2009 Taekwondo Magazine

transparency and internationalization of the administration of the WTF, and topursue transparent and fair competitions.

The WTF has appointed new TechnicalCommittee members and chairpersons ofcompetition, games, education, refereecommittees, whose passion and enthusiasmwill surely make a difference. The WTForganized a Joint Technical Meeting to reviewand amend the WTF Competition Rules.

I also look forward to the implementation of the world athlete ranking system, which will nodoubt be an exciting new venture for ourathletes and taekwondo enthusiasts.

With your support and affection, I am certainthat our endeavor will have positively contributeto keeping taekwondo in the Olympic programof 2016, which may be decided at the IOCSession in Copenhagen, Denmark, in October2009.

Dear taekwondo family members,

We are at the crucial juncture that maydetermine our course toward the future oftaekwondo. We should not lose our focus. We need to work together to search for waysfor the better future of taekwondo. We shouldconcentrate undivided attention to keeptaekwondo as a permanent Olympic sport.

I urge everyone to give full support to the WTFto overcome challenges of any kind. We knowwhat the ultimate goal of the taekwondo-lovingpeople should be. And we will achieve it withpride and confidence. LLeett tthheerree bbee hhooppee aannddvviissiioonn..

resolution to make every competition resultstransparent and fair.

Learning from the experience, we will place ourconcerted effort to assure fairness andsportsmanship in the upcoming WTF-promoted/sanctioned competitions. For this,we aim to introduce an electronic bodyprotector system and an instant video replaysystem that can cross-check any controversyover the referee decisions.

Since my inauguration as the WTF President in 2004, the WTF has carried out variousreform measures to correct the wrongpractices and to raise the standard of our sportfederation to the global standard.

Thus far, we have accomplished much. Therehas been considerable change in everyrespect. We are now opening a newchapter to surge another wave of changefor the creation of a new image oftaekwondo. Our new tasks are to makecompetitions more exciting, to ensure

Dear taekwondo family members:

I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all the taekwondo family who placedthe utmost efforts and time to promote taekwondo around the worldthroughout the previous years.

Taekwondo is part of the Olympic Movement, and strives to realizethe Olympic spirit shared by the taekwondo family and by our 188member nations. Taekwondo seeks promotion of harmony andworld peace through training and its educational program, sharingthe value of Olympism with the world.

As an expression of our commitment to contribute to world peace, the WTF launched its ambitious Taekwondo Peace Corps project in thesummer of 2008, and dispatched seven teams of taekwondo instructorsto five countries - Russia (Moscow), India (Mumbai and Goa), Pakistan(Islamabad), Paraguay (Asuncion), and China (Qingdao and Urumqi) forone month.

The Taekwondo Peace Corps teams were warmly welcomed andappreciated by the host countries. The impressive turnout at the trainingand enthusiasm certainly reflected the yearning of the local youth for anopportunity to learn and practice taekwondo. The Taekwondo PeaceCorps presented an opportunity and resources to children to enjoy and

play as well as to share a vision of never-ending hope, optimism, andconfidence.

Witnessing the positive evaluation and education effect of the activities,the Taekwondo Peace Corps program will continue, targeting on morerecipients and a larger number of countries. The project will not beconfined only to Koreans or solely based in Korea. The establishment ofthe Taekwondo Peace Corps worldwide will be encouraged with itsbases in as many countries as possible and by incorporating qualifiedtaekwondo instructors of different nationalities. The expansion will befounded on a close consultation with the WTF member nationalassociations around the globe.

Taekwondo is no longer a sport solely for Koreans. At the 2008 BeijingOlympic Games, a total of 128 taekwondo athletes from 64countries competed for 32 medals, of which athletes from 22countries won at least one medal. Taekwondo granted the firstOlympic medal to Afghanistan, which we hope is a step towarduniting the war-torn country. This demonstrates that technicallevels of taekwondo have been evenly enhanced throughout theworld and the fairness in taekwondo competitions has muchimproved.

The WTF will continue to do its best to improve fair judging andrefereeing. At the Beijing Olympic Games, we have reconfirmed our

CChhuunnggwwoonn CChhoouueePresidentWorld Taekwondo Federation

EEuurrooppee ((4499))

1.Albania2.Andorra3.Armenia4.Austria5.Azerbaijan6.Belarus7.Belgium8.Bosnia & Herzegovina9.Bulgaria10.Croatia11.Cyprus12.Czech Republic13.Denmark14.Estonia15.Finland16.France17.Georgia18.Germany19.Great Britain20.Greece21.Hungary22.Iceland23.Ireland24.Isle of Man(Associate Member)25.Israel

26.Italy27.Latvia28.Lithuania29.Luxembourg30.Macedonia31.Malta32.Moldova33.Monaco34.Montenegro35.The Netherlands36.Norway37.Poland38.Portugal39.Romania40.Russia41.San Marino42.Serbia43.Slovak Republic44.Slovenia45.Spain46.Sweden47.Switzerland48.Turkey49.Ukraine

AAffrriiccaa ((4433))

91.Algeria92.Angola 93.Benin94.Burkina Faso95.Cameroon 96.Cape Verde 97.Central African Republic 98.Comoros 99.Cote dIvoire100.Congo101.D.R. of the Congo102.Equatorial Guinea103.Egypt104.Ethiopia 105.Gabon106.Gambia107.Ghana108.Guinea 109.Kenya110.Lesotho111.Liberia112.Libya113.Madagascar 114.Malawi115.Mali116.Mauritius

67.Kuwait68.Kyrgyzstan69.Laos70.Lebanon71.Macao72.Malaysia73.Mongolia74.Myanmar75.Nepal76.Pakistan77.Palestine78.Philippines79.Qatar80.Saudi Arabia81.Singapore82.Sri Lanka83.Syria84.Tajikistan85.Thailand86.Turkmenistan87.United Arab Emirates88.Uzbekistan89.Vietnam90.Yemen

AAssiiaa ((4411))

50.Afghanistan51.Bahrain52.Bangladesh53.Bhutan54.Brunei55.Cambodia56.China57.Chinese Taipei58.Hong Kong59.India60.Indonesia61.Iran62.Iraq63.Japan64.Jordan65.Kazakhstan66.Korea

