When talking about the most dangerous sports in the world, just about any sport can be dangerous. You could get hit by a golf ball while strolling on the fairway or by a bowling ball when in the bowling alley.
When it comes to pushing the limits of human endurance, certain sports stand out for their sheer danger and thrill. These sports activities attract people who want some enjoyment or thrill from around the world.
Some sports are inherently dangerous, and one must accept the significant risk of getting hurt or injured in order to compete in them.
So, if you are looking for an answer to the question “What is the most dangerous sport in the world”, you’ve come to the right place.
10. Cave Diving
Cave Diving is an adventurous sport where people go underwater diving in water-filled caves. There is special gear needed to achieve the goal of exploring the underwater caves. Typically, cave diving is done using scuba equipment, often in specialized configurations with redundancies.
It can be really dangerous for people as they have to go into tight spaces and dark tunnels to explore these caves. Apart from the natural challenges of these underwater caves, having breathable air is the main concern.
If a diver goes more than half the distance they have enough air for, they won’t have enough air to make it back to the cave opening. The most likely outcome will be drowning. To prevent this from happening, popular underwater caves have underwater signs saying “Go back now, you will not have enough air left to return if you go further.” Despite the warnings, people still go beyond and drown on their way back.
9. MMA Fight
MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) is a full contact-based combat sport between two highly skilled fighters who are allowed to strike, grapple, and ground fight, incorporating techniques from various combat sports.
In this, the goal of the fighters is to knock their opponents unconscious or force them to “tap out” or quit. So, this has to be one of the most dangerous sports in the world. In this sport, one out of three MMA fights end in a knockout and have a higher chance of brain trauma than other martial arts.
The training sessions alone can be pretty exhausting and dangerous for the fighter. During training sessions, fighters can tear muscles, fracture ribs, break bones, and even injure their heads or skulls.
So, if you are asking “what is the most dangerous sport,” MMA is definitely one of them.
8. Big Wave Surfing
By the name, you might have guessed what the sport is. In big wave surfing, athletes ride huge waves in the ocean. Some of these waves are taller than a building, up to 80 feet (24.38 m) high.
In this sport, you are putting your life in danger in more than one way. The danger of open water, what might be lurking beneath, and the really tall 100-foot waves is something to be afraid of.
So, when surfing on a massive wave, everything you do is crucial to stay on top of things. One needs to stay upright on the board to ride the big waves. If you fall into a massive wave while trying to surf it, there could be multiple things that can harm you other than drowning. You could be pulled towards an undertow and out to sea, underwater rocks can become your biggest problem, or even your surfboard can be really dangerous.
7. Street Luging
Street Luging is an extreme sport that can get your heart going. It is a gravity-powered activity where people ride a street luge board down a paved road or a course. This sport was created by skateboarders when they found out that there was more aerodynamics when lying on the boards. This allowed them to move much faster than a regular skateboard.
So, street luging is the answer to your question, “What is the most dangerous sport in the world?” It has been described as sledding at 90 miles (144.84 km) an hour. The world record for speed luging is 101 mph (162.54 km/h) by Damian Andrew.
So, by the sheer speed of athletes, we can take a guess how dangerous it would be. For this most dangerous sport, street lugers wear leather outfits and motorcycle helmets to protect them. Deaths are rare in this sport, but they do happen. Athletes can also suffer injuries.
6. Motorcycle Racing
Driving 100 mph (160.93 km/h) in a car is extremely dangerous, now imagine doing that on a motorcycle. The only protection riders have to be some Kevlar clothes and a sturdy helmet.
This has been around for a while, and it’s not for people with faint hearts. In this, the riders race with motorcycles, going superfast and doing risky maneuvers. It is actually one of the most dangerous sports on this planet.
In this, there is a high chance of getting seriously hurt, which can immobilize you for a lifetime. There is even a chance of dying in this sport. Broken bones and third-degree degree-abrasions are the most minor accidents in this type of race.
5. Skydiving
Skydiving has become very popular in the 21st century. There are actually fewer fatalities in skydiving but, there is a possibility of a fatality every time you jump out of a plane. In this, there is nothing but a parachute that supports you.
