News

Oldest Sports in the World

Published

4 years ago

May 11, 2021

Editor

Ever wondered which sport is the oldest in whole human history ? We dig deep and managed to the top 10 sports which are officially the oldest sports in the world.

#1. Wrestling

Just like prostitution is the oldest profession, Wrestling is widely considered the oldest sport in the world. Wrestling infects is the documented evidence unlike some of the other oldest sports listed on this page. Here are some details about the history of Wrestling.

A “fragment of papyrus” which reportedly dates back between 100 and 200 A.D has the instructions about how to wrestle. The text is in the greek language and the word “pleckson” is used several times which is translated to “fight it out” in English. The document was discovered back in the 1800s in Egypt.
That is not the only document evidence, there have been many dates back to different times but the one mentioned above is certainly the oldest ever found. So there is little doubt that Wresting is certainly the oldest sport known to man.
It has evolved over the centuries of course and it was part of the Olympics as the first set of sports in the era between 800 to 1200 BC. P
While Professional wrestling circuits were first introduced in Paris, France in the 1830s.
Today Wrestling is not only an Olympic sport but a full-fledged professional career and widely regarded as one of the most popular and top sports in the world.

#2. Running & Long Jump

Running is the World’s most accessible sport and it always has been even now. Running universal human physical expression and it should not come as surprise that along with wrestling Running is the oldest sport. Here are some points about running as a sport.

Running was the only sport in the first-ever recorded Olympics held in Athens back in 776 BCE.
While competitive running was in modern times is recorded back to 1829 BCE.
Running as a sport as many disciplines in the Olympics, with slightly different requirements such as marathon, sprint, long jumping and hurdling, etc

#3. Javelin & Discuss Throw

A very interesting sport that is still very popular in the modern Olympics, Javelin Throwing is a track and field sport and it dates back to the ancient Olympics in 708 bc. Here are details about the historic transition of the sport to modern Javelin throwing.

A couple of disciplines likes distance and target throw were part of the sport in the artifacts found which dates back to ancient Olympics in the era of 708s.
In the 1870s Poles used as Javelin now were introduced in Germany and Sweden and by the next decade, it became a yearly national event in Sweden and Finland. no wonder 50% of the medals awarded in modern Olympics to date went to athletes from Scandinavian countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway.
In the 1890s some rule changes were introduced like limited run-ups before throwing instead of standing throws.
It was introduced in the modern Olympics in 1906 while for women it was introduced in the 1932 Olympics.

#4. Polo

Polo is a team game which is played on horses. It’s a bit like Hockey the difference of course being played on horses back where both teams try to outscore each other by putting “small wooden ball” in the goal.

Polo origins date back to the peak of the Persian empire in central Asia it is believed that Persian emperors used to learn horse riding at a very early age and used to play a sport that would later go on to be known as Polo.

316 AD is the documented evidence about sport like Polo in the Persian empire. While the modern game with rules and regulations was developed in India during the time of the British empire and the first Polo club dates back to 1833 in India.

#5. Boxing

Boxing is a combat sport and one of the most popular combat sport in the world. It has a long and illustrious history in modern times. While historically speaking “fist fightïng” as a sport has evidence from 2nd and 3rd Millenium BC but the fist fighting with hand protection is believed to be in existence from 900 bc to 1500 bc. Romans also had Boxing sport with leather thong wrapped around the hands but in Roman-era boxing was more of a fight till death so strange to call it a sport.

While fist fighting as a sport with rules and regulations can be found in England with “bare-knuckle fighting” in 1681. Boxing’s first rules dates back to 1743 with introduction of 30 second count, no hitting while opponent is down etc.

But from 17th to 18th century fist fighting or boxing sort sport were widely considered illegitimate and there werent many rulings. Amature boxing was introduce in Olympics in 1908, that kind gave new life to boxing with weigh-division rules coming into play at the same time.

So with young boxers fighting in amateur events and Olympics, they would go down to become professional fighters later in their careers ultimately developing better skills of boxing helping to improve the standard. Now boxing is one of the most popular sports in the world.

#6. Gymnastic

Gymnastic is originated from ancient greek and at the beginning, it was a set of training methods deployed for military training but as a sport, its history is not much known from ancient times.

As far as modern Gymnastics is concerned it dates back to the late 18th century when two physical educators from Germany developed and exercise from boys using “apparatus” it would later go on to become a sporting event quickly spread across Europe and then the world.

The international federation for Gymnastic was established in 1891 while it was introduced as a sport with several events for both men and women in 1896.

