The Tug of war is a test of strength where tow teams go up against each other. Although this is a recognised Olympic sport it will not be on the agenda in the 2012 London Olympics. It is a pity because I can see this as being a lot of fun to watch.
It is thought to have started a long, long time ago. Evidence is found in countries like Egypt, India, Myanmar and New Guinea. The origin of the game in India has strong archaeological roots going back at least to the 12th Century AD. The origins of Tug of War are clouded in mystery, but it is beyond dispute that this royal sport was practised in ancient Egypt and China.
The rules are quite simple - two teams of eight, whose total mass must not exceed a maximum weight determined for the class, align themselves at the end of a rope (approximately 10 centimetres in circumference). The rope is marked with a "centre line" and two markings for meters either side of the centre line. The teams start with the rope's centre line directly above a line marked on the ground, and once the contest (the "pull") has commenced, attempt to pull the other team such that the marking on the rope closest to their opponent crosses the centre line, or the opponents commit a foul (such as a team member sitting or falling down).
I guess there is a lot more skill than brute strength. I used to be in our Tug of war team at school.
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