This was justified, first of all, by printed literature, scientific publications and the way of preparing participants of various tournaments and competitions. At the same time, without special training, it was impossible to win a competition like the World or European championship. But this was not enough, we started to hold the competitions at special tables that had the specified sizes and standards. Nevertheless, I was faced with the fact that many people considered our sports discipline as a beer entertainment. Even now, those who after visiting our Worlds', different tournaments and competitions, are perplexed, how could entertainment, taken out of bars, became a sport discipline? Yes, it took years. During these 15 years that I'm in armwrestling, I had to fight both organizational issues and a stamp of bar entertainment from people who are bred poorly. It will take many more years to change the mentality of the common man forever. But how can this be done?
The question, first of all, to the organizers of tournaments and competitions. Many of you, without losing time, come to the owners of entertainment establishments and offer their services and fun, and this is good and bad at the same time. It's good for those who like to fight, because for wrestling lovers any competition is always a holiday and bad for sports, because the sporting event still has to take place in the gym, or at least in the place where the different ways take place sport events. I do not want to say this as a reproach, but the fact of our appearance in the bar convinces ordinary people that it's all fun, not sport. But worst of all, when we are broadcasted from the bar on TV. Since there is no stable audience at the moment, we will not get many fans fighting in such place.
You will say that there is no difference, the most important is television. I'll say that there is a difference, and it's huge. Look, as an example, on disciplines that have a strong reputation and a wide audience in the media. For me, a classic example of media skills are WWE (World Wrestling Entertaiment) or UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). You will say that these are very spectacular sports and we are far from them. Yes, quite right, they are untwisted. How did they do it? I will answer you, and you think for yourself.
Wrestling was popular in Mexico, and it is still, but it will not reach the heights of world glory, such as WWE. Do you know why? Because wrestling is looked at by drunk people in beer bars, where in the middle is a ring. There are stars there, but nobody knows about them except for a certain circle of people. What did WWE do to popularize in the project? It's simple. All their projects aimed at children and young people under the age of 18, in short to those who come with their parents to huge stadiums, buying popcorn and Coca-Cola. At the same time, the whole family is happy with the event and applauds. WWE contestants are real stars of the show program, and some - and TV screens, and that things look ridiculous to us, but for the whole industry are big money and glory!
Everything is completely different, but with the same effect for PR at the UFC. They were difficult and even sold out several times, but they achieved their success at the expense of real perseverance and labor, moving away from the sign of "fights without rules". Europe afraid of it before 2002-2005. The guys from the UFC put first of all on sports and won. What do they have from this, we all know very well ... So how do we need to develop our sport discipline to call it sport, not beer entertainment?
The answer arises. We do not have blood and beatings. We can train at the age of 10 years and up to infinity. We have men and women classes. Now we are developing para-sports and in the near future we will see these athletes at the Paralympic Games. I put on youth and the development of sports, were young people will choose their idols. If TV comes to our events, be sure to say that we have a sport, and not abeer tournament. It is impossible to allowmedia and society to attach to the armwrestling a label of amusement again. We still have a long road to success, so how could we lose what we have achieved with hard work, pushing ourselves into bars?
Igor Mazurenko