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    Emil Lazarian
  • 8 years ago
    • Categories: 2018

Sports: In One Shot: Armenia’s Greco-Roman wrestlers in 1928

MediaMax, Armenia
In One Shot: Armenia’s Greco-Roman wrestlers in 1928

The older the photograph, the more intriguing the story behind it is, as a rule.

Unfortunately, not every story can be uncovered even by a thorough investigation.

That is the case for the heroes of this edition of In One Shot.

This photograph is kept in the Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture, but no one can tell the story.

We know that the picture was made in 1928, when Armenia was settling into the Soviet Union and local wrestling lovers tried to liven up the country’s sport life.

The photograph depicts one of the Greco-Roman wrestling groups, which were active in Yerevan at that time. Since the modern version of Greco-Roman wrestling was born in France, it is called “French” sometimes. In 1928, the wrestling teams in Yerevan used that name for the sport.

Emil Lazarian: “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS