CAMEROONIAN WRESTLERS AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM 1980 TO Joseph Blaise Nonga Nonga and Bienvenu Binyame

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1 International Journal of Wrestling Science ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: CAMEROONIAN WRESTLERS AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM 1980 TO 2016 Joseph Blaise Nonga Nonga and Bienvenu Binyame Published online: 22 Aug To cite this article: Joseph Blaise Nonga Nonga and Bienvenu Binyame (2018) Cameroonian Wrestlers at the Olympic Games and World Championships From 1980 to International Journal of Wrestling Science, 8: Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at

2 CAMEROONIAN WRESTLERS AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM 1980 TO 2016 Joseph Blaise Nonga Nonga 1, Bienvenu Binyame 1 1 Senior Sport and Physical Education Teacher for Training and Performance, Douala, Cameroon Corresponding author: Joseph Blaise Nonga Nonga Lycée Technique Douala Koumassi, PO Box 149, Douala, Cameroon josefblaiznonganonga@gmail.com Abstract: The study aims to show the incidence of participation of Cameroonian wrestlers in international events (Olympics Games and World championships) in the development of Olympic wrestling styles in Cameroon, and the level of Cameroonian wrestler s performances. The Cameroonian wrestlers participating in Olympic and world championships from 1980 to 2016 were identified through the use of the United World Wrestling (UWW) Database. The main results show that: The rate of participation of Cameroonian wrestlers in international events is just an indicator (between many others) of the development of Olympics wrestling styles in Cameroon. Due to many factors, the participation of Cameroonian wrestlers in the Olympic Games and world championships between 1980 and 2016, cannot gauge the performance level of Cameroonians wrestlers reliably, but it enables us to see the increasing participation of Cameroonian female wrestlers in international competition, and also the lagging participation of Cameroonian male wrestlers (freestyle and Greco-Roman). INTRODUCTION Africa is considered as the cradle of humanity, many civilizations have emerged there (Egyptian, Nubian...), and wrestling has always been a part of many of the practices and African customs. Since the dawn of time, the African acquired and internalized wrestling in their way of life. Disputes and various conflicts have been settled through wrestling. In some societies, the wrestlers were held as a separate caste and enjoyed a certain prestige. Many archaeological findings give testimony to the existence of wrestling on the continent. The tombs of Beni Hassan in Egypt are an excellent example, and are widely known in wrestling. The Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa (see Figure 1). In Cameroon, wrestling in its simplest form (traditional wrestling), is a common activity that fills traditional ceremonies, funerals, festivals, and popular festivities (Tchomo, 1994; Badji, Nlong, & Rubio, 1990). Figure 1. Location of Cameroon on the African Continent (Wikipedia Common Access) Cameroon, according to a study by Nlong (1989), is divided into six large areas of traditional wrestling (see fig. 2). These six wrestling concentrations, and the tribes practicing wrestling are: Coastal: Bassa, Douala, Bakoko, Pongo, Ewodi, Malimba, Abo, Mbo Southwest: Bakweri, Bakossi, Banyague. Center 1: Eton, Ewondo. Center 2: Bassa, Bafia, Banen South: Bulu, Batanga. Far North: Massa, Toupouri, Mousgoum Figure 2. Traditional Wrestling Regions in Cameroon South: Bulu International Journal of Wrestling Science 2013; Vol 8 Issue 1 Page 83

3 Traditional wrestling in their playful form are secular in Cameroon, with some style differences from one region to another. In the Littoral (coastal) region, among the Bassa tribe, wrestling is called Massing, in Douala and Malimba, the Pongo, Mbo, Abo tribes call it Besua (Nonga, 2016). Victory is obtained as soon as the opponent is thrown down to the ground, regardless of the part of the body which touches the ground. On the other hand, the Bakweri (Southwest region) wrestle low, taking support on the ground with one or both hands during the stance and approach, and victory is achieved when the opponent is forced to touch the ground with the trunk. In addition to traditional styles of wrestling, international (Olympic) wrestling appeared in Cameroon in the 1970s, including freestyle wrestling (FS), Greco-Roman wrestling (GR), and freestyle wrestling for women (FW) (Andrei, 1998). Since 1974, the date of the creation of the Cameroonian wrestling federation, the rise of Olympic styles has experienced mixed fortunes, with Cameroon wrestlers participating in major events of international wrestling since 1980 (Ebot, 2000; Nonga Nonga, 2008) PROBLEM: This study examines the participation of Cameroonian wrestlers in the Olympics Games and World Championships, and thus, the problem of development of Olympic wrestling styles in Cameroon and the performance of the Cameroonian wrestlers on the international stage from 1970 to Cameroonian wrestlers, licensed by the international governing body of wrestling, United World Wrestling (UWW) and who took part in world Championships ( ) and / or Olympics between 1980 and 2016, were identified through the United World Wrestling Database and are shown in tables 1 and 2. Table 1. Cameroonian Wrestlers in the Olympic Games of 1980 to 2016 Olympic Games Year Number Name Weight Class Moscow Los Angeles Seoul Barcelona Style Manga Victor Kede 62 FS Victor Kolaïgue 68 FS Ndock Zachée 82 FS Jean Claude Biloa 90 FS Bineli Boucard 100 FS Simon Nkondog 57 FS Pascal Segning 62 FS Manga Victor Kede 68 FS Houkreo Bambe 74 FS Barthelemy Nto 82 FS Jean Manga 74 GR/FS Barthelemy Nto 82 GR/FS Jean Baptiste Youmbi 90 GR/FS Yinga François 62 FS Atlanta Avom Anthony Mbume 74 FS Sydney Athens Beijing Ali Annabelle Laure 75 FW London Ali Annabelle Laure Rio de Janeiro Essombe Tiako Joseph 53 FW Ali Annabelle Laure 75 FW Page 84 Official Journal of the International Network of Wrestling Researchers (INWR)

