On the next Sunday at session the IOC in Buenos Aires will be declared the last, the 26th, a sport which will include in the Olympic Games-2020 program. With probability more than 90 percent to them become wrestling, in all ratings and polls much advancing the competitors – squash and софтбол with baseball. In eight months, passed from that day when the Olympic registration of wrestling was called into question, in this sport there were radical changes. But in the capital of Argentina wrestlers, most likely, will receive a delay only for four years. If they want to secure themselves in more distant prospect, they should adapt to realities of modern sports.

Excellent positions of wrestling on the eve of vote in the IOC, on the one hand, are caused by that this sport is supported by leading powers – the USA, Russia, China and Japan. On the other hand, in Buenos Aires wrestlers will have weak rivals. The squash taking in pre-election ratings the second place, relied on an advertizing campaign with participation of known tennis players that at once turned this sport into "younger brother" of big tennis and obviously didn't add to squash of supporters. And chances of baseball were crossed actually out by new refusal of the largest American league of MLB to release the players on Games. MLB position forced the IOC to expel in due time baseball from the Olympic program.

Secondly, the telegenichnost and clearness of wrestling even after changes in rules leaves much to be desired for general public. To solve this problem of the International federation it is necessary to renounce some basic principles, and also to think up how modern technologies will be able to come to wrestling. And, at last, the most important – the wrestling level of development outside the Black Sea and Caspian regions, and also the USA and Japan both left, and leaves much to be desired. That fact that is more difficult to win the championship of Russia, than the World Cup, of course, can amuse someone's vanity, but from the point of view of sports geopolitics is a nightmare. And while here won't be outlined though any balance of forces, round the Olympic prospects of wrestling tension will remain.

By and large almost guaranteed victory in Buenos Aires becomes for wrestling only the beginning of heavier process. The new president the IOC for economy reasons in the foreseeable future almost for certain will go on reduction of the main program of summer Games. Under the Olympic brand there are only most demanded by television and sponsors of discipline. And the others can be banished in the Integrated World Cup which project now develops under the auspices of convention "Sportakkord". Chances of wrestling to remain in the Olympic elite it is in this situation insignificant are small.

Oleg SHAMONAYEV

источник