117.Morocco118.Mozambique119.Niger120.Nigeria121.Sao Tome & Principe122.Senegal123.Somalia124.South Africa125.Sudan126.Swaziland127.Chad128.Tanzania 129.Togo130.Tunisia131.Uganda132.Zimbabwe133.Zambia

PPaann AAmmeerriiccaa ((4422))

134.Antigua & Barbuda135.Argentina136.Aruba137.Bahamas138.Barbados139.Belize140.Bermuda141.Bolivia142.Brazil143.British Virgin Islands144.Canada145.Cayman Islands146.Chile147.Colombia148.Costa Rica149.Cuba150.Dominica151.Dominican Republic152.Ecuador153.El Salvador154.Grenada155.Guatemala156.Guyana157.Haiti158.Honduras159.Jamaica

160.Mexico161.Netherlands Antilles162.Nicaragua163.Panama164.Paraguay165.Peru166.Puerto Rico167.St. Lucia168.St. Kitts & Nevis169.Surinam170.St. Vincent & the Grenadines171.Trinidad and Tobago172.Uruguay173.U.S.A174.Virgin Islands 175.Venezuela

OOcceeaanniiaa ((1133))

176.American Samoa177.Australia178.Fiji179.French Polynesia180.Guam181.Kiribati182.Marshall Islands183.New Zealand184.Papua New Guinea185.Solomon Islands186.Tonga187.Samoa188.Vanuatu

CONTENTSOFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WORLD TAEKWONDO FEDERATION2009, lssue No.96 / ISSN 1599-3779

016 OLYMPIC SPECIAL SECTION050 Interview with Taekwondo People076 Amendment to Competition Rules078 WTF Pushes to Introduce Instant Video Replay System 080 WTF Announces Key Technical Committee Officials082 WTF to Introduce Athlete Ranking System 086 7th WTF World Junior Taekwondo Championships090 3rd WTF World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships093 WTF Events Calendar 2009

112 WTF Adopts 2009 World Anti-Doping Code114 WTF-KHU Partnership Taekwondo Training Program119 Reflections on Taekwondo Goodwill Program120 Taekwondo in India124 2nd Korean Fair Play Award Ceremony125 1st Ethics Committee Meeting126 WTF Liaison Office in Lausanne128 Global Partnership Agreement with Macquarie129 WTF President Offers Condolences to Myanmar, China130 Continental Union Activities142 Taekwondo Peace Corps154 Busan IOC Forum

PART 03 INTERNATIONAL

PART 01 COMPETITIONS

PART 02 PICTORIAL098 TAEKWONDO Ceramic Exhibition100 Children Demonstration102 2008 TAEKWONDO Day104 VIPs at Taekwondo Venue106 Beijing Olympic Games Highlights108 Jam-Packed Venue

016 050

082076

090 098

100 112

125 128

142 154

016 OLYMPIC SPECIAL SECTION22 Nations Win at Least 1 Medal in Taekwondo Competition2008 Beijing Olympic Games / 64 Qualified NOCsMedal WinnersCompetition Day Overview

050 Interview with Taekwondo PeopleAthlete - Rohullah Nikpai (Afghanistan)Athlete - Sara Khosh Jamal (Iran)Athlete - Aaron Cook (Great Britain)Referee - Leon Preston (USA) Official - Dr. Ken Min (U.S.A.)Official - Dae-Sung Moon (Korea)

076 Amendment to Competition Rules078 WTF Pushes to Introduce Instant Video Replay System080 WTF Announces Key Technical Committee Officials082 WTF to Introduce Athlete Ranking System086 7th WTF World Junior Taekwondo Championships090 3rd WTF World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships 093 WTF Events Calendar 2009

World Taekwondo Federation 17

The taekwondo competitionsat the 2008 Beijing OlympicGames were held at theUniversity of Science andTechnology BeijingGymnasium in Beijing, Chinaon August 20-23, 2008.

This was the third consecutive time that thetaekwondo competitions were being staged atthe Olympic Games and expectations werehigher than before.

In total, 22 national Olympic committees wonat least a medal. Compared to the 2000Sydney Olympic Games and the 2004 AthensOlympic Games, the medal distribution in the2008 Beijing Olympic Games was the mostevenly distributed.

The even distribution of medals indicates thehomogeneous development of taekwondoglobally. There were a few historic firsts that

define the beauty and importance of the Olympic sport of taekwondo.

Below are the top five moments that touchedour hearts:

1.Afghanistans First-Ever Olympic Medal

Rohullah Nikpai won a bronze medal in themens under 58kg weight category on August20, 2008; it was Afghanistans first-everOlympic medal in any sport.

Nikpai created one of the biggest shocks whenhe upset Juan Antonio Ramos of Spain, whowas the gold medalist at the 2007 WTF WorldTaekwondo Championships in the bronzemedal contest.

It was reported in various news agencies thatthousands of Afghans had to gather in ahandful of shops that still had electricity just to watch Nikpai compete, as the country wassuffering from a nationwide electrical blackout.

Nikpais victory is one of the greatest momentsin the history of the Olympic Games. It united a war-torn country that is strife with internalconflicts.

More importantly, Nikpai reminded us whattaekwondo and the Olympic Movement shouldstand for: Sport transcends politics and bringshope of unity to the rest of the world.

22 Nations Win at Least 1 Medal in TaekwondoCompetition at 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

18 WTF World Taekwondo Federation 19

2. Beacon of Hopefrom the Middle East

During the march-in of the national teams at the opening ceremony of the 2008 BeijingOlympic Games, the world was treated to oneof the most memorable sights in Olympichistory: Just behind the national flag of theIslamic Republic of Iran, a female athlete andher coach were leading a group of men.

That female athlete is Sara Khosh Jamal andshe is the first female athlete to represent Iranat the Olympic Games. Khosh Jamalsparticipation in the Olympic Games is asymbolic moment for empowering women,especially in the Middle East, where sport is still mostly practiced by men.

Khosh Jamal had the moves, too, as sheblanked her opponent (5:0) in the first round ofthe womens under 49kg weight category.She succumbed in the second round to 2004Athens Olympic Games champion Shu-ChunYang of Chinese Taipei.

Khosh Jamal might not have won any medal,but more significantly, she will always beremembered as the beacon of hope thatshines brightly for women in the Middle East.

3. Dominance of the Lopez Family

Since the start of the century, one name hasbeen synonymous with success. It does notmatter if it was the WTF World TaekwondoChampionships or the taekwondocompetitions at the Olympic Games; there

would always be one - and same - favorite.He is Steven Lopez from the United States.