#7. Football/Soccer

Football sort sports have been played since early centuries from 200 to 300 bc according to FIFA FIFA (The world governing body of football). In medieval times loads of games involving “Ball” were played around Europe and some of them were pretty much like football. A game called “mob football” was played in England in the 10th century but the number of players included was unlimited. Football sort sport was continued to be played around Europe and especially in England and that is where the modern rules/codes were formed when football was played in the schools in England.

The Sheffield FC is the oldest professional football club which was formed in 1857 and soon after that football modern rules were introduced and the first professional cup competition now known as FA Cup started.

#9. Hurling

Hurling has been played in Ireland for over 3000 years making it one of the oldest sport in the world. It is a team game which is played with a stick called “Hurley” and the ball “sliotar”. The objective is to score goals into the opposing goalposts with the use of the stick. Unlike some of the other sport listed here, Hurling has a documented history and it is very popular in Ireland.

#10. Field Hockey

A game pretty similar to field hockey can be traced back to ancient greek were some of the graphics discovered show paintings of people playing some sport with a curved stick/Horne and ball. The modern hockey rules were invented in England by the Middlesex cricket club in the last 19th century and it spread to British colonies In Australia, Africa, and the sub-continent. International hockey federations were established and hockey was included in the Olympics in 1908.

Football

Heritage Derby Trophy Goes to Hameed Al Husseinie College

Published

1 week ago

August 12, 2025

Editor

Colombo – Hameed Al Husseinie College emerged victorious in the prestigious Heritage Derby Trophy football encounter against Zahira College, Maradana, securing a 3–1 win at the Colombo Racecourse grounds yesterday.

The match kicked off under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, adding special significance to this annual football rivalry.

Hameed Al Husseinie College took control early, leading 2–0 at halftime before sealing the victory with a third goal in the second half. Zahira College managed to pull one back, but it was not enough to challenge the dominant performance of the winners.

The trophy presentation was held soon after the final whistle, with the principals of both schools — Rizvi Marikkar of Zahira College and Mrs. Dain of Hameed Al Husseinie College — present to witness the celebrations.

This latest victory adds another chapter to the rich history of the Heritage Derby, further cementing Hameed Al Husseinie College’s reputation in school football.

Football

Exclusive: AFC Fines Sri Lankan Footballer Over “Free Palestine” Message

Published

3 weeks ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Colombo – June 13
Sri Lankan national footballer Mohamed Thilham, who recently made headlines after displaying a “PRAY FOR FREE PALESTINE” message on his undershirt during post-match celebrations, has now been officially penalized by international football authorities.

Following Sri Lanka’s 3-1 victory over Chinese Taipei in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers on June 10 at the Colombo Racecourse Stadium, Thilham—a non-playing substitute—unveiled the message, drawing both praise and criticism from various quarters.

⚠️ AFC Sanctions Player with USD 2,000 Fine

FIFA, in coordination with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), has now issued a formal disciplinary notice to the player, imposing a USD 2,000 fine. This letter, according to sources within the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL), was sent addressing to Thilham, underscoring AFC stance on politically charged expressions at official matches.

According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Code, players are prohibited from displaying political, religious, or personal slogans during matches or official ceremonies. While Thilham’s gesture occurred after the final whistle, FIFA and AFC treat any action within the stadium environment as part of official conduct.

⚽ FFSL Under Scrutiny for Disciplinary Action

FFSL President Jaswar Umar previously stated that the act “was not authorized by the federation” and “violates international football disciplinary norms.” He also confirmed that the FFSL would take internal disciplinary action against the player.

However, this incident has reignited public debate over the role of athletes in social advocacy and the limits imposed by international sports law. While some supporters see Thilham’s actions as courageous and morally driven, others have raised concerns about the player’s career stability and future opportunities under increasing scrutiny.

📝 Editorial Insight

At Sri Lankan Sports TV, we initially chose to withhold the content of the message in our match coverage—out of responsibility to the player’s career and to respect global sports protocol. However, the message went viral after several social media users circulated the full image, seemingly with the intention of sparking controversy.

The resulting spotlight has unfortunately led to a formal penalty, underscoring the real-world consequences that athletes may face when international regulations intersect with personal conviction.

Football

Part 2: FIFA Funds Squandered – Inside the Financial Collapse of Sri Lanka Football

Published

4 weeks ago

July 25, 2025

Editor

In continuation of Sri Lankan Sports TV’s exclusive coverage of the Kusala Sarojini Inquiry Report, this feature focuses on the financial irregularities uncovered within the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL)—which played a central role in the nation’s football crisis.

