Top 10 Most Dangerous Sports in The World

Many sport enthusiasts like to take part in extreme activities, as they offer thrill and excitement. Most deadly sports offer a nail biting experience to people. Here is a list of the 10 most dangerous sports in the world that require a lot of daring and courage.

Playing sports is excellent for the body, but some of them also have the potential for a lot of injuries. These extreme sports are among the more risky or dangerous sports. Some of these dangerous sports also don’t have any fixed rules and the participants have to craft out ways to overcome challenges based on their wits and ingenuity. They are also notorious for resulting in the most injuries per sport.

Thanks to some thrilling YouTube videos, more and more people are getting exposed to such thrilling sports and are ready to dive into it. These sports offer a rush of adrenaline to the players. Let’s take a look at this list of adventure sports or dangerous sports.

10 Most Dangerous Sports in The World

1. Topping the List of Extreme Adventures: Base Jumping

 

Base Jumping is considered as the worst among life endangering adventure sports or the utmost dangerous sport of the world. According to a Swedish study, the rate of annual fatality stood at 1 for every 60 participants! The word Base is an acronym for the four things from which the players can take a jump or leap from.

• B for Buildings; A for antennas; S for spans ( bridges) and E for Earth (like a cliff).
• The participant wears a parachute or wingsuit and leap off these objects. Sometimes, they even leap out of a plane.
• Air fills the suit and the person is able to glide down up to a certain altitude and then open the parachute before descending slowly to the ground.

Note: In 2015, two men, Dean Potter aged 43 and Graham Hunt aged 29 jumped from a cliff wearing special wingsuits. They were found dead the next day, having been unable to deploy the parachutes. This is just one of the tragedies with around 254 deaths occurring in the past 35 years in the most dangerous sports in the world.

2. Skydiving: The 2nd most dangerous sport in the world

What is the most dangerous sport? It is also known as parachuting. Here, the person jumps out of the airplane from a certain altitude and then performs some acrobatics during a free fall, before they open up their parachutes and return to earth. Skydiving has now become a hobby for many!

• The sport has several competitions that are held regularly. Participants have to land near a target, perform some acrobatics in the air or fly in a pattern or formation.
• All skydivers have a backup parachute. Moreover, their parachutes are connected to parachutists using steering lines for more control.
• Skydivers need practice with trainers before they attempt free fall on their own. These are among the sports with most deaths.

Tip: It is not advisable to jump in rainy or inclement weather.

3. Bull Riding

Bull Riding ranks high among the most deadly sports. The roots of this sport can be traced to ancient times when Minoans entered this activity. More recently, the roots arise from Mexican contests in the 16th century. It was popular in Texas and in California and today we have popular associations like the Rodeo Cowboys Association with the popular Xtreme Bulls brands.

• It is a popular television sport in the USA and many other countries that are hosting competitions in this sport under the Professional Bull Riders Association.
• The rider mounts the bull and the bull is let out of the arena. He must remain seated for a full 8 seconds holding on with his right hand, while the animal tries to throw him off.
• It requires equipment like a rope; gloves; cowboy boots; safety vests; leg chaps and helmets to remain safe.
• The risk of death is rare in this sport, but injuries are more common. Most common are head/face injuries. This sport is among those sports with most injuries.

Note: Safety plays a major role in bull riding. Check out how Lane Frost was instantly killed in the rodeo sport in Wyoming in 1989. It can be called one of the deadliest sport or the most aggressive sport in the world.

4. Big Wave Surfing

Big Wave Surfing ranks among the most dangerous sports in the world. Surfers user large customised boards known as the Gun to surf the waves.

• A big wave constitutes 20 ft or 6.3 m at the smallest, in surfing contests, almost the height of a giraffe, with the largest one being 78 ft.
• The boards are anywhere between 6.6 ft to 10 ft.
• The criteria for scoring points is based on the size of the wave surfed; the critical drops etc.
• The sport has grown to having hundreds of surfers from all over the globe. It ranks high in the list of most dangerous sports in the world.

Tip: The latest innovation for staying safe is the inflatable vest. Other protections include the surf leash tethering the ankle to the board; tow in surfing where a person drives a Jet ski and pulls the surfers into waves and is present for a bailout during a wipeout.

(Image: qz.com)

Note: A big wave has the potential to completely wipe out the person and disorientate his bearings pushing the surfer to about 50 ft underwater.

5. Running of the Bulls

Running of the Bulls awards the thrill of a lifetime. Thousands watch this sport in Pamplona, Spain in the month of July. People run for 1/2 a mile with the bulls ending up in the bullfighting ring, lasting for about two or three minutes.

• As a part of security precautions for this sport ranking among the most dangerous sports in the world, there are barricades on the street sides, so that participants can leave the race.
• Participants must never try to catch the bull’s attention, as it is important not to distract it.
• Don’t touch the bulls or trouble the drovers. It is one among the most injury prone sports.
• Participants wear white pants and a white T shirt with a red belt and handkerchief.

Note: People who participate in this dangerous sport run the risk of a pile up. This could cause injury and death to bulls as well as the runners.

6. Kickboxing

Kickboxing is a combat sport combining kicking and punching. Some enter it as a sport and others for self defense.

• In American kickboxing, participants can punch; kick and strike the opponent above the waist. You cannot use your elbows or your knees. You must also avoid a throw; a sweep and clinch fighting.
• Kickboxing in the list of most dangerous sports in the world, consists of 3 to 12 rounds with a rest in between each.
• Cuts and fractures are the usual common injuries, with head and lower limbs being affected.
• It’s a great way for getting fit if you practise it in a studio or follow a DVD, as it gives many health benefits.

Tip: Learn it under a proper instructor. Make use of appropriate clothes and gear for kickboxing.

7. Rock Climbing

Rock Climbing is one among the most dangerous sports in the world. It is a physically demanding sport where participants typically climb up or down either natural or artificial rock walls. You have to reach the summit in a determined route without falling off.

• You need strength; agility; endurance and mental control along with a knowledge of correct climbing techniques.
• Indoor climbing is done on fake rocks and is good as a general exercise.
• There are different types of rock climbing like Top Roping (which is quite safe); lead climbing; traditional climbing where you insert protection pieces yourself without any fixed anchors in the wall; and big wall climbing, which is the most notorious and difficult of them all.

8. Cliff Diving

Cliff Diving is a risky sport involving athletes who dive into water from a steep cliff. Competitions are held all over the world, such as in Mexico and Greece, with Red Bull running one of the top competitions every year, where divers jump from 85 feet above into oceans.

• Due to the high risk for injury, the federation for World High Diving has advised against diving from 20 meters or higher.
• Common injuries include broken bones; dislocated joints; paralysis; death.
• Competitors usually dive from 18 meters to 26 meters, though professionals even jump from 45 meters into the water.

Note: Attempt Cliff Diving only if you have proper training and experience. It puts a lot of stress on the body and the impact on hitting the water can compress the spine, break the bones or even give a concussion.

9. Jallikattu

Jallikattu a kind of bull taming sport that typically takes place during Pongal celebrations in Tamil Nadu, India. Jalli means ‘silver/gold coins’ and kattu means ‘tied’. These coins are tied to the bull’s horns and are claimed as prize money for the competitor who tames the bull.

• It is an ancient sport being practised from more than 2500 years ago.
• There is controversy surrounding the sport due to several injuries and deaths associated with it.
• PETA campaigns oppose it on grounds of cruelty to animals.
• Thousands of people participate in the contest, trying to tame bulls by holding their horns and humps.

10. Downhill Biking

Professional downhill biking is a dangerous sport. It involves finding a high mountain and then biking down the trail or track. Riding the bike on steep, rocky slopes of mountains can give a rush of adrenaline.

• The participants use special bikes with pro suspensions; a massive frame; hydraulic brakes and other features for a heavy duty bicycle.
• Nowadays, the downhill biking tracks also include high jumps, steep turns and high speeds.
• The races are held round the clock with bikers starting at regular time intervals from the top of the mountain.
• There are also urban tracks, where bikers go through narrow streets, staircases and ride up walls and alleys.

Last Word

What sport has the most injuries? All the above extreme and dangerous sports in the world are linked with maximum number of injuries and fatalities. We all know that with adventure comes risk. There are risks in every one of these adrenaline pumping sports. Asking questions and knowing about the risks is important before you attempt any such dangerous sports. These are strictly not entry level sports. All of them need proficiency and a great deal of fearlessness.

These are sports that are on the borderline between brave and insane and are meant for those that are pumped by the potential of injuries or even death. There is a great risk but together with that comes a great potential for glory as well, which is incomparable with any other type of safer sport. Whatever the sport, it is important to get the proper safety gear and training before venturing into any of these dangerous sports.

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