Exploring the Shadows of the Olympics: Forbidden and Overlooked Techniques

The world of competitive sports is inspiring, fascinating, exciting, yet challenging and ruthless. Each victory raises the bar for the subsequent winners with a certainty that another record will be set. As thousands of spectators gather every four years to witness the reputable Olympic Games, one must wonder about the selection process for the participating sportsmen. We should ask ourselves an even more intriguing question: how do the games get chosen? On the other hand, what can get an Olympic sport to become an artifact? 

Follow along on this encaptivating journey of triumphs and defeats as we break down the most prominent sports removed from the Olympic registry. To get an insider view of the strategies involved in victorious games, learning how to play 1xbet is a crucial step. 

Discontinued Olympic Sports

Some sports were deemed irrelevant to the athletic festival for various reasons. Read the list below to find out why.

• Lacrosse 

A team game of American-Canadian origin, lacrosse was only played twice during the Olympics: in 1904 and 1908. Although the match found many followers in the Northern Hemisphere, it failed to reach the global audience as international championships in other sports were held. Financially and infrastructurally drained, lacrosse has yet to make another appearance as an Olympic sport.  

• Polo

Polo, considered a more “elite” sport, involves athletes competing on horseback, a key element that most likely explains its cessation in the Olympics. Previously showcased several times from 1900 through 1936, it posed a high risk of injuries to both the human and animal participants. The sport’s high speed, intensity, and collision threat are all questionable characteristics that took it off the competition’s list.

• Tug-of-War

It may seem bizarre, but the classic tug-of-war contest often captured at a middle school Field day or small-town fair is a real sport. Indeed, it was quite the spectacle in the 1900s Olympiad. Apparently, the game was removed in the 1920s due to an overwhelming number of registered athletes, as it proved to be less valuable to the sports community. Other theories suggested a lack of trainable practical skills in the tug-of-war dynamics to be the real reason for the discontinuity. 

• Cricket

A sport that has been growing more and more popular each year, it comes as a surprise to see it on this list. Cricket is a complex team game based on scoring more runs than the opponent. Interestingly, it is a fan-favorite in India, Pakistan, England, and Australia, yet preferred less by some European Olympiad hosts. The time and financial requirements are too demanding. Hence, it has yet to be proposed as a competitive sport for the Olympics in the upcoming years.

• American Football

American football is a relatively old sport that remains relevant in many countries besides the US. Despite its popularity, the game failed to be included in the Olympics in the years following its debut in 1932. As far as we know, the main reason for that happens to be eligibility concerns from the International Federation of American Football, not safety issues. Fortunately, the question of American football appearing in the headlines of the Olympic press is just a matter of negotiations with the respective committees. 

Prohibited Elements of Olympic Sports

Unlike the previously mentioned athletics, the examples below feature Olympic elements prohibited following presentation in the competition. Captivating but life-threatening, here are the top banned skills in the history of the international event.

• Gymnastics

Gymnastics has always been a sport that requires extensive training, unbeatable stamina, and, ultimately, a clean finish. Records are set constantly, with the gymnasts feeling the intense pressure to be better than their predecessors. It is only natural to assume that the practice involves some of the riskiest and most controversial elements. 

 

For example, the Produnova Vault, named after Russian gymnast Yelena Produnova, is a combination of somersaults that requires extreme precision and time management. Otherwise, the athlete could be severely injured to the point of no return. 

 

Another extreme skill that has been termed dangerous, and even fatal, is the Thomas Salto. The combination involves a salto and belly roll-outs, followed by a landing on the spine or neck. Explicit cases of Olympians being fatally injured by this trick caused it to be banned indefinitely. 

• Figure Skating

Another questionable set of tricks could be outlined in figure skating. The most controversial of all – the backflip – takes its origin from the 1976 Winter Olympics in Austria. Terry Kubicka, the American ice skater who shocked everyone by demonstrating the technique, inspired many other athletes to recreate the element. However, most have failed to do so, raising concerns over the technique’s safety. 

Accidents regarding loss of balance result in grievous injuries, even in professional cases. The 2006 Olympic games proved that, as Canadian skaters Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon failed to deliver their complete performance after misstepping and losing control. In the end, ice skaters must pay increased attention to risky elements due to the nature of their edgy sport.

Final Words

The Olympics are a source of adrenaline, national pride, and athletic ambitions. At the same time, poorly thought-out competitive elements can be tricky to integrate into a global event. The risks and benefits must be considered while proposing a sport to be the next Olympic headline. Most importantly, we, as the viewers, should be wise in selecting which games we would like to see and which players we would like to compete in such tournaments.