Seven brutal sports of all times

Sport is the essential need of a human body, as it keeps one's body sound, and socccer has always been considered as the most hard-hitting sport. But if we take a look at the history of sports, we will find some games which our ancestors used to play and some of them were violent too.From long-dead spectator sports like the Roman gladiator combats to the ancient incarnations of the sports now known as lacrosse and polo, here is the list of most violent sports in history:1. PoloToday, polo is known as a gentleman's activity and is more popular with the high classs society. It was first played by Persians in the 5th century and was treated as a civilized game. Originally, toughened cavalries played the sport to hone their horseback battle skills. Eventually, Iranian nobility picked up on the activity and the game has been identified with upper-class leisure ever since.2. Mayan “Raquetball”These days, racquetball is a fairly genteel sport. It is associated with a refined, rather than purely physical athlete. But early forms of the sport were much more violent. Consider the sport played by indigenous tribes, including the Maya and the Inca, throughout ancient Central and South America. Although the exact rules of the game are a mystery, courts and rubber balls left behind by these tribes reveal what the sport entailed. Like the ancient sport of polo, this ball game simulated battle, but ancient Mesoamerican tribes took it one step further: With games involving religious rituals, losers wouldn't simply shake hands and go home; they would be sacrificed to the gods. Some historians have even suggested that dismembered heads were used as balls in some ritualistic games.3. Gladiator CombatIt was the well known spectator sport of the Roman era, gladiator combat pitted armed men, typically slaves and criminals, against each other as well as wild beasts, including lions, bears, and more. Although injuries and fatalities are common with this kind of blood sport, gladiators could earn substantial sums through victory. Games featuring gladiators were hosted not only for ritual purposes, such as religious celebrations or funerals, but also as a means for the rich to show off their power. Around the 4th century, the increased need to protect the empire from outside invaders as well as the rising influence of Christianity led to a decline and the eventual disappearance of the sport entirely.4. VenatioThis sport pitted armed men against wild and often exotic animals. The matches were hardly even. In a single day, thousands of animals could be slaughtered by only a handful of hunters. In fact, although lions, tigers, bears, and elephants were included in the event, non-aggressive creatures, such as rabbits and deer, were also included in the games. 5. LacrosseBefore lacrosse was a popular sport among prep schools in the mid-Atlantic and northeast United States, Native Americans throughout North America played an ancient version of the game that traces back as far as 2,500 years ago. Back then, lacrosse wasn't played for fun, but rather was part of a religious ritual simulating war. The goal wasn't to have fun, but rather honor their gods and toughen up the young warriors. Games could go on for days and might include hundreds of players on each side. Their version of the game didn't include pads and helmets. 6. Chariot RacingThis sport still remains alive today but the height of its popularity occurred between the ancient Greek and later the Roman era. For both the drivers and the horses, chariot racing could be particularly hazardous, frequently causing injury and death. However, it was also one of the more popular spectator sports of its time. Victory often meant large winnings for those skilled and lucky enough to win races. 7. WrestlingFor what might be the oldest combat sport ever played, dating back as early as the 13th century B.C., wrestling may seem like a fairly tame entry compared to the other sports in this list. However, consider this: For much of its history, wrestling was an event in which participants were entirely nude. Those locks, falls, and pins hurt a lot more without any clothes. On a more serious note, early forms of wrestling did not always include what is traditionally understood as “Graeco-Roman wrestling.” One variant, a martial art known as Pankration, involves a combination of boxing and wrestling techniques.