Bill Text: NJ ACR183 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges International Olympic Committee to permanently reinstate wrestling.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 4-2)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-04-15 - Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [ACR183 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-ACR183-Introduced.html
ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 183
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
215th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 26, 2013
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblyman CHRISTOPHER J. BROWN
District 8 (Atlantic, Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Urges International Olympic Committee to permanently reinstate wrestling.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Concurrent Resolution urging the International Olympic Committee to reverse their decision and reinstate wrestling as a permanent Olympic sport.
Whereas, Wrestling combines freestyle and Greco-Roman events and dates back to the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens in 1896; and
Whereas, Wrestling featured 344 athletes from over 200 countries competing in 11 medal events in freestyle and seven in Greco-Roman at last year's London Olympics; and
Whereas, Women's wrestling was added to the Olympics at the 2004 Athens Games; and
Whereas, United States wrestlers have won 50 gold and 125 medals in all; and
Whereas, The United States and especially New Jersey has a proud wrestling tradition that has produced numerous Olympians and celebrated wrestlers that have spanned a century of Olympic Games: George Mehnert (Newark) participant in 1904 and 1908 Olympiads - first American and one of only three to win 2 Olympic Gold Medals in wrestling, Henry Wittenberg (Jersey City) 1948 and 1952 Olympiads - gold and silver Medalist, Bruce Baumgartner (Haledon), 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympiads - four time medalist is the most decorated American wrestler of all-time; and Jordan Burroughs (Winslow Township) 2012 Olympiad - reigning world champion and gold medal winner at 74 kilograms; and
Whereas, The opportunity to win a gold medal is the motivation and drive for so many wrestlers at different levels of competition, and without that ultimate goal, the sport will suffer at all levels, including high school; and
Whereas, New Jersey wrestlers will no longer have the inspiration similar to that associated with watching Jordan Burroughs win a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics to push them toward competing in future Olympics; and
Whereas, The International Olympic Committee executive board removed wrestling from the program of the 2020 Games on Tuesday, Feb. 12, cutting it from the list of 26 sports at last year's London Olympics, a decision which still must be ratified by the full IOC in September; and
Whereas, The IOC should look to ways to improve the sport and viewing experience and reverse the decision to drop wrestling from 2020 games so that future New Jersey wrestling Olympians are not denied the privilege of representing their country at the sports highest stage; and
Whereas, Amateur wrestling is a universal athletic experience and should remain in the Olympic Games as a validation of its tradition and the raw athletic talent demonstrated by its participants; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):
1. The Legislature of the State of New Jersey urges the International Olympic Committee to reverse the decision of its executive board and reinstate wrestling as an Olympic sport.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this concurrent resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and Speaker of the General Assembly and attested to by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be sent to the President of the International Olympic Committee, the President of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, and the Committee for the Preservation of Olympic Wrestling.
STATEMENT
This concurrent resolution urges the International Olympic Committee to reinstate wrestling as a sport for the 2020 Olympics.
Wrestling combines freestyle and Greco-Roman events and dates back to the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens in 1896. Wrestling featured 344 athletes from over 200 countries competing in 11 medal events in freestyle and seven in Greco-Roman at last year's London Olympics. The United States and especially New Jersey has a proud wrestling tradition that has produced numerous Olympians and celebrated wrestlers such as: George Mehnert (Newark), Henry Wittenberg (Jersey City), Bruce Baumgartner (Haledon), and Jordan Burroughs (Winslow Township), The International Olympic Committee executive board removed wrestling from the program of the 2020 Games on Tuesday, Feb. 12, cutting it from the list of 26 sports at last year's London Olympics, a decision which still must be ratified by the full IOC in September.
The IOC should look to ways to improve the sport and viewing experience and reverse the decision to drop wrestling from 2020 games so that future New Jersey wrestling Olympians are not denied the privilege of representing their country at the sports highest stage.
