The Portuguese hulk who wants to rule Swiss wrestling

Previous Next

It is still early and only a few wrestlers have arrived. Local champion Christoph Bieri observes the preparations. swissinfo.ch

Tiago Vieira (left) waits for his name to be called while a spectator (right) waits for the contest to begin. swissinfo.ch

Tiago Vieira warms up with his wrestling club teammates. swissinfo.ch

It's break time for the Bözberg music society. swissinfo.ch

Tiago Vieira prepares for his first bout. swissinfo.ch

Tiago Vieira battles with the local champion Christoph Bieri. He eventually loses the fight, but not by much. swissinfo.ch

A flagbearer at the Bözberg tournament (left). Vieira Tiago concentrates on his next bout (right). swissinfo.ch

A judge examines Tiago Vieira's results sheet. swissinfo.ch

Before the referee can start the bout, the wrestlers need to grasp each other’s shorts with both hands. swissinfo.ch

The photographs will showcase the sand and the sweat. swissinfo.ch

Until now, things were looking good for Tiago Vieira. swissinfo.ch

The jute shorts are given to the wrestlers just before a bout and then dropped at the edge of the arena once the battle has ended. swissinfo.ch

One of the numerous rituals includes splashing some cold water on your face before entering the arena. swissinfo.ch

Loyal fans aren’t put off by a little rain. swissinfo.ch

A boy admires his real-life heroes. swissinfo.ch

Today Tiago Vieira has won all his fights except for the first, against Christoph Bieri. Overall he finished second in the competition. swissinfo.ch

• Picture 1
• Picture 2
• Picture 3
• Picture 4
• Picture 5
• Picture 6
• Picture 7
• Picture 8
• Picture 9
• Picture 10
• Picture 11
• Picture 12
• Picture 13
• Picture 14
• Picture 15
• Picture 16

The rules of Swiss wrestling are simple and brutal: If you find yourself down with your back on the ground, you’ve lost. The eventual winner is crowned champion and given a bull, the customary prize in this rural sport. Refreshingly, this very traditional Swiss obsession also accepts the odd foreigner.

At first glance, Tiago Marques Vieira is indistinguishable from the Swiss grapplers who competing against him at wrestling tournaments in rural Switzerland. The 23-year-old giant weighs 140 kilograms and stands 1.9 metres tall. He is fluent in Swiss-German and respects the traditions surrounding the sport. After winning a bout, he brushes off the sawdust from his opponent’s shoulders and washes his face in a horse trough set aside for the purpose.

In the wrestling arena, everyone is equal. The only difference is that Tiago Marques Vieira does not possess a Swiss passport. He is one of the few foreigners that practice Swiss wrestling at a high level. The son of Portuguese immigrants, it’s been ten years since he took up the sport. Today, he has seven titles and a strong performance at three national championships to his name. Now, he has his sights set on becoming the “wrestling king”, the title awarded to the national champion.

(Images: Thomas Kern, swissinfo.ch; Text: Alexander Thoele, swissinfo.ch)