I read it all with extreme sadness, with the feeling of a true tragedy. I have to agree with him right away. 'We have to put an end to this!'

Unfortunately!

I am certain that we can't put an end to it, actually. We can't even make it less severe, make it somehow 'human'. The snowball effect is already taking over all of this. If armwrestlers threaten other armwrestlers, then even when they calm down a little, they will keep on threatening, just with less severe consequences. They threaten to take lives now and will threaten to break your arms later. This is insane!

Maybe we should try a different approach?

„If you can't beat them, join them,” says common wisdom. I don't recommend joining people who rule this ban festival; I'd rather you looked at what's inevitable from a different perspective.

We were and always will be divided! It's good to just accept it and understand how modern sports work.

Organizers of commercial sports events are 'producers' and the events are 'products' – from the perspective of economy, of course. Let's compare 'sports products' with concerts, trade fairs and other commercial events. The producer creates shows, for example theatre plays. They put together ideas, talents and hard work of many people, then gets a 'product' and sells it to spectators.

It doesn't matter what kind of event is the 'product'. From a business perspective, it doesn't matter at all.

The producer chooses their own contractors. Those who are available and work with their vision. It's important to note that they don't have to explain their choices to anyone. For most contracts, there is an exclusivity agreement attached. For example, „you can only work for me for a year and nobody else in the meantime”. Contractors often negotiate, so there can be exceptions, but generally this is the universal truth for event contracts.

Why do we want sports to be different?

I know!

You're sports people, so sport is a monument for you, an idea that you chase with hard work. Sports mean 'fair play' always and forever, sports are the Olympics, the fire, relay, flags, anthems, pride, intense emotions. Am I right? I know I am. But it wasn't that way for most of humanity.

The Olympics in ancient Greece were a commercial festival where they threw the discus, ran miles but also sold souvenirs and someone earned from it. Medieval knight tournaments were also sport events but with the addition of 'multifunctional fairs'. Sport events have always been a 'product' to sell. Since they were products, they had to follow rules, the law, regulations and... freedom!

Host freedom! Free competition!

Baron Pierre de Coubertin brought back the Olympics in 1896...

The new Olympics were also a product but of poor commercial value. The first organizer had to notably chime in to bring his idea to life. But the idea itself flourished.

At the beginning of the 20^th century, small national federations of different sports started to come alive. Then came international organizations. National, continental and international competitions arose. Meanwhile, two types of sport emerged: amateur and professional.

This is what the current world looks life – a world full of illusions. Professionals pretend to be amateurs, amateurs pretend to be professionals, the public looks and believes, and above all: pays.

In my opinion, this won't change. There's nobody above us, no institution that could possibly regulate all of this. Especially since the ban issue is an international problem.

We're all arguing with a wall right now.

'If you can't beat them, join them!'

Is that all we have left to do?

There's one more solution! Let's distance ourselves from it. There are different 'organizations', different 'producers' and let's allow it to go the way it's going now. We, who take pride in fair play, don't want to be associated with this unfair behaviour, don't want to fight, don't let ourselves get provoked.

Let's say it once again! We're sports people, trainers, referees, organizers; this is our passion. And this is why we should act with elegance, in a civilized way, so that our passion can bring us closer to people we like and respect, beside sports-related feelings and emotions.

It's possible to stumble upon two bars at one street. One is very loud because they're used to it, the other is more quiet and calm because they prefer it that way.

There's a choice!

All the best while waiting for the Championships.

PeSzy (KaszaBibiszon)

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