As if that is not enough, Olympic history wascreated when Steven, his younger brotherMark and youngest sister Diana participated inthe taekwondo competitions at the 2008Beijing Olympic Games. This was the first timein more than a century of U.S. Olympic historywhere three siblings have participated in thesame sport in the same Games. To top it off,eldest brother Jean served as a head coach ofthe taekwondo team.

Steven and Diana each won a bronze medal inthe mens under 80kg weight category andwomens under 57kg weight categoryrespectively, while Mark won a silver medal in the mens under 68kg weight category.

At the end of the day, making Olympic historywith the family meant just as much, if not more,than winning the medals. The Lopez family istaekwondos equivalent to the MountRushmore National Memorial.

4. Introduction of Marshall Islands

When the Republic of the Marshall Islandsparticipated in the 2008 Beijing Olympic

Games, it was the first time that theMicronesian nation of islands in the middle ofthe Pacific Ocean ever held court in thegrandest stage of sport.

Thanks to the Olympic Solidarity Scholarshipprogram, athletes from the Marshall Islandswere offered golden opportunities to participatein the Games. Anju Jason, however, qualifiedfor the Games. By virtue of winning the goldmedal in the mens under 80kg weightcategory at the Oceania Olympic QualificationTournament held in Noumea, New Caledonia,on December 1, 2007, Jason became the firstathlete from the Marshall Islands to qualifydirectly for the Olympic Games.

Jasons performances earned him an OlympicSolidarity Scholarship and respect from thetaekwondo community around the world.

5. Never-Say-Die Spirit

In the first round of the womens under 57kgweight category, Li-Wen Su of Chinese Taipeiinjured herself so severely that she almost hadto quit the competitions. Gritting her teeth, Sumanaged to see through the match. It wasdiagnosed that Su had broken a bone on herleft foot and torn her knee ligaments.

When it was clear that Su would beparticipating in the repechage, there waslikelihood that she would give up that chance.

Nonetheless, what followed in the repechagebecame a stuff of legends for Su. Overcomingthe excruciating pain and possibility of endingher promising taekwondo career, Supersevered to the bronze medal contest.

Ranking order according to the number of (1) gold, (2) silver and (3) bronze medalsNOCs that share the same ranking are categorized according to their NOC codes

Overall Medal Tally in Taekwondo Competition at 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

In the bronze medal contest, Su collapsed no less than 10 times. The painwas so agonizing that her coach thought of throwing in the towel, but Suwould not allow that. Each time, she held back tears and struggled to herfeet and continued competing.

Su did not win the bronze medal, but she won the hearts of millions withher heroic displays of courage and passion for taekwondo.

Overall Improvement ofRefereeing Standards

The WTF is proud of the international referees who officiated in the 2008Beijing Olympic Games. When Dr. Jacques Rogge, president of the IOC,and other IOC officials attended the taekwondo competitions on August21, 2008, they praised the improved standards of the referees at theGames.

Such improvements were not made in a day; far from it, in fact. Thefoundations for the improvements were established in July 2007, when the WTF embarked on a series of meetings and trainings to educate the Olympic referees.

While the standard of refereeing and judging has improved, the WTF willcontinually seek to update the education materials and enhance the trainingmethods.

Olympic Referee Selection Training CampAbout 190 international referees turned up at Woosuk University in Jeonju, Korea, to attend the camp. This was the first time that the WTF organized such camps to select Olympic referees. The referees endured a series of physical tests, which were followed by tests pertaining to the technical rules and refereeing hand signals.

Olympic Qualification TournamentFrom the total participants in the training camp, 54 of them were chosen to officiate in world and five continental Olympic qualification tournaments:

World Qualification: Sept. 28-30, 2007 (Manchester, U.K.)African Qualification: Nov. 1-2, 2007 (Tripoli, Libya)Asian Qualification: Nov. 28-30, 2007 (HCMC, Vietnam)Oceania Qualification: Dec. 1, 2007 (Noumea, New Caledonia)Pan American Qualification: Dec. 8-9, 2007 (Cali, Colombia)European Qualification: Jan. 26-27, 2008 (Istanbul, Turkey)

The list of international referees who would be officiating in the Beijing 2008Olympic Games was finalized. One of the conditions imposed by the WTF:Selected referees would no longer officiate in any other championships until the2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Olympic Referee Refresher CourseAn Olympic Referee Refresher Course was organized in Beijing, China. As the name suggests, the course was designed to refresh the Olympic referees on the technical rules and hand signal techniques

World Taekwondo Federation 2120 WTF

WTF Holds Olympic Coach Seminar,Referee Refresher Course

As part of its ceaseless efforts to ensure the fairest judging and refereeingat the Beijing Olympic Games, the World Taekwondo Federation organizeda coach seminar and a referee refresher course for the 2008 BeijingOlympic Games in June and July 2008, respectively.

The WTF coach seminar for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the first ofits kind in WTF Olympic history, took place at Haeundae Grand Hotelin Busan, Korea, on June 16-18.

More than 100 coaches and officials from about 50 countries attended the coach seminar. The three-day coach seminar featured a special videolecture by Mr. Andrew Ryan, ASOIF director.

On July 13-19, the WTF held a WTF referee refresher course for the 2008Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

A total of 29 international referees participated in the week-long refereerefresher course.

The WTF finalized the 29 referees for the Beijing Olympic Games inFebruary 2008. The 29 finalists were selected among the 187 internationalreferees from 57 countries, who attended a week-long WTF InternationalReferee Training Camp for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in late July and early August 2007 in Jeonju, Korea.

Out of the 187, the WTF selected 54 top referees based on their campperformances, who officiated at the WTFs world and five continentalqualification tournaments between September 2007 and in January 2008.

Partly thanks to the WTFs stepped-up referee education and training, onlytwo minorprotests were lodged during the six Olympic qualification

tournaments, a great improvement in terms of judging and refereeing.

WTF President Chungwon Choue said, It is our responsibility to upholdthe integrity of our sport through fair and best behavior. There willundoubtedly be winners and losers in any sport; respecting the results andthe referees decision, regardless of the outcome, is a code that we shouldabide by in our task of bringing the spirit of fair play to taekwondo.

