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Wrestling
Road Dogg, the Undertaker, the Rock - not this year's summer blockbusters, but pro-wrestlers from the land of the injured, the USA. These names are as familiar to 12-year-olds as Pokemon and Pikachu and there are a fair number of adults who are proud to call themselves fans.
Despite protestations to the contrary, much of the action in pro-wrestling is staged. You will be hard pushed to find an evening course in the advanced principles of plastic-chair wielding or Lycra-pulling. However, the traditional styles of amateur wrestling are respected worldwide.
Wrestling is one of our oldest sports. Bouts were depicted by cave-dwellers in France as far back as 13,000 BC but wrestling really came into its own in Greece, where it became a major Olympic sport. The Roman invasion saw the establishment of Greco-Roman wrestling, in which combatants use only their arms and upper bodies.
Throughout the centuries, wrestling became more established. In the Middle Ages, King Francis "Pretty Boy" I of France accepted a challenge to wrestle King Henry "Stone Cold" VIII of England. He won the match and so settled a dispute between the nations. A very civilised way to do business, although the image of George Bush in Spandex, grappling with a greased-up Tony Blair is the stuff of nightmares.
Freestyle wrestling was introduced to the Olympics in 1904. This style allows wrestlers to use their legs to push, lift or trip and combatants area also allowed to grab one another above or below the waist.
There is a small but determined group of Irish enthusiasts - the Irish Amateur Wrestling Association (IAWA) - who have been promoting freestyle Olympic wrestling since 1947. The rules are fairly simple. Points are awarded for various holds and techniques completed during the match, such as escaping from a hold or reversing your opponent. If neither person manages to pin the other within the time limit, the competitor with the most points wins. You can win the match instantly if you manage to pin your opponent for a full second.
There is no ring in wrestling - all activity takes place on the mat, which is square of foam-padded plastic with a circular wrestling area. Competition matches are just one round of 5 minutes duration.
Many people decide to take up wrestling to get their hands on the traditional wrestling singlet. It resembles a rather risqué ladies' swimsuit and is particularly suited to the pale-blue Irish skin tone. If you want to get your hands on one, get in contact with IAWA, who will give you information about classes in your area.