The Special Inquiry Committee, chaired by Retired High Court Judge Mrs. Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena, exposes how over a decade of misusing FIFA and AFC development funds directly contributed to the collapse of Sri Lankan football.

“It could be observed that financial procedure which follows proper methodology has not been maintained in the Football Federation of Sri Lanka since before 2014.”
— FIFA Sri Lanka Inquiry Report (2023)

Millions in Global Funding – Little to Show on the Pitch

Between 2018 and 2022, the FFSL received consistent international grants, including:

USD 500,000 annually from FIFA
USD 500,000 annually from the AFC
USD 100,000 annually for equipment purchases
USD 200,000 for air tickets for international competitions
COVID emergency funding during 2021 and 2022

However, the report confirms that most of these funds were misused or misappropriated, with little to no investment in grassroots development or player welfare.

“Although FFSL had a Chartered Accountant, the financial powers were concentrated among elected officials, and payments were made without transparency, contrary to proper accounting practices.”
— Sri Lanka Inquiry Report, p. 10

Highlights of Financial Mismanagement

Ticket Scandals & Undocumented Spending

Rs. 16 million was spent on 230 Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 tickets, but:
- No records of buyers
- No receipts
- No profits to FFSL
Rs. 12 million paid for footballs that were never delivered; transaction done via WhatsApp—no contract or supplier identified

“Not only were proper procurement methods not followed, in many cases there was no documentation at all.”
— Inquiry Committee

Reckless Dollar Transfers Amid National Crisis

During Sri Lanka’s 2022 dollar shortage, FFSL moved USD 500,000 to a rupee account without Executive Committee approval, causing an estimated loss of Rs. 75 million.

“Transfer of dollars without a justifiable need during a high exchange rate period inflicted a significant financial loss on the Federation.”
— Report Section: Financial Control

Crony Contracts & Fake Tenders

Catering contracts were awarded to individuals connected to former FFSL executives without calling quotations.
In most instances, approvals were made based on verbal instructions or internal memos, bypassing required board procedures.

Ghost Coaches, Unused Staff

A coach hired for the U-23 national team was paid Rs. 200,000/month, even though no team was ever formed.

“Coordination officers” across Sri Lanka were paid monthly with no service rendered.
PAYE taxes were paid (Rs. 3.3 million) for foreign coaches with no clear deliverables.

“Despite making these payments, youth development remained stagnant and the national teams were not properly formed or trained.”
— Committee Observation

Rs. 100 Million Used as Election Bribe?

A Rs. 100 million fixed deposit—intended as a financial reserve—was used to send 73 league officials to Malaysia, allegedly in exchange for future votes.

“This action was considered as a bribe given to them with the purpose of getting votes in the future.”
— Page 11, Report

A System Without Checks

The Committee notes that former FFSL President Mr. Jaswar Umaru Lebbe held dual powers as President and Chairman of the Finance Committee, enabling unchecked control over finances.

“This situation was extremely inappropriate and harmful.”
— Inquiry Report, p. 16

Payments were routinely authorized by Mr. Jaswar and a few close allies, without proper board oversight or documentation.

The Fallout – A Sport in Decline

As a result of this mismanagement:

Sri Lanka’s men’s team plummeted to 207th in FIFA rankings by 2022
FFSL was suspended by FIFA in January 2023
National youth programs, women’s football, futsal, and coaching development were completely inactive

A Glimmer of Recovery – Ranking Now 196th

Since early 2023, now, Sri Lanka’s FIFA ranking has climbed to 196th—a 10-place improvement. However, the report warns that structural reform is essential to ensure this progress is not lost.

“Financial control and administration must be independent, transparent, and free from political interference.”
— Official Recommendation by Kusala Sarojini-led Committee

What Must Happen Now?

The committee strongly recommends:

Forensic audit of FFSL finances since 2012
Criminal complaints under Sections 386, 389, and 403 of the Penal Code
Legal reform to prevent future abuse:
- Term limits for officials
- Ban on combining finance and executive powers
- Mandatory procurement audits
Quarterly public financial disclosures

“A system must be developed to prevent elected officials from having unilateral control over funds.”
— Report, p. 17

The Final Word

The Inquiry, led by Justice Kusala Sarojini, leaves no doubt:
Sri Lanka’s football didn’t fail from a lack of funds—it failed because those funds were looted by those entrusted to protect the game.

“If transparency, legal action, and governance reform are not implemented, this country’s football will have no future.”
— Inquiry Report, Final Section

Coming Up in Part 3:
How fake leagues, ghost clubs, and vote-buying tactics poisoned the electoral system of Sri Lankan football.