HR0169 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0169 LRB098 11395 GRL 43179 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee has proposed eliminating the sport of wrestling from the Summer Olympic Games beginning in 2020; the proposal remains to be approved or disapproved by the full Committee at its September 2013 general assembly; and

WHEREAS, Wrestling was one of the original sports of the ancient Greek Olympic Games and of the first modern Olympic Games; and

WHEREAS, Wrestling has been a traditional strength of the United States Olympic team; 124 medals have been awarded to the United States throughout the history of the Olympic Games; and

WHEREAS, The sport of wrestling builds great strength, not only of body, but also of character; wrestling also helps to instill the virtues of self-confidence, self-discipline, courage, and sportsmanship; and

WHEREAS, Wrestling has produced many outstanding national leaders, including Presidents, United States Supreme Court Justices, United States Senators, members of Congress, and business and military leaders, as well as many outstanding leaders in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, There are thousands of student athletes in the State of Illinois that participate in wrestling at the high school and collegiate level; and

WHEREAS, Many of these young Illinoisans dream of representing the United States on the international stage at the Olympic Games and would be on the cusp of realizing their Olympic dreams in 2020, when the International Olympic Committee is set to remove one of the most time-honored, traditional sporting events not only on the Summer Olympics Program, but in the history of sport; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the International Olympic Committee to reinstate wrestling as a core sport of the Summer Olympic Games; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we thank the United States Olympic Committee for its continued support of wrestling and urges it to work actively toward the reinstatement of Olympic wrestling; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to Richard Bender, Executive Director of USA Wrestling; James Considine, Illinois State Director of USA Wrestling; and the United States Olympic Committee.