L.M.M. Abdur Rahman Archives

When Sheriff Brothers held sway in wrestling- by Rangi Akbar Source:Island At present pugilists and self-defense sports like karate, kung-fu and taekwondo have replaced wrestling among Sri Lanka’s youth. However in the 1950s and 1960s it was wrestling which was the popular sport in many schools and clubs Among the school wrestlers it was the boys from Zahira College, Colombo who dominated. Wrestlers from Zahira not only emerged national champions but also made a mark in international wrestling contests. Chief among these wrestlers from Zahira were the Sheriff Brothers – Ameen, Rasheed and Rauff. It was in early 1950 that the noble art of wrestling, called the ‘Catch -As-You-Can’ (British free-style wrestling) was introduced to Zahira due to the initiative of a few enthusiast youth, particularly Rasheed, Ameen, Rauff and Majeed Khalid under the guidance of coach L.M. Abdur Rahman, supported by the strong patronage of the Principal A.M.A. Azeez ...