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Sand Wrestling: A Long History and a Bright Future

 

By Robbert Wijtman

 

Wrestling on dirt or sand has been done since the beginning. Before Catch wrestlers fought in hay-covered barns and Jujitsuka trained on hemp mats, men fought for positions of power in the dirt. Ancient Olympians wrestled in a sand pit. The olive oil, anointed on their bodies before battle, picked up the sand, making their grips and holds tighter and more painful. Before the advent of “the pin”, the battle was to the death. The sand in the pit often playing a part. The story of Abraham Lincoln challenging a rival for the position of commander of the Illinois volunteers by wrestling in the dirt is well known and taught in American schools as part of American history. Battles in the dirt are at the core of many indigenous styles.

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Sand wrestling has a long tradition in India. Kushti is the general term for traditional Indian pit wrestling. Pahlweni is a style that combines elements of Koshti pahlevani, a Persian wrestling style introduced to India in the 5th century BC, and Malia-yuddha, the ancient Indian wrestling style that existed before the invasion. Gatta gusthi is a style of submission wrestling contested in a godha, or an open sand area. 

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In many parts of India, the sport is considered divine. Akharas, or academies, often have Hanuman, the many-armed monkey deity, as a guardian of the pehlwans, or students. The ustad, or masters, may also be the Pujari or Swamis and, perhaps, a Guru. A Pujari or a Swami is a Hindu priest. Guru is the Sanskrit word for mentor, expert, or master. It often refers to a leader with a high level of wisdom and spiritual knowledge. They play a vital role in Hindu society. The sport and training are integrated into their society.

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Senegal's national sport is a traditional form of sand wrestling called Laamb, in Wolof, the national language of Senegal. It is also practiced in Gambia, where it is called Boreh. It is also fought in other parts of West Africa. It differs from other styles of sand wrestling in that it allows hand strikes. The sport is officially called Lutte avec frappe, which means wrestling with striking. Sand wrestling has a strong tradition with the Serer people of west-central Senegal, where it was known as Njion. The sport, as battle training, dates back to pre-colonial times. The Dinka people of South Sudan are known to engage in a style very similar to it; however, strikes are not allowed.

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The Senegalese wrestlers are very superstitious, and many perform “good luck” rituals before matches. Common to these rituals are behaviors such as rubbing a foot on a particular stone to increase the fighter's balance or rubbing oils on themselves to ward off evil and bring "the good luck". Currently, there is a struggle in Senegal with young athletes dropping out of school to pursue their national sport. It is the lure of money, fed by widespread betting on the matches, that young kids dream of. It is a quick way out of the poverty that many of them find themselves in. It has reached the point that Lutte avec frappe heroes and stars have made public service announcements telling children to stay in school and get an education.

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Beach wrestling is the modern, UWW-endorsed version of sand wrestling. As an event, it was introduced in the 1990s as an aside to a few tournaments for wrestlers who were no longer competing. Two weight classes were established: big and little guys. The medals tended to be sand dollars of descending size.

The first FILA-registered event was the ASICS 2005 East Coast Beach Nationals held in Long Beach, N.Y. On August 12, 2005. The rules have been revised several times. The current set of rules was enacted in 2015.

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Here is a summary of the current rules adopted by the 2015 UWW Congress on Beach Wrestling:

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The competition lasts 3 minutes in the standing position, without a break. Using legs is allowed for scoring against the opponent wrestler. The attacking wrestler can instantaneously put one knee down and perform any action. However, if that act is unsuccessful (i.e., no points are scored), then 1 point is awarded to the opponent wrestler. If one wrestler scores 3 or more points, the match ends earlier. If the match ends with a score of 1:1 or 2:2, the wrestler who scored the last point is declared the winner. If the match ends 0:0, the wrestler with the lower weight is declared the winner. If both wrestlers have the same weight, the athlete with the lower number in the sortition is declared the winner. Each wrestler can use the medical services for a maximum of 2 minutes during the match. Athletes who compete in the respective round should be on the competition field for a maximum of 2 minutes.

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At the UWW African Beach Wrestling Championships in Dakar, Senegal, in 2024, 103 wrestlers from 33 countries competed in 4 men's and 4 women's weight classes.

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Beach wrestling has much to offer as a combative sport. The rules are very simple to understand. The combative area is simple to set up. The combat can be held inside or outside. Beach wrestling, as the modern adaptation of sand wrestling, inherits a long history and a bright future.

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By growing the sport in countries that are underrepresented in the Olympics, such as those in Africa, Beach wrestling will help secure a spot in future Olympics. Beach wrestling is currently an event in the Youth Olympics.