Wrestling is one of the few competitions remaining in the Olympic Games from ancient Greek times. As a former Collegiate Wrestler and High School coach, I can attest to the fact that it is without a doubt one of the most demanding and difficult athletic pursuits that exists. The IOC has decided that, in order to make room for some "new" sport to be added later for the 2020 Summer Games,the sport of Wrestling will be eliminated from Olympic competition. This is a truly,monumentally idiotic decision. Not to disparage the work involved in other sports, but if Ping Pong, Dressage, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Synchronized Swimming can remain on the program for the games, not to mention all of the BMX events that were added a brief while ago, surely there is room for at least the Freestyle competition in Wrestling. Given the immense popularity of MMA/UFC, and the presence of Boxing and Judo at the Games, surely Wrestling should remain. Since there is no professional wrestling (no, WWE is NOT Wrestling), most who toil at the sport do so with the ultimate possible goal being a Gold Medal in the Olympics.With that gone, this will also be a terrible blow to scholastic and collegiate programs everywhere--one of the few sports where someone "too small" to engage in other sports can not only compete, but excel. This petition is to strongly urge the IOC to reverse this short sighted and, on so many levels, wrong-headed decision.

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