With the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics now underway, we can’t help but wonder…which sports produce the stinkiest athletes? Where are they most in need of potpourri in Paris? Or Kobi deodorant, for that matter? Well we’ve done the research folks, and we’re pleased to officially present our list of the seven smelliest sports at the Summer Olympic Games, in order of least to most stinky.
#7: Judo
Sort of a cross between wrestling and jiu jitsu, judo combines skillful throws with on-the-ground grappling techniques. Judo practitioners wear full-body uniforms and spend much of their time on sweaty mats, so the opportunities for odor are rampant. However, even though their matches are high-intensity, they’re also quite short — clocking in at four minutes at the Olympics. Therefore, judo cannot quite be considered the stinkiest event in Paris this summer.
#6: Breaking
A brand new edition to the Summer Olympics sporting lineup this year, breakdancing — or Breaking, as they’re calling it — is most certainly a high-energy activity that makes one break quite a sweat (no pun intended). As someone who participated in this activity quite heavily during high school and college, I can attest first-hand to the smells it can produce. Plus, breakdancers typically choose to be quite heavily clothed to avoid scraping off skin when performing their spinning moves, which also ensures the bodily odors remain fairly pungent. When they’re done the breakers will need some Kobi foot spray for sure.
#5: Weightlifting
What kind of odors (and noises) would you produce if trying to lift 589 pounds? That’s the current world record in the Men’s Clean & Jerk event, and talk about high-intensity activity. When you factor in the belts, straps, pads, and incredible levels of physical exertion, weightlifting definitely lands a place on this list. After all, I’m sure you’ve spent some time in a gym and noticed the less-than-fresh smells wafting about the place. Now swap out the gym bros for Olympic pros.
#4: Boxing
Have you ever taken a boxing class and smelled your hands afterwards? Who knew hands could smell as bad as feet? Well, every professional boxer knows that fact only too well, as boxing gear is notorious for getting almost as stinky as hockey gear (almost). And boxing is one of the most strenuous activities (and best workouts) you can do. So when you focus all of this activity in one location at the Olympic Games, you’re bound to end up with some stenches that would send even Mike Tyson out hunting for some fresh Parisian air.
#3: Wrestling
So take the smells of judo, and now kick them up a notch by adding smelly shoes to the equation. Plus, the open-armpit design of wrestling attire means that any B.O. being generated by the contestants is sure to waft right out into the immediate vicinity. Lastly, it’s worth noting that Olympic wrestling matches in Paris are lasting for six minutes — a full 50% longer than Judo matches. If you’re attending in person, it might be worth taking a cue from Seaworld and sitting a few rows back out of the stink zone.
#2: Field Hockey
Ice hockey is without a doubt the smelliest sport in the world, and its Summer Olympics equivalent definitely carries over some of that characteristic as well (although not nearly to the same degree). With field hockey, it’s the shoes, shinguards, and gloves that’ll get ya, a bit like lacrosse (which, coincidentally, is making its Olympic return for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles after a 120-year absence). Having played soccer for years, I can attest to the special kind of olfactory torture that post-game shinguards can create.
#1: Fencing
And the coveted number one spot goes to…fencing! I don’t think this sport was named after the fact that you’re literally fenced into a protective shell of an outfit when playing it, but it could’ve been. And wow can that gear smell — the sweat, bacteria, and odors literally have nowhere to go but into the fabric of those sleek-looking fencing whites. As a general rule, the more padding and protective gear you have to wear to play a sport, the smellier it’s going to be. And the more you’re going to need to scrub down with a good body wash afterwards.
Honorable Mentions: Badminton & Table Tennis
I couldn’t wrap up this piece without giving a nasal nod to the two high-energy sports of badminton and table tennis. Have you ever gotten kinda good at table tennis and played a match against a friend or family member who’s also kinda good? Dripping, simply dripping afterwards. And badminton? Watch a match and see how fast these people move, and tell me that badminton court isn’t going to be a very smelly place to be after about 6 minutes. And these matches go on for 45 minutes! I’d need a uniform change halfway through.
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