If golf is in the Olympics, armwrestling deserves a chance too.
You heard me, and I am here to make the case that armwrestling should be included in the Olympics as an engaging and challenging sport.
For starters, winning a match requires blood, sweat, and tears. To advance the argument, there is the simple fact that Golf and Table Tennis exist in the Olympics—if these sports can exist, so can armwrestling. Every sport deserves a fair shot at the table. Armwrestling is no different.
Armwrestling Is Practiced Internationally
The WAF, known as the World Armwrestling Federation, has 82 countries participating in its ranks since 1977. There are thousands of active armwrestling competitors, and one search on YouTube reveals millions of active, engaged watchers. The potential to incorporate these athletes, include a broader audience in the Olympics, and engage in a new venue should be something the International Olympic Committee endorses. It is practiced around the world and is more than culturally relevant. For god’s sake, if bobsleding is an Olympic Sport with a movie like Cool Runnings, then Over the Top, an armwrestling movie with Sylvester Stallone, is enough of a qualification for global relevance.
Blue Collar Athletes Are A Massively Untapped Market
Armwrestling is a sport you can see yourself competing in regardless of where you stand. From the athlete in Uzbekistan, to the average Joe in the middle of Iowa, or a special forces veteran from Canada, armwrestling brings many walks of life to the table—including individuals who work day jobs for a living. Millions of individuals don’t watch the Olympics because they cannot see themselves participating. Some sports have too high a cost of entry and lock people out. Armwrestling should be adopted because of the fun and money-making potential. It is easy to incorporate, regulate, and monetize. In the real world, we call that a win-win-win.
If You Sweat Hard And Tear Muscles, It’s A Sport
I have seen some insane matches, gruesome injuries, and energetic bouts that rival combat sports. If you can injure yourself playing a sport, it’s real. It means the competition is taxing, and there are real risks. Armwrestling is adrenaline-inducing and downright electric. Plus, matches are short. They engage the audience as we witness a whole new form of battle. Athletes are exhausted. The sweat beads and veins popping demonstrate the reality of armwrestling—it’s intense.
Once Upon A Time, It Didn’t Fit—But Times Change
50 years ago, I would’ve said you were out of your mind for wanting to include armwrestling at the Olympics. 15 years ago, I would’ve said it needs to become a more prominent sport.
Now, with all of the footage, athletes, international competition, and devoted following, it is the appropriate time for armwrestling to become legitimized as an Olympic sport. Plus, I want to see Levan Saginashvili win a gold medal. There are so many talented athletes who deserve the acclaim they have fought and trained all their lives for. What do you think—should armwrestling get a place in the Olympics?