House Resolution 20 - Introduced HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 20 BY JACOBY and BYRNES A Resolution opposing the decision of the International 1 Olympic Committee to end wrestling as an Olympic 2 event. 3 WHEREAS, the sport of wrestling, which combines both 4 freestyle and Greco-Roman events, goes back to the 5 ancient times of Plato and the first modern Olympics in 6 Athens in 1896; and 7 WHEREAS, over the last century, wrestling expanded 8 to feature 344 athletes competing in 11 medal events 9 in freestyle and seven in Greco-Roman at the London 10 Olympics, and women’s wrestling was added at the 2004 11 Athens Games; and 12 WHEREAS, Iowa has a rich heritage in the sport 13 of wrestling at all levels, including a premier high 14 school program and world-class collegiate programs; and 15 WHEREAS, Iowa has produced 23 Olympic medalists —— 16 12 gold, five silver, and six bronze; and 17 WHEREAS, the action of the International Olympic 18 Committee threatens the future of a sport practiced 19 for three millennia and threatens the future of Iowa’s 20 college and high school wrestling programs, which have 21 been carefully developed over the last 50 years; NOW 22 THEREFORE, 23 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, That 24 the House of Representatives opposes the action of the 25 International Olympic Committee to end wrestling as 26 an Olympic event and urges that body to reconsider its 27 action. 28 -1- LSB 2229HH (4) 85 jr/nh 1/ 1