Combat sport stalled but still going places

The Pan American Beach Wrestling Championship and Bridgetown Burning were two major events that the Barbados Wrestling Association (BWA) were forced to postpone for next year as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

BWA president Rollins Alleyne and Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) consultant Dr Anthony Yarde who is part of the local organising committee for the Pan American Championship, confirmed the news to Barbados TODAY.

In a letter addressed to all national federations, the world governing body for wrestling (United World Wrestling UWW) wrote that all events planned up to June 30 of this year have been cancelled.

Alleyne said it was sad to see the Pan American Championship scheduled for May 29 to 31 and Bridgetown Burning planned for this Easter weekend fall victim to COVID- 19.

“I really feel sad but we must look at what is going on in the world, sports has to take a backburner, “ he said.

Despite such a major setback, it is a blessing in disguise said BTMI consultant Yarde who revealed that a proposal was put forward by UWW for Barbados to host the 2022 Youth Olympics qualifiers for beach wrestling.

Yarde and Alleyne recently returned from Canada where they met with the hierarchy of UWW. Yarde said that based on the meeting, they believe it would be a great idea to host both the Pan American Beach Wrestling and the Youth Olympic Beach Wrestling Qualifiers around the same time.

In addition, Yarde also explained that there would be no additional cost to Barbados for hosting those two events simultaneously, which he noted would be a major boost to the local tourism industry.

“It is no extra cost to us because the two would merge into one. The only difference is you would have more guests in the country which would be good for Barbados as it relates to money spent,” he said.

One of the challenges the local wrestling association faced last year was raising funds to host the Pan American beach wrestling. But with time on their side, Yarde said BWA was more confident than ever of pulling this off.

“This gives us time to raise the necessary funds needed and would also help us enter into greater dialogue with the powers. Whether it is in the Barbados Olympic Association or National Sports Council or the Ministry of Sports, that this would buy into the product if we are serious about tourism as a nation and if we are serious about sports on the whole.

“This also gives us time now to fine-tune a number of things pertaining to the Pan American Games beach wrestling. And the possibility of having added to the Pan American Games, the Youth Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers for beach wrestling in Barbados which will enhance the tourism product for Barbados. So, on one hand, yes we were disappointed but the opportunity there is now to really have another event that would boost the tourist arrivals in Barbados significantly, “ Yarde said.

He added: “We keep hearing there are no funds and that has been a major problem for the smaller sports which is unfortunate because I am not optimistic that I will see any gold medal coming from those brighter stars that they – quote unquote – keep promoting as elite athletes. But I can see the small sports giving us a greater opportunity to be on the podium.

“And believe what I have just said to you, the smaller sports or the ones that are least taken seriously by the powers that be have a greater opportunity to stand on the podium.”

According to Yarde, president Alleyne received high praise for his dedication to the sport of wrestling from the international body during their trip to Canada.

Yarde also noted that several positives came out of the meeting. He said Barbados was seen as one of the pioneers for developing wrestling and not just on the beach but as it related to indoor wrestling as well.

Barbados is also looked upon as the hub for beach wrestling and it was suggested that this island take the sport into other regional territories that are not yet established and share the knowledge.

Additionally, he said there might be a couple of representatives from Barbados sitting on wrestling boards very soon. This he expressed would lend itself to local wrestling getting the necessary equipment and recognition and that would put Barbados in a better position to develop the sport as a whole.

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb