Banning wrestling?

Press, 30 August 1989, Page 17

Banning wrestling?

Over the last few months there has been a lot of indignant squawking from “concerned parents” about the effects of the television programme, “Superstars of Wrestling.” This show, which appears in a very late time slot, is apparently encouraging hundreds of little darlings to emulate their heroes. Gaily they take on their mates in the playground, wrestling them with abandon and applying neck crunching holds.

This, not surprisingly, causes injuries. The answer for these “concerned parents” appears to be banning the programme from the air altogether — which seems a little drastic and more than a little ridiculous.

First, the programme is deliberately slotted after most of these young would-be wrestlers should be in bed. If they are not in bed that is no concern of the Broadcasting Corporation. Nor is it the concern of any other grown-up who has the perfect right to watch this programme, for reasons best known to him or herself, without all this parental drama. Many months ago one reporter bravely inquired of an anxious mother why

she did not simply turn the television off. “Oh that’s no use,” she said, “he’d just switch it on again.” The “he” was aged eight.

If her control over her eight-year-old is so limited I would venture that his watching “Superstars of Wrestling” is the least of her problems. The excuses go on: “They tape it and watch it later.” Who tapes it? What is to stop the parent from putting the video in a locked cabinet, turning off the video, confiscating the tape, or simply exercising a little parental authority?

I find it hard to believe that buying a supply of blank video tapes is within the means of most school children.

If those same “concerned parents” feel so strongly about the whole deal, locking the tele-

vision, video and tapes in a cabinet for adult use only seems a small price to pay for peace of mind. After all, they presumably do the same with household cleaners and poisons. This may be inconvenient, but that is the price you pay for raising children who treat your right to have the last word on matters concerning their welfare with derision rather than respect — and no television programme ever made is responsible for that.

While I do not downgrade the seriousness of a small child possibly crippled for life after participating in an amateur wrestling bout, banning the sport from public view seems totally over the top. Using that theory we could also kiss all contact sports away, including our beloved, and very dangerous game of rugby. If I were a parent unable to stop my child from watching, and then emulating a sport which could put him, and others, in a very real danger, the last thing I would be doing is telling the media. It is one thing to know in your heart that your children think your authority is a joke, it is entirely another to tell the world.