Fair judging and refereeing, along with fair play, will help bring a moreorderly environment to the taekwondo competition sites, in which athletesand coaches will accept the competition results and follow proper protestprocedures, if necessary,he said. For the sake of our athletes and for thesake of taekwondos future, it is our responsibility to ensure that only thebest athletes become worthy champions.

Participants in WTF Olympic CoachSeminar Adopt Resolution on Fair Play

In a strong show of their commitment to fair play at taekwondocompetitions, participants in the WTF Coach Seminar for the BeijingOlympic Games resolved to respect fair play on the second day of thethree-day event at Haeundae Grand Hotel in Busan, Korea, on June 17,2008.

The seminar participants also resolved to respect and accept thejudgment and decisions of the refereeing and technical officials in alltaekwondo competitions.

All the participants, about 100 from about 50 countries, unanimouslyadopted an Olympic coach resolution, which read, I, as a coach of aparticipating national taekwondo team in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games,am fully determined to respect fair play for the success of taekwondocompetition, and hereby abide by the following resolutions.

It read, I will respect and treat every athlete, coach and official equally in accordance with the Olympic Charter and the Rules and Regulations ofthe World Taekwondo Federation, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, and religious beliefs.I will be a positive role model for my athletes andpromote fair play, sportsmanship and courtesy at all times.

I will ensure the safety of all athletes. I will not tolerate shameful orundesirable acts from my athletes. I will accept any sanction imposed on me and my national taekwondo association by the World TaekwondoFederation should I violate any provision within the WTF Rules andRegulations,the resolution concluded.

As part of its efforts to ensure the fairest refereeing and judging attaekwondo competitions, especially the Beijing Olympic Games, the WTFhas devoted over the last four years most of its time and energy to improving its refereeing and judging.


Honorable mention: Li-Wen SU (Chinese Taipei/TPE) was seriously injured in her first match against Korea. She persevered to the repechage final before finally succumbing to Croatia.

*P.S. Sarah STEVENSONs match result against Zhong CHEN (CHN) was reversed after a successful protest appeal by GBR *P.S. Arman CHILMANOV received the bronze medal after his opponent, Angel Valodia MATOS (CUB), was disqualified. Matos could not recover within the stipulated 1 minute time allocated for first aid. Matos then punchedcorner judge Paulo MARTINS (POR) in the chest and kicked center referee Chakir CHELBAT (SWE) in the face. Matoss final classification ranking has been disqualified.

The first day of competitions was successfully organized, with all contestsbeing played on schedule.

The days competitions were remembered more for the followingachievements:

1. Rohullah NIKPAI of Afghanistan won a bronze medal in the mens -58kg weight category. This was Afghanistans first-ever medal in anysport in the Olympic Games. He is an Olympic Solidarity Scholarshiprecipient. In the bronze medal contest, Nikpai created one of the majorupsets in Olympic taekwondo history when he defeated 2007 WTFworld champion Juan Antonio RAMOS of Spain.

2. Dalia CONTRERAS RIVERO of Venezuela won a bronze medal in the womens -49kg weight category. She is an Olympic SolidarityScholarship recipient.


COMPETITION DAY 1 : August 20, 2008Womens -49kg / Mens -58kg

3. Sara KHOSH JAMAL, the first-ever Iranian female athlete to participatein the Olympic Games, won her first contest in style (winning 5-0 against astrong Moroccan athlete) before losing in the quarterfinals to the 2004Athens Olympic champion Shu-Chun YANG from Chinese Taipei.

4. Mexico won their first gold medal in Olympic taekwondo history whenthey won the mens -58kg weight category. They would go on to winanother gold medal in the womens +67kg weight category to finishsecond overall in the taekwondo medal rankings.

5. This was Kenya's first-ever participation in the Olympic taekwondocompetitions and they achieved 5th place in the womens -49kg weightcategory.

6. The Dominican Republicachieved their first-evermedal in Olympictaekwondo history whenthey won a silver medal inthe mens -58kg weightcategory. Along the way, heproduced one of the majorupsets when he defeated2004 Athens Olympicchampion Mu-Yen CHUfrom Chinese Taipei. Thiswas also the DominicanRepublics first medal in anysport in the 2008 BeijingOlympic Games.

7. Thailand achieved their best showing in Olympic taekwondo historywhen they won a silver medal in the womens -49kg weight category.They won a bronze medal in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

8. Chinas Jingyu WU proved to be a worthy champion. She dominatedtwo of her contests, which were both won by point gap (i.e. 7-pointmargin). She outclassed the 2004 Athens Olympic champion fromChinese Taipei in the semifinal (4-1) and defeated Thailand in the final.

Competition Day Overview




The second day of competitions wasorganized extremely smoothly, with noprotests and all contests on schedule.

The following were the highlights of theday:

1. IOC President Jacques ROGGEarrived at the University of Science andTechnology Beijing Gymnasium at 3 p.m.,along with IOC Sports DirectorChristophe DUBI and other officials.

2. Three siblings from the same family achieved a historic first. DianaLOPEZ of the United States won a silver medal in the womens -57kgweight category, while her brother Mark won a bronze in the mens -67kg weight category.

The next day, elder brother Steven would go on to win a bronze in themens -80kg weight category. All three athletes are coached by theireldest brother, Jean. This is the first time in Olympic taekwondo history,and perhaps in Olympic history, that three siblings won a medal in thesame edition of the Games.

3. Croatia achieved their first-ever medals in Olympic taekwondo historywhen they won a bronze in the womens -57kg weight category.

Croatia would go on to win another bronze in the women-67kg weightcategory.

4. Servet TAZEGUL of Turkey won a bronze medal in the mens -67kgweight category. He is an Olympic Solidarity Scholarship recipient.

5. Azize TANRIKULU of Turkey created a stir when she upset favoriteDiana LOPEZ of the United States in the quarterfinal, and then went on to achieve a silver medal.

6. Honorable mention: Li-Wen SU of Chinese Taipei has been hailed as a national hero backhome and also an icon of taekwondo after her courageous efforts in the womens -57kg weight category. Su suffered a broken bone in herleft foot and also possible tearing of her left knee ligaments in the firstcontest against the eventual champion from Korea.

Despite the excruciating pain, Su persevered. Along the way, however,Su collapsed whenever the pain became unbearable. In one particularcontest, she collapsed 11 times. Every time, she would pick herself up to compete. It even reached a point where her coach admitted that hecontemplated throwing in the towel, but Su would not allow him to dothat.