It is not even legal in some countries. You can only skydive in certain weather conditions. Despite having experience with such adventure, many things can go wrong with this dangerous sport. Some things include parachute malfunctioning, changes in wind speed, and improper landing techniques. Among these, parachute malfunctioning is the leading cause of accidents while skydiving. It can lead to fetal injuries and even death in some cases.
4. Wingsuit Flying
Wingsuit flying is another extremely dangerous sport where people wear special suits with wings to glide through the air. It is another form of skydiving, but it has a webbing-sleeved jumpsuit. That jumpsuit is called the wingsuit.
It is the most dangerous sport that is banned in some countries. France banned wingsuit flying because of the deaths associated with it. Despite such harrowing and near-death experiences in this sport, people still consider this an adventure sport and keep at it.
With all the training and experience, this sport can still surprise you. It is very dangerous as one small mistake can take your life. That’s why you should not consider this as a career or a hobby.
3. Bull Riding
It is a Rodeo sport involving a rider getting on a bucking bull and trying to stay on top of it while the bull is trying to dismount the rider. The rider has to stay on top of a bull for as long as possible. It may sound easy, but it is extremely challenging as riders have to counter an angry bull weighing around 1500–2000 pounds trying to dismount them.
Bull riding is one of the popular sports in some European countries and North America. Also, it is one of the oldest ones as well, going on for centuries. Some countries outright banned this sport because of the danger associated with it. Some people even died during the bull riding events.
- In this sport, injuries to the knee and shoulder are pretty common.
- American bull riding has also been called “the most dangerous eight seconds in sports” as riders need to stay on top of a bull for eight seconds.
- They have specially bred bulls for this sport, and they are called the “bucking bulls.” They are trained to throw the riders off.
2. Free Solo Rock Climbing
You might have seen Tom Cruise performing free solo rock climbing in one of the Mission Impossible films. So, you would think if Tom Cruise can do it, why can’t I?
The answer is pretty simple, free solo rock climbing is one of the most dangerous sports in the world. And to be honest, Tom Cruise is kind of a madcap. You might think that rock climbers use protective gear like ropes, harnesses, and other things. That’s not the case with free solo rock climbers, they don’t use any kind of protective gear. In there, it’s just their shoes, and maybe some chalk, and a cliff.
When it comes to putting life on line in a sport, there is nothing more dangerous than free solo rock climbing. So, when someone asks, “What’s the most dangerous sport?” You can name free solo rock climbing without hesitation.
1. Base Jumping
In the list of extremely dangerous sports, base jumping is definitely at the top. It is another thrilling sport that is geared towards adrenaline junkies. There are many dangers associated with it. First, let’s look at what it is.
Here base stands for spans, buildings, antennae, and cliffs. These are the four major groups of fixed objects from which people can jump from high enough to deploy a parachute.
Even with all the dangers associated with this, people keep flocking to satisfy their desire to become base jumpers. Most of the people are doing it just for the thrill of it. The biggest risk in this is that the parachute might not work, and you keep falling to your death. Ever since they’ve started the track record, there have been 450 deaths.
Conclusion
We’ve covered everything in this article, from extreme sports to combat sports and some vehicular sports as well. It’s safe to say that there are a variety of ways to put yourself in danger in the chase for sport and thrill.
But the question still remains, “What is the most dangerous sport in the world?” People can have conflicting opinions regarding this, but base jumping and other sports that require you to jump into thin air seem to be the most dangerous sport in the world.
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FAQs
1. What is the most dangerous sport played?
Ans: Base jumping, cave diving, motorcycle racing, wingsuit flying, and bull riding are some of the most dangerous sports that are played in this world.
2. Why are dangerous sports popular?
Ans: People think that doing adventure or extremely dangerous sports can change your attitude in everyday life.
3. Are these sports regulated for safety?
Ans: Yes, all these sports have some rules and regulations to govern the sport for safety, but still, there are some risks involved.
4. What makes a sport dangerous?
Ans: Well, in most of these sports, inappropriate equipment and lack of education about safety precautions are the reasons for these sports to be considered dangerous.
5. What makes an extreme sport?
Ans: Sports activities that involve a high degree of risk of injury or death are considered extreme sports.
