Police in Kansas City, Missouri have a theory about the fall that killed Calgary, Alberta based wrestler Owen Hart . They believe the Canadian wrestler's costume had something to do with the tragedy.

The accident happened Sunday at a World Wrestling Federation event. Owen Hart was being lowered into the ring from the rafters of the arena.

Police say Mr. Hart's cape may have been tangled with the release cord on his harness, causing it to release too early.

Mr. Hart fell 18 metres into the ring.

Mr. Hart's brother Ron blames the accident on the Wrestling Federation's constant search for more spectacular stunts and the desire to attract more television viewers. The WWF says the stunt will never be performed again.

It seems it takes more than a full nelson or a vicious body slam to impress the rabid pro wrestling fans of the '90s.

"Frankly, wrestling was getting so far out and my poor brother Owen was a sacrifice for the television ratings," says Owen's sister Ellie Hart. Yesterday brother Bret "Hitman" Hart, also a wrestler, told an American televison network that Owen was uneasy about the stunt, "but somehow over the weekend he got talked into doing it again."

"We're professional wrestlers," Bret Hart said. "We take our falls on the mat, inside the ring.

"I was never a stuntman, and my brother Owen was never a stuntman."

Keith Pelley, who is vice-president of programming for the Canadian television network TSN (which carries wrestling), says the WWF's ratings are among his network's highest. TSN carries the WWF's Raw is War show every week.

`` The WWF and curling are probably our two highest-rated shows. You would be surprised by how many closet wrestling fans there are. The average viewer is 18 to 49, with the 34 to 49 age group being very dominant.''

Wrestling is now so mainstream that a former star Jesse ``The Body'' Ventura was elected governor of the American state of Minnesota, and Hulk Hogan is considering running for president of the United States.

But that has not stopped many people from questioning the violent nature of the sport and wondering if more restrictions should not be put on when it is aired.

Wrestling is one of the world's oldest sports. There are dozens of varieties practiced all over the world, from Sumo wrestling in Japan to Greco-Roman wrestling practiced in Europe. Professional wrestling has nothing to do with amateur wrestling. Don't expect any of the WWF stars to be in the ring in the summer Olympic games in Sydney, Australia in the year 2000.

2. Who says Mr. Hart's cape may have been tangled with the release cord on his harness, causing it to release too early?