Such was her bravery to defy all odds that Su went on to compete in the repechage final, where she eventually lost. Su was given a standingovation and praises from the media.


The following were the highlights ofthe third day of competitions:

1. Anju JASON represented theMarshall Islands in the men's -80kgweight category, which he earneddirectly via the Oceania OlympicQualification Tournament in Noumea,New Caledonia, on December 1,2007. This was the Marshall Islandsfirst-ever participation in the OlympicGames.

2. Teenage sensation Aaron COOK ofGreat Britain stormed to the

repechage final of the men's -80kg weight category. At 17 years of age,the future is bright for Aaron.

3. Italy achieved their first-ever medal in Olympic taekwondo history whenthey won a silver medal in the men's -80kg weight category.

4. Hadi SAEI of Iran became only the third athlete to achieve two goldmedals in Olympic taekwondo history (the other two were CHEN Zhongof China and Steven LOPEZ of the United States). In addition, he is onlyone of two athletes to ever win a medal in every edition of the Olympictaekwondo competitions (the other is Steven LOPEZ of the U.S.A.).




The following were the highlights of the fourth and final day of thecompetitions:

1. Natalia FALAVIGNA of Brazil won a bronze medal in the womens+67kg weight category. She is an Olympic Solidarity Scholarshiprecipient.

2. Great Britain achieved their first-ever Olympic taekwondo medalwhen they won a bronze medal in the womens +67kg weight category.

3. Nigeria achieved their first-ever Olympic taekwondo medal when theywon a bronze medal in the mens +80kg weight category.

4. Kazakhstan achieved their first-ever Olympic taekwondo medal when they won a bronze medal in the mens +80kg weight category.

COMPETITION DAY 4 : August 23, 2008Womens +67kg / Mens +80kg



COMPETITION DAY 1 Highlights COMPETITION DAY 2 Highlights


COMPETITION DAY 3 Highlights COMPETITION DAY 4 Highlights


According to the agreementwith the IOC, the number ofinternational technical officialswas as follows:

1. Two (2) TechnicalDelegates2. Five (5) Jury members(also known as CompetitionSupervisory Boardmembers)3. Twenty nine (29)International Referees

The position of TechnicalController was removed from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. As thenumber of corner judges have increased from three (3) in 2004 Athens to four (4) in 2008 Beijing, the number of International Referees haveincreased by five (5).

The two Technical Delegates and five Competition Supervisory Boardmembers were appointed by the WTF President on August 31, 2007.

The officials were as follows:

Technical Delegates:1. Mr. Eui Min KO (Chairman of Technical Committee, Germany)2. Mr. Manuel COLMENERO FIRVIDA (WTF Council member, Spain)

Competition Supervisory Board Members:1. Mr. Rene BUNDELI (Chairman of Games Committee and Council member, Switzerland)

2. Mr. Hong Ki KIM (Chairman of Referee Committee andCouncil member, USA)

3. Mr. Dai Won MOON (Council member, Mexico)4. Mr. Siaka Minayaha COULIBALY (Council member, Cote dIvoire)5. Mrs. Carine Lahoud MURR (Council member, Lebanon)

The WTF held the Referee Selection Training Camp for the 2008 BeijingOlympic Games between July 29 and August 4, 2007. The camp drewa total of 187 international referees from 57 countries. The selected fiftyfour (54) international referees from the camp were then assigned to officiate in the six (6) Olympic Taekwondo Qualification Tournaments as part of the second screening process.

After almost eight months of training and officiating in the Olympicqualification tournaments, twenty nine (29) International Referees werefinally appointed on March 4, 2008. The officials were as follows:

Future Consideration(s)

Members of the Competition Supervisory Board were well-balanced interms of continental and gender representation. However, it is advisableto appoint at least one (1) lawyer or law-trained taekwondo expert in theBoard, who could provide legal advice when it comes to protestapplications.

International Technical Officials Drawing of Lots Session

The drawing of lots session was held on August 18, 2008, which was two days before the start of the competitions. To ensure fairness andtransparency, the following process was adopted at the drawing of lotssession:

1. There were two boxes of ping-pong balls; one box was filled with ballsthat had NOC codes and the other box was filled with balls that werenumbered 1-16 (depicting the 16 seeding positions in a standard matchtree).

2. One of the Technical Delegates randomly picked a ball from the NOCbox. When the name of the NOC was read out, a representative from the NOC approached the head table to randomly pick out one of the numbered balls. The NOC was then placed in the match treeaccording to the number that was picked.

3. The BOCOG then provided the NOCs with a similarly numbered goldplaque as a souvenir.

4. For NOCs that did not attend the drawing of lots session, a BOCOGvolunteer approved by the other NOC representatives randomly picked a numbered ball.

Despite the long, manual lot drawing process, numerous NOCrepresentatives praised the WTF for its transparency.

Issues

The lot drawing process was duplicated. Currently, the MSL systemcannot project its match trees through a projector.

Resolutions

The WTF developed a simple Excel spreadsheet. Whenever the NOCis called and the representative picks a numbered ball, an official from the WTF will manually place the selected athletes name and NOC Codeinto the appropriate slot in the match tree. The whole process is projectedon a big screen. At the same time, MSL does the same process in itssystem, after which it prints out a copy for the Technical Delegatesverification.

Future Consideration(s)

The WTF has reflected this duplication process to MSL and to ORIS. MSL has agreed to make the necessary adjustments so that its matchtrees can be projected at the drawing of lots session in future WTF-promoted/sanctioned championships and the Olympic Games. This change has been reflected in ORIS.

Referee Assignment

Tripartite CommissionInvitation Places(Wild Cards)

Referee assignments for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games taekwondocompetitions were done through the use of the random assignmentsoftware developed by Dartfish.

The software was also used at the Good Luck Beijing 2008 InternationalTaekwondo Invitational Tournament on February 26-29, 2008. Betweenthe test event and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the system hadgone through major enhancements.

Fundamental principles:1. A total of 29 referees were appointed. The composition of the refereeswas as follows:a. Europe - 11b. Asia - 10c. Pan America - 5d. Africa - 2e. Oceania - 1

The IOC received wild card applications for taekwondo from the nationalOlympic committees by November 15, 2007. After the technicalevaluation of the athletes by the WTF, a Tripartite Commission meetingamong the IOC, the Association of National Olympic Committees and the WTF was called.

