{"id":2647,"date":"2023-10-11T12:37:32","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T10:37:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/?p=2647"},"modified":"2023-10-11T12:37:32","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T10:37:32","slug":"high-school-wrestler-forfeits-state-tournament-immediately-when-he-sees-who-opponent-is","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/?p=2647","title":{"rendered":"High school wrestler forfeits state tournament immediately when he sees who opponent is"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s always a large degree of respect to be earned for sticking by your beliefs or sacrificing something in the name of your faith.<\/p>\n

Brendan Johnston, a former high school wrestler from Colorado, knows all about that. Back in 2018, he reportedly forfeited no less than two state tournament matches that were supposed to take place against girls.<\/p>\n

In doing so, he effectively ended his high school career in the sport, citing his religious and personal beliefs as his reason for refusing to accept the matches.<\/p>\n

The subject of pitting adult male versus adult female in physical competition is one that\u2019s perhaps discussed more often these days than ever before.<\/p>\n

Of course, for the most part, people believe that it\u2019s unfair to make men and women go head to head. The two sexes are so different in many ways, not least biologically, and so the playing field isn\u2019t even from the get-go.<\/p>\n

In any case, 18-year-old Brendan Johnson took umbrage to the idea of wrestling against Jaslynn Gallegos of Skyview High in the first round of a state tournament in 2018. Brendan, then a senior at the Classical Academy in Colorado Springs, opted not to fight Angel Rios from Valley High in his third-round consolation match either.<\/p>\n

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\nCredit \/ YouTube \u2013 Fox31<\/p>\n

Speaking to KDVR, Brendan, who is Christian, said: \u201cIt\u2019s so physical, physically close. I don\u2019t think that\u2019s really appropriate with a young lady. It\u2019s also very aggressive and I\u2019m not really, I guess, comfortable with that.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued: \u201cThere is something that I really do find problematic about the idea of wrestling with a girl, and a part of that does come from my faith and my belief.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a part of that does come from how I was raised to treat women as well as maybe from different experiences and things.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that I am looking at them as not equal. I am saying that they are women and that is different than being men, because I do believe that men and women are different and we are made differently. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut I still believe that women are of equal value to men. I don\u2019t think that seeing men and women as different [opposes] the idea of equality.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\nYouTube \/ 11Alive<\/p>\n

As a result of Brendan\u2019s decision not to wrestle the two girls, he placed sixth, while Angel and Jaslynn placed fourth and fifth respectively.<\/p>\n

Jaslynn, however, was disappointed by Brendan opting out of a potential match. Speaking to the Washington Post at the time, she said: \u201cThis whole time that I\u2019ve wrestled, it\u2019s just me trying to prove a point that I am just a wrestler.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd so the fact that my gender is something that kind of holds me back still is just a little nerve-racking, but I respect his decision. It\u2019s fine.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy whole thing is that I\u2019m not a girl wrestler; I\u2019m just a wrestler. So it kind of doesn\u2019t hurt my feelings, but I do kind of take it to heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

See more on Brendan\u2019s big call here:<\/p>\n