giant field hockey and Modern Pentathlon.

And among those not happy with the decision is former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld wrote a strongly worded letter to the committee asking it to reconsider the decision.

Rumsfeld who wrestled in high school college and the navy says.

Olympic wrestling is unlike any other athletic activity as you know well it is undoubtedly the oldest of contact sports.

To abandon its Olympic legacy would be a tragedy for the sport and for the proud tradition of the Olympic Games.

For more we check in with some Olympic wrestling hopefuls.

Slop bucket -- speed slots.

Joseph fifth we now live in a world where rhythmic gymnastics is an Olympic sport and wrestling is not yes she was wrong yeah -- -- -- that this is a story where traditional wrestling sounds like it's a story where -- from professional -- again.

And -- Vince -- -- it's something that's out this way and all the rest -- it will be back and yeah.

-- and how can.

Crazy I don't I don't get it at all and I know wrestlers.

At least they tell me the -- sure -- Have little like it either yeah.

Matt I don't watch Olympic wrestling too much clothing for me -- and I kind of cheerfully -- Donald Rumsfeld.

But I kind of think he's right here doesn't tradition sort of dictate that wrestling should be an Olympic sport it was in 70 -- BC.

There was wrestling in the Olympics.

Sure I could -- -- it's a question is how seriously do you take kill epics.

You have people who treated that it should all be able discussed in the Bob Costas voice and write this great traditions stretching back all the way to 1896 -- his.

Actually all that long ago -- -- but they've been adding and subtracting sports they added baseball in the late eighties they subtracted it.

The track softball is very upsetting for all of us down -- so I don't I don't see this as such a big deal he's right on points he's got.

An op Ed in the Washington not post today making that and came out of retirement came out of the the casket finally.

To get excited about something -- but yeah that's -- the Olympics having the Olympics are kind of fundamentally ridiculous.

Credit TI don't tell LA and that's probably did -- history -- you -- are a proud American.

I thought there would rally it seems like hell of a lot of this might have to do with the fact that the kid then wrestling community didn't lobby the IOC hard enough.

And I was reading I think was at dad's been lobbying in this case usually means -- and I was actually shocked to find out that stuff like this goes on with something as pure as the Olympic.

I think this is surprising yeah well it's surprising to me years 1980 -- -- I think that -- it's all about money I mean without question.

The politics behind the scenes that driving.

And I think what appetizers are willing to pay for.

What are people watching are they watching wrestling I mean I watch the Olympics whenever they're on every two years went to summer whatever I want to watch.

I've never watched wrestling I don't know how many people in this room -- they watch it or would watch it if it's that advertisers may not be forking over the cash.

That the networks want that they did people who are making these decisions would expect.

It's pretty sad so.

If I mean I'm really asking the question is this is it asinine to think that professional wrestler wrestling so sensational so fun to watch that is just.

Diminished.

The quality of actual wrestling with people just don't have an interest in seeing because there's just no fanfare or what did anyone really there aren't -- people lectured former wrestler probably who were into watching rustling.

Without you know not professional -- -- -- -- parties although I mean he actually built my.

Have you been rallying against IOC's decision even more so than Donald Rumsfeld.

Had they smell of the bills -- and -- -- -- think.

Don't know that I can think if you really want to get something back Kabila because I can think of no better spokesperson.

They don't I'm not -- whose only received more wonderfully.

We internationally that he already is nationally yet again this is really going to believe the last.

-- on the cop -- abruptly unfortunate.

What is blended to take a little bit of pro wrestling a -- traditional wrestling may get more entertain what is apparently the Modern Pentathlon dispensing horse riding swimming running and shooting.

Get rid of course right -- -- -- and there now off and act on that fits right in front watch that now yeah I -- get -- of -- I like ponies.

-- So.

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