The following four (4) athletes were selected to receive invitation places.(The results of the wild card recipients at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Gamestaekwondo competitions are shown below their names):

1. Alfonso MARTINEZ (Belize, mens under 58kg)a. Defeated by Juan Antonio RAMOS (Spain) by 1:2 in the Round of 16

2. Nesar Ahmed BAHAVE (Afghanistan, mens under 68kg)a. Defeated by Mark LOPEZ (USA) by 0:3 in the Round of 16b. Defeated by Daniel MANZ (Germany) by 3:4 in the repechage

3. H.H. Sheikha Maitha ALMAKTOUM (UAE, womens under 67kg)a. Defeated by Kyung Seon HWANG (Korea) by 1:5 in the Round of 16b. Defeated by Sandra SARIC (Croatia) by 0:4 in the repechage

4. Lailatou AMADOU LELE (Niger, womens under 57kg)a. She did not show up at the weigh-in, and was automatically disqualified from her competitions.

In July 2008, H.H. Sheikha Maitha Al Maktoum and the United ArabEmirates NOC agreed to change her weight category from womens over 67kg to womens under 67kg in order to ensure that there were 16athletes across all the weight category at the Olympic taekwondocompetitions, which essentially is in accordance with the qualificationsystem developed by the WTF and approved by the IOC.

2. The referees were divided into the center referee group and the cornerjudges group. The classification of the referees into their respectivegroups was done by the Mr. Eui Min KO (Technical Delegate), Mr. ManuelCOLMENERO FIRVIDA (Technical Delegate), Mr. Hong Ki KIM(Competition Supervisory Board member) and Mr. Rene BUNDELI(Competition Supervisory Board member).3. According to the WTF Competition Rules, a referee who is of the samenationality as the participating athlete will not be assigned to officiate in that contest. This is to ensure fair judgment and no conflict of interest.The same principle applied for center referees and athletes of the samecontinent.In the event that the corner judges are of the same continent as those of the participating athletes, the WTF will ensure that both athletescontinents are equally represented in the assignment of the cornerjudges.4. During the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, a referee was not assigned to be the center referee in the weight category that an athlete of the samenationality was participating in.a. There was minimal chance for the referee to be assigned as a cornerjudge in that weight category as well. This principle was mostly appliedacross all four days of competitions.b. If the athlete goes all the way to the final, the referee of the samenationality could only officiate in the repechage (as the repechage resultsdid not affect the final).c. If the athlete goes to the repechage, the referee of the same nationalitycould only officiate in the final, if assigned.5. In certain exceptional situations, some of the political, religious andethnic sensitivities were considered in the assignment of referees, so asto avoid any conflicts of interest or hostilities between officiating refereesand athletes.6. No referees were assigned for the two consecutive contests.7. Center referees who had officiated a particular country in a previousround were generally not assigned to officiate that same country again,unless necessary due to a lack of continental representation in the pool of center referees.8. After exclusion of any ineligible referees, less officiated referees wereassigned in priority.9. Referees who were assigned for inspection and weigh-in sessionswere automatically excluded from officiating until they have completedtheir assignments.10. For each contest, the system provided two options of referees. The two options were then brought to the two Technical Delegates for their choice and approval.11. On the last day of competitions, some of the referees were notassigned following the instructions of the Technical Delegates, especiallythe five referees who had officiated in Contest No. 134 (Great Britain vs.China).


Referee SelectionOlympic SolidarityThe week-long WTF International Referee Training Camp for the 2008Beijing Olympic Games was held on July 29 till August 4, 2008, drawing a total of 187 international referees from 57 countries.

Through the intensive training session, which served as the first stage of screening, the WTF ranked all the participating international refereesthrough practical and written tests.

For the second stage of the screening, the WTF sent the fifty four (54)highly ranked referees to the WTF World Taekwondo QualificationTournament for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Manchester, UK, in late September 2007, and the WTFs five continental qualificationtournaments. Right after the WTF European Taekwondo QualificationTournament in Istanbul, Turkey in early 2008, twenty nine (29) refereeswere finally appointed as the International Referees for the 2008 BeijingOlympic Games taekwondo competitions.

Meanwhile, for the first time in the WTFs referee education programs, the training camp conducted basic medical checkups, such as visualacuity, color blindness, blood pressure and hearing, and fitness tests, like a 50-meter sprint and standing long jump to ensure physical fitnessstanding as referees.

For the evaluation of practical tests, the WTF set up an eight-member ad-hoc evaluation committee.

Taekwondo received a total of 59 successful applications for the IOCOlympic Solidarity Scholarship program. After years of dedication andpersonal sacrifices, 20 athletes qualified for the taekwondo competitionsat the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Among them, four (4) athletes emerged as medal winners. In particular,Rohullah NIKPAI of Afghanistan won a bronze medal in the mens -58kgweight category, which is the first-ever medal won by Afghanistan in anysport in the history of the Olympic Games. Nikpais victory is testament tothe Olympic spirit, which hopefully will help bridge cultures and ensurepeace around the world.

Field of Play (FOP)The design of the Field of Play and the color combinations used wereintended to maximize the exposure of taekwondo. The contrast in colors,especially in the competition mats, was well received by the BeijingOlympic Broadcasting.

Instead of putting a square in the middle of the competition mat, the WTFand future Organizing Committees of the Olympic Games could considerputting the IOC emblem or official Olympic Games logo in the middle

(such as the one used in 2004 Athens), orindications of two athletes and the centerreferee.

Throughout the four-day competitions, onlyone (1) court was used for the taekwondocompetitions, which was ideal in briningattention to the FOP. At the same time,having only one court meant that thecompetitions would last a full day, which was

the case from 09:00 to 21:30 (including medal presentation ceremonies).For athletes that were selected for in-competition testing, that wouldmean leaving the venue at about 23:00.

For the clean and smooth operation within the FOP, the access to FOPwas strictly controlled and well managed by the BOCOG. Apart from the Technical Officials, the WTF Secretariat was provided with six (6) FOPaccess cards, either to be assigned to specific individuals or to be usedon a rotational basis.


VENUE

The University of Science and Technology Beijing Gymnasium is a beautifully designed venue.

The competition mat, obviously a recognized product of the WTF, wasfound to be too slippery, which caused some athletes to hesitate indisplaying their techniques in full. This issue was discovered before the competitions and was solved prior to the start of the competitions.However, it is the responsibility of the WTF to review the currentspecifications of equipments to ensure that all WTF-approved productsare within our requirements and satisfaction.

SeatingThe venue could accommodate a full-house capacity of 8,000spectators. The design of the venue allowed the spectators to watch the competitions without any hindrance. The proximity of the spectatorsto the FOP created a noisy yet electric atmosphere, especially when the spectators were cheering for the Chinese athletes.

The VIP seating area was designated behind two to three rows of tablesthat were meant for the media broadcasters. While it is important for the media to receive the best view of the competitions for their broadcastcommentary purposes, there were times when the view of the VIPs wereblocked, especially when the broadcasters stood up and walked around.Perhaps the commentary boxes could be designed lower for futureGames.

Facilities in the venueIn the operation area, facilities for technical officials and the WTFSecretariat were properly established and well managed with the assistance of wonderful and hospitable volunteers.

The main functions rooms provided to the WTF were the Presidentsroom, Secretary Generals room, WTF office, TDs room, CSB room,WTF meeting room, ITO meeting room and ITO lounge.

After the Good Luck Beijing 2008 International Taekwondo InvitationalTournament held in February 2008, the location and usage of the ITOlounge have been an issue. After consultations between the WTF and the BOCOG, it was agreed that the ITO lounge would be solelydesignated for the 29 international referees. None of the other technicalofficials or WTF staff could access the ITO lounge on competition days,so as to maximize independence and convenience of referees.

The overall administrative services provided in the WTF office wereexcellent, while the furniture in the WTF President and Secretary Generals rooms need to be reviewed for future occasions.

The warm-up area, at 640 sq. meters, was properly set up with three (3)courts. The weigh-in rooms were located in the warm-up area for the convenient access of athletes. Several TV monitors were well locatedin the warm-up area to help athletes stay updated with the ongoingmatch process. Other TV monitors were also set up in the athleteswaiting area to help inform the athletes to prepare for the upcomingcontests in advance.

The training venue was separately set up within the Capital Institute ofPhysical Education Training Hall B, which consisted of four (4) courts.

The training venue opened on July 27 until August 23. Operation hourswere 08:00-13:00 and 15:00-22:00. The distance from the OlympicVillage to the training venue was 5km, or within 10 minutes if traveling by shuttle bus. The training schedule was well planned and managed by the BOCOG, and no major problems were reported.

RestaurantAthletes, coaches, WTF officials and technical officials were allocatedwithin the designated restaurant for lunch and dinner, with partitions inbetween to separate the different groups. The restaurant wasconveniently located within walking distance from the venue.

Lighting / temperatureThe Beijing Olympic Broadcasting commented that the lighting within the venue was suitable for broadcasting. For future Games, however,it would be ideal to look into darkening the other areas around the FOP so that the focus would be on the FOP.

During the Good Luck Beijing 2008 International Taekwondo InvitationalTournament, questions were raised about the temperature within the venue during summer time. However, the temperature in the venuewas very well maintained, and it provided the best conditions to the athletes and also to the spectators.


WTF President, Greek Nikolaidis, ChinasChen Zhong Participate as Key Torchbearers in Beijing Olympic Torch Relay

WTF PresidentChungwon Choue;Greek AlexandrosNikolaidis, a silvertaekwondo medalist at the 2004 AthensOlympic Games; andChinese two-timetaekwondo Olympicgold medalist ChenZhong participated

as key torchbearers in the 2008 BeijingOlympic Torch Relay.

WTF President Choue participated as a torchbearer in the Beijing 2008 OlympicTorch Relay in Lijiang, Yunnan Province inChina on June 10, 2008.

As the 11th runner in the ancient town of Lijiang,Dr. Choue ran about 50 meters in the morningin his capacity as the president of aninternational sports federation, drawing a special attention from local media. He wasinterviewed by the China Daily and the Xinhwanews agency.

In May 2008, Dr. Choue sent a condolenceletter, along with a donation of $3,000, to the Chinese Olympic Committee, for the profound loss of lives from the devastatingearthquake which hit the Sichuan province,which neighbors the Yunnan Province.Taekwondo is a compulsory subject at elementary schools in the Sichuan Provincefrom 2007.

The very first torchbearer in Greece was GreekAlexandros Nikolaidis, the silver medalist in the mens over 80kg taekwondo category at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. On March24, at the ancient Olympia archeological site,High Priestess Maria Nafpliotou used a torchignited by the Olympic flame held by Nikolaidis,who then handed over the torch to Chinasswimming Olympic champion Luo Xuejuan.

Chinas Chen Zhong, the two-time Olympictaekwondo gold medalist, also participated in the Olympic torch relay as one of the final eighttorchbearers during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 8.

Under the theme Journey of Harmonyandthe slogan Light the Passion Share the Dream,the 2008 Beijing Olympic TorchRelay started on March 24 in Greece andcontinued until Aug. 8, the opening day of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The torch relay covered over 100 cities acrossthe five continents of the world for a combineddistance of 137,000 km and involves 21,880torchbearers and 5,000 escort runners.

The WTF hoped that the participation of WTFPresident Choue, Nikolaidis, and Chen Zhongas key torchbearers of the 2008 BeijingOlympic Torch Relay would greatly helpenhance the image of the WTF and taekwondoin the international sports community.

Lopez FamilyOlympic history was created when Steven Lopez of the United States, his younger brother Mark and youngest sister Dianaparticipated in the taekwondo competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. This was the first time in more than a century ofU.S. Olympic history where three siblings have participated in the same sport in the same Olympic Games. To top it off, eldestbrother Jean served as a head coach of the U.S. taekwondo team.


Rohullah Nikpai (Afghanistan)

Nakpai earned war-tornAfghanistan the first-ever medalin the Olympic Games in its 72-year Olympic history.

Rohullah Nikpai made history in Afghanistans 72-yearOlympic history as he qualified for the taekwondocompetition at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games for the firsttime, and earned the war-torn country the first Olympicmedal in any sport.

Nikpai, 21, clinched a bronze medal in the mens -58kgcategory at the Beijing Olympic Games. In the bronzemedal match, Nikpai, an Olympic Solidarity Scholarshiprecipient, created one of the major upsets in Olympic

taekwondo history when he crushed 4-1 Juan AntonioRamos of Spain, the gold medal winner at the 2007 BeijingWTF World Taekwondo Championships.

Nikpais Olympic medal is testament to the Olympic spirit,which hopefully will help bridge cultures and ensure peacearound the world.

The International Olympic Committee announced that onlyfour countries, including Afghanistan, won their firstOlympic medal at the Beijing Olympic Games.

My single Olympic medal has helped bring Afghanstogether and unite a wide variety of ethnic groups intoone,Nikpai said. Now taekwondo has emerged asthe symbol of peace in Afghanistan.

He said, Taekwondo hasgiven hope and dreamsto the Afghan people,especially youth. Thesport of taekwondo hasgiven Afghans a can-dospirit and a greatconfidence.

Nikpai, who startedtaekwondo at the age of10, hoped that taekwondoshould retain its Olympicstatus not only for the sportof taekwondo, but also for

Afghans.As long as taekwondo stays as an Olympicsport, Afghans can keep dreaming.

Nikpai, with a height of 181cm, has three elder brothersand one younger sister. His two brothers also do practicetaekwondo.

When I grabbed the bronze medal, I was really delighted,Nikpai said. I failed to achieve my goal of winning the Olympic gold, but I will set again my Olympic goldtarget on the 2012 London Olympic Games.

When I returned home, my mother told me I am proud of you and thank you my son, my prayer is answered,Nikpai said.

Upon arriving at Kabul International Airport on Aug. 28,almost one thousand of Afghans, with ID cards, welcomedNikpai. A car parade was followed from the airport to the Ghazi Stadium in downtown Kabul. I couldnt believemy eyes. There were really lots of people welcoming me.

Under Korean coach Min Sin-hak, Nikpai trained aboutseven hours a day for almost one year before the BeijingOlympic Games. During the summer and winter times, Itrained much more.

When I first saw him in December 2005, I sensed that he could be an Olympic gold medalist,Min said. I thinkhe can compete at the next two Olympic Games if hedesires.

Nikpai plans to engage soon and to continue his study in 2009 by enrolling in a physical education department in a Tehran university.


Taekwondo Makes History in Afghanistan

Since the late 1970s, Afghanistan has suffered continuousand brutal civil war.

During the 1996-2001 Taliban government, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the OlympicCouncil of Asia (OCA) cut their relations with the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee (NOC) for the regimes restrictions on freedom and human rightsviolations. Women were banned from jobs, and girls wereforbidden to attend schools or universities.

After theresumption of theAfghanistan NOCsrelations with theIOC and the OCA,Afghanistan sent itsathletes to the 2002Busan AsianGames, where afemale taekwondoathlete, Ms. RouyaZamani, won abronze medal, thefirst taekwondomedal at aninternational event.

The medal startedto attract a specialattention of theAfghan media andthe people.

At the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, Afghanistan alsoclinched one bonze medal in the taekwondo competition.

At the 2007 WTF World Taekwondo Championships in Beijing, China, Afghanistans Nesar Ahmad Behavegrabbed the silver medal in the mens lightweight category.For Afghanistan, it marked the first medal at world championships in any sport.

Afghanistan sent two taekwondo athletes to Beijing, Chinafor the 2008 Olympic Games. One was Nesar AhmadBehave who earned a Tripartite Commission invitationplace, or better known as a wild card, and the other wasRohullah Nikpai, who earned a ticket for the BeijingOlympic Games as he finished second at the WTF AsianTaekwondo Qualification Tournament in Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam on Nov. 1-3, 2007.

The two Afghan athletes were IOC Olympic SolidarityScholarship recipients. Nikpai was the first Afghan athleteto qualify for the Olympic Games in any sport in his country.

At the Beijing Olympic Games, Nikpai won a bronze medalin the mens -58kg class, the first-ever medal in theOlympic Games in Afghanistans 72-year Olympic history.

The single medal changed a lot in Afghanistanssports and other sectors.

Nikpais Olympic medal made history in Afghanistans sports field. Now taekwondo is the No. 1 sport in our country and alltaekwondo clubs are crowded,said GhulamRabani Rabani, president of the AfghanistanNational Taekwondo Federation.

Rabani said that there are about 25,000taekwondo practitioners and about 700taekwondo clubs in Afghanistan.

Rabani, a Kukkuwon 5th Dan black-belt holder,started taekwondo at the age of nine. The 33-year-old Rabani took the helm of Afghanistansnational taekwondo governing body at the endof 2001.

At the end of 2005, the number of taekwondopractitioners was about 15,000. If the currenttrend continues, it will jump to about 45,000 by

the end of 2009,Rabani said.

All sportsmen nowsend their daughtersand sons totaekwondo clubs in our country,reflecting the highpopularity oftaekwondo,especially afterthe Beijing OlympicGames,he said.

With the approval of the Afghanistan EducationMinistry, Rabani said that the Kabul PhysicalEducation University has decided to introducetaekwondo as an optional subject for itsstudents.

Nikpais Olympic medal has exerted a positiveimpact on the minds of Afghans. Afghanistan is divided into a wide variety of ethnic groups.

When Nikpai won the Olympic medal intaekwondo, the country was united into oneand Afghans voiced We are one country, we are one people,Rabani said. The singleOlympic medal helped solve decades ofinternal feuds among ethnic groups. Nowtaekwondo means peace for Afghans.

When Nikpai arrived at Kabul InternationalAirport on Aug. 28, about 1,000 Afghanswelcomed him. The airport welcoming eventwas followed by a car parade from the airportto the Ghazi Stadium in downtown Kabul,where thousands of people gathered to greethim.

All the commemorative events were organizedby a special committee set up by the Afghangovernment. Days later, Nikpai was invited to the Presidents office.

Rabani cited as major reasons for the highpopularity of taekwondo among Afghans such

taekwondo values as etiquette, respect forothers, and discipline.

Because of decades of civil war in ourcountry, Afghans are lacking in respect forothers and mutual confidence, but taekwondoputs those values first,said Rabani, who alsoserves as an Executive Council member of the Afghanistan NOC.

Korean Min Sin-hak, who serves as thenational coach of the Afghan nationaltaekwondo team, said, Afghan athletes havegood fighting spirits and high learning abilities.And they are fearless.

Through taekwondo training, they dream ofbetter lives,said Min, who coached Nikpaisince late 2005.

At the invitation of the Afