If it were up to some IOC members in 2013, we wouldn't be sitting here right now, would we?
It's the Champ-de-Mars Arena in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower and inside spectators are being treated to an exhibition of Olympic freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.
This is a slight diversion from the norm of the last two-and-a-half weeks. It's an odd sensation being in a venue where there are no members of Team Ireland to keep a watchful eye on.
Indeed, no Irish wrestler has competed in the Games since Seoul 1988 when David Harmon appeared in a couple of matches in the men's 74kg freestyle.
Before him, the only footprint on the mat from an Irish wrestling point was four Olympics in a row from 1952 to 1964.
Wrestling has a long history and was an intrinsic part of the original Olympics in Ancient Greece. In the modern day version, it's been there in Greco-Roman form since the first modern Games in 1896 with the only interruption being Paris 1900. The freestyle form was introduced in 1904 and wrestling in both its forms has been a staple since.
However, in 2013 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to drop wrestling from the core Olympic programme from Tokyo 2020 onwards, prompting outrage globally and even a hunger strike from a former champion in protest.
However, months later the sport would earn a reprieve and earn inclusion for 2020 and Paris 2024 but with some concessions, including more weight classes for women.
Another key aspect was about making matches more of a spectacle by giving an added incentive to those who wrestle with more aggression and intent.
Followers of Gaelic football may recognise that as a Football Review Committee style situation where grappling's answer to Jim Gavin leads the posse in a bid to revamp the sport and bring an end to puke wrestling.
So sitting in the Champ-de-Mars Arena one is keenly aware that this is an event that might not have been happening at all in another timeline.
It's Thursday's evening session which is dominated by knockout and medal matches. Now, it's worth noting that there isn't a real sense of history in the build-up to the session or any attempt to tie what's happening in front of one's eyes with any connection to Ancient Greece and the original Olympics.
That's not helped by the musical playlist which is the same one from every venue: Pop with a liberal buttering of old-school Eurodance. Nothing wrong with it, mind you (Sure, with modern day inflation, who would turn their nose up at a blue house and a blue corvette?)
Although when Gala's Freed From Desire does come on and she goes on about how her love has no money, power or fame but has his strong beliefs, you do have to remember that Socrates, Aristotle and the lads did have their strong beliefs given we're still hearing about them now a few Millenia on!
One would wonder what their ilk would think of the wrestling on show at Paris 2024?
There's plenty to admire in terms of the wrestlers' quick thinking to slip out of potential locks and avoid takedowns, as well as their flexibility and dexterity.
To the unacquainted, the freestyle form with its looser restrictions appears the more spectator friendly in comparison to its Greco-Roman cousin, at least based on the small sample size on Thursday.
But like with all sports, you learn quickly. Firstly, you get an idea of where the sport is popular and who tends to dominate.
Eastern Europe, West Asia and the Caucuses are well represented with plenty of Iranian, Bulgarian and former Soviet nations represented among the leading wrestlers on show.
Japan also provides plenty of contenders and lead the medal table and it's no surprise to see the USA prominently there.
It's notably signifcant in North America's high school and collegiate scene both from references in MMA anaysis about grapplers and even that story about a decidedly reluctant Kurt Cobain being signed up to join his school's wrestling team by his father and deliberately losing matches - getting him on the road towards birthing In Utero, Nevermind and Bleach seemed a more productive use of time for the Nirvana front man in hindsight.
There are also traditions that you get to witness first hand. Earlier in the week, wrestling played host to an Olympic record as Cuba's living Greco-Roman deity Mijaín López won the title in the 130kg category, making him the first Olympian to win gold medals in five successive Games in the same individual event.
After his final, Lopez took off his shoes and placed them on the mat, signalling to everyone that he was retiring.
A similar ritual took place on Thursday evening as Ukraine's Zhan Beleniuk followed suit by unsheating his feet and placing his shoes on the mat after beating Poland's Arkadiusz Kułynycz in their bronze medal match in the men's Greco-Roman 87 kg.
Before that, just after sealing victory, his coach had lifted him up and politely body-slammed him to the mat. In celebration, one needs to add as it quickly became clear throughout the medal matches where coaches took great pleasure in lifting up their disciples over their shoulders and plunging them onto their backs, much to the mirth of the crowds, especially those not au fait with wrestling.
See what we would have missed out on, past IOC members? Just like with taekwondo, which this writer attended on Wednesday, the Jack Woolley effect has seen the sport gain attention in Ireland, so perhaps future successors to David Harmon will lead the likes of yours truly to not see wrestling as going off the beaten track of an Olympics.
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