ANALYSIS
GOVERNING BODY , THE SENEGALESE WRESTLING FEDERATION , COORDINATING THE ACTIVITIES OF MORE THAN 4000 REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS .
THERE ARE HOWEVER MORE THAN 100 , 000 ASPIRING OR AMATEUR WRESTLERS IN THE COUNTRY , WHO ARE HOPING TO LIVE THE NEW DREAM , WHICH MANY YOUNG MEN ARE CHASING LIKE THOSE WISHING TO PLAY PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL .
“ IN THE PAST , BEING A WRESTLER OR TRAINING TO BECOME A WRESTLER WAS SYNONYMOUS TO FAILURE IN LIFE , OR A LACK OF AMBITION . IT HAD NO FINANCIAL REWARD , NO FAME , AND MOST OF THEM RETIRED WRETCHED . HOWEVER , THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE 1990S FOLLOWING THE INVOLVEMENT OF TOP PROMOTERS WHO HAVE INVESTED HEAVILY IN THE SPORT ,” MALICK SARR , EDITOR AT STATE BROADCASTER RTS , TOLD AFRICAN SPORTS MONTHLY .
“ A MINIMUM OF THREE TO FIVE YEARS OF CONSTANT PRACTICE IS NEEDED FOR PROPER DEVELOPMENT . THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT IS EQUILIBRIUM AND THAT TAKES PLACE IN BOTH LEGS , BECAUSE THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE SPORT IS TO THROW THE OPPONENT TO THE GROUND BY LIFTING HIM UP AND OVER , USUALLY OUTSIDE THE COMBAT AREA .
“ TODAY , THE TOP PERFORMING WRESTLERS ARE AS POPULAR AS THE LIKES OF SADIO MANÉ ( LIVERPOOL WINGER ) AND KALIDOU KOULIBALY ( NAPOLI DEFENDER ) ACROSS THE COUNTRY . EVERY PREGNANT WOMAN WISHES TO HAVE A WRESTLER SON . EVERY YOUNG GIRL DREAMS OF MARRYING OR DATING A WRESTLER .”
“ IF THE LEGS ARE FIRM AND WELL FIXED TO THE GROUND IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR AN OPPONENT TO TOPPLE YOU . MANY PEOPLE THINK ALL YOU NEED IS A FAT CHEST AND HUGE ARMS BUT THE LEGS ARE FUNDAMENTAL ,” HE TOLD ASM .
SENEGALESE WRESTLING ALLOWS BLOWS WITH THE HANDS AS WELL AS WITHOUT BLOWS , MOSTLY PRACTICED DURING INTERNATIONAL FIGHTS . SINCE THE 1990S , BOTH FORMS ARE AUTHORIZED , DEPENDING ON THE STATUS OF THE MEETING . TECHNIQUES
HOWEVER , BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL WRESTLER IS NO JOKE . IT TAKES TIME , HARD WORK AND MOSTLY , DIFFICULT PHYSICAL EXERCISES TO BUILD UP MUSCLES , STRENGTH , STAMINA AND EQUILIBRIUM , ACCORDING TO MOUSSA DIALLO , A FORMER WRESTLING COACH .
BUT , GENERALLY , TOP FIGHTERS , WHO ARE USUALLY BETWEEN 6-FOOT-5-INCH , 265-POUND AND 6-FOOT-2-INCH , 330-POUND , APPLY THEIR KNOWLEDGE FROM JUDOKA , BOXING , GRECO- ROMAN WRESTLING AND OLYMPIC WRESTLING , MAKING IT A VERY COMPLEX SPORT , AND SOMETIMES RESULTING IN INCOMPREHENSION IN ARBITRARY DECISIONS . THE RULES ARE NOT KNOWN TO EVERY FIGHTER NOT TO TALK OF FANS .
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