4 Table 2: Cameroonian Wrestlers at the World Wrestling Championships World Championship Year Number Name Weight Class Style Ankara Mpia Endjam Isaac 97 FS Sofia/Patras Teheran/Moscow/Chaldika New York Djoumessi Alain Gabriel 96 FS Budapest Guangzhou Baku Tokyo (LF) Herning Moscow 2010 Istanbul Ndive Molua Henri Moky 55 FS Onanena Maluma Hugues 120 FS Djoumessi Roméo 74 FS Strathcona County (LF) Budapest Tashkent Las Vegas Yewah Bebeto Yepmo 65 FS DISCUSSION: Table 1 lists Cameroonian wrestlers having participated in Summer Olympic Games from 1980 to It shows that Cameroonian wrestlers took part in 7 out of the 10 Olympics (70%). Table 2 lists Cameroonian wrestlers who took part to the World Wrestling Championships since 1999 (date of the first participation of Cameroon). It shows that in these 15 championships ( ), the Cameroonian wrestlers made 11 appearances (73%). The average number of participating wrestlers is wrestlers per year. Figures 3 and 4, on the other hand show the significant difference in the evolution that exists between women's wrestling (FW) and men's styles (FS, GR). For the Olympic Games, the following observations were made: 1) A net regression in male participation since 1996; 2) The significant increase in women's participation since Participation in the world championships is more erratic, however, there is some regularity in female wrestling participation compared to male styles since PARTICIPANTS OLYMPIC YEAR Figure 3. Participation of Cameroonian Men and Women Wrestlers in the Olympics Games Men International Journal of Wrestling Science 2013; Vol 8 Issue 1 Page 85

5 3 PARTICIPANTS YEAR Men Women Figure 4. Participation of Cameroonian Men and Women Wrestlers in the World Championships We pose the following questions: Is participation of Cameroonian wrestlers in the Olympic Games and World Championships an indicator of Olympics Wrestling development level in Cameroon? Is the Cameroonian wrestler s performance level related to their participation in the World Championships and the Olympic Games? We cannot respond in the affirmative because many factors come into play. Among these are the low number of licensed athletes, the multiplicity of traditional styles practiced in Cameroon, the political will, the availability of logistics means (material and financial), the level of practice of Olympic s styles (FS, GR, FW), certification and qualification of coaches, the lack of a plan for development of wrestling programs. These factors raise many other questions which should be topics for further other studies. What is the cause of the poor rate, in terms of African wrestling teams, participating to the Olympic Games and the World Championships? Does the Cameroonian wrestler s level of performance allow them to participate to the Olympics games and the World Championships? Are the participation criteria for the Olympics games and world championships attainable to Cameroonian wrestlers and therefore, other African wrestlers? Does the lack of financial means and adapted equipment create a major obstacle to the participation of a larger number of Cameroonian wrestlers in international competitions? Does Sports policy in Cameroon affect s the participation of Cameroonian wrestlers at the Olympic games? In light of the results of our analysis, it is clear that the he participation rate of the Cameroonian wrestlers in international competitions is only one measure among many others in the development of Olympic wrestling in Cameroon. The participation of Cameroonian wrestlers (all styles and genders combined) in the World Championships and the Olympic Games cannot alone permit us to gauge the level of performance of Cameroonian wrestlers, because in Cameroon, this participation is generally dependent on Government policy (Ministry of Sports and Physical Education) who sets the teams and budgets allocated to the Cameroonian wrestling federation (FECALUTTES) for international competitions. According to our participation data, Cameroonian male wrestlers are more absent at the Olympics than female in this few years, but more regular to the world Championships since However, in female wrestling, the trend of participation in both events is quite consistent, and since the introduction of women's wrestling at the Olympic Games, the participation of men has decreased. REFERENCES Andrei, SI, Degtyareva, Y.I. (1998) New types of physical activity among women - Need of the Hour. Theory and practice of physical culture. 1998, 2, Badji, A., Nlong, N. Rubio, F. (1990). Manuel de lutte africaine 1990 Octobre Dakar, Ebot A. A. (2000). Problems of wrestling practice in Cameroon: the case of «Bakweriland», Culture, Mémoire, Yaoundé, Nlong N. (1989). Fécaluttes, quinze ans de contribution à la lutte, Histoire de la lutte au Cameroun, Imprimerie nationale, Douala. Nonga Nonga, J.B: (2016). Besua presentation, INWR, 2016 (The wrestling tradition in Africa: From the distant past, its widespread presence today and the challenges it faces in the future. Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA, January 5, 2015) Retrieved from Nonga Nonga, J.B (2008) L enseignement de la lutte en milieu scolaire : un facteur de développement de la maîtrise des conduites psychomotrices, Education Physique, Monograph, Yaoundé Page 86 Official Journal of the International Network of Wrestling Researchers (INWR)

6 Tchomo (1994) Sport et culture : influence des pratiques culturelles sur la performance des sportifs : Cas de la lutte chez les Toupouri du Mayo Danay, Anthropologie du sport, Mémoire, National Institute of Youth and Sports, Yaoundé. pp 6-14 United World Wrestling Database. International Journal of Wrestling Science 2013; Vol 8 Issue 1 Page 87