BILL ANALYSIS �
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SENATE THIRD READING
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As Amended May 9, 2013
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :37-0
ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS 6-0
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|Ayes:|Ian Calderon, Waldron, |
| |Bloom, Brown, Gomez, |
| |Levine |
| | |
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SUMMARY : Proclaims that the California Legislature urges the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) to continue to include
wrestling as a core sport of the Olympic Games.
Specifically, this resolution makes the following findings:
1)The IOC Executive Board recently announced that wrestling will
be removed from the list of 25 core sports at the 2020 Olympic
Games, though this is not final.
2)The IOC Executive Board will meet in May 2013 in St.
Petersburg, Russia, to decide which sport or sports to propose
for inclusion, and the entire IOC will vote on the final
program at the IOC session, or general assembly, in September
2013 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
3)Wrestling was one of the original sports in the ancient
Olympic Games in Greece. During the ancient Olympic Games,
beginning in 708 B.C., wrestling was the decisive discipline
of the Pentathlon. It was the last discipline of the games to
be held, after the discus, the javelin, the long jump, and the
footrace, and its winner was designated the winner of the
Pentathlon, the only crowned athlete of the games.
4)Wrestling is one of the most diverse sports in the world, with
nearly 200 nations from all continents participating in the
sport.
5)Wrestling is an inclusive sport that provides opportunities
worldwide, regardless of geography, race, gender, or physical
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characteristics, and provides mainstream opportunities to
athletes of all physical builds and body sizes, including the
blind, deaf, and physically handicapped student athletes who
may not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in
athletics.
6)Wrestling builds great strength, not only of body, but also of
character, including the virtues of self-confidence,
self-discipline, courage, and leadership, and wrestling is
recognized for serving communities throughout the nation by
partnering with law enforcement, schools, and churches to
provide programs to prevent and neutralize juvenile
delinquency, especially gang-related crimes for many at-risk
youth.
7)Wrestling has produced many outstanding national leaders,
including Presidents of the United States, justices of United
States Supreme Court, members of the United States Congress,
and business and military leaders, and many outstanding
leaders in California, including many Olympic champions, such
as Olympic gold medalists Dave and Mark Schultz and 2012
Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner.
8)More than 70 countries competed in wrestling in London at the
2012 Olympic Games with more Olympic medals awarded to a
greater variety of nations than in almost any other sport.
9)California is the leading state in athlete membership for USA
Wrestling and the state with the largest participation in high
school wrestling.
10)Wrestling has become a pathway to higher education for many
young Californians, in particular, those with a
socio-economically challenged background.
11)Many of these young Californians dream of representing the
United States on the international stage at the Olympic Games.
12)The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Boys
Wrestling State Championships have been hosted at Rabobank
Arena in Bakersfield, California, since 2005 and the Girls
Wrestling State International Championships have been hosted
at Lemoore High School in Lemoore California since 2011.
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FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS : In early February the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) Executive Board recommended to the IOC general assembly a
list of core sports for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic games, and
wrestling was not included in that list of core sports. The IOC
General Assembly will meet in September to vote on the
recommendation to abolish wrestling as an Olympic sport. In the
meantime, the IOC is evaluating the continued inclusion of
wrestling, along with a pool of seven other sports as core
sports in the Olympic Games. These include baseball, softball,
karate, wushu, roller sports, sport climbing and wakeboard. The
next step in the process will take place in late May, when the
Executive Board will meet in St. Petersburg, Russia. There,
wrestling will compete against those seven sports for inclusion
in the 2020 Olympic program.
According to the author, "Wrestling has been a traditional
strength of the United States Olympic team, with 124 medals
having been awarded to the United States in the modern Olympics.
There are more than 280,000 wrestlers participating in high
school. Wrestling is also the fastest growing sport for girls
on the high school level. California is considered one of the
nation's strongest wrestling states, with the quality and
popularity of the annual CIF State Wrestling Championships at
the highest level. Wrestling not only provides a pathway to
represent our state and country on the international stage, but
it also provides a gateway for many at-risk youth who through
wrestling have gone on to further their education and become
pillars in their communities."
It should be noted that wrestling is not yet out of the
Olympics. It will be contested at the 2016 Olympic Games.
Please see the policy committee analysis for a full discussion
of this resolution.
Analysis Prepared by : Dana Mitchell / A.,E.,S.,T. & I.M. /
(916) 319-3450
FN: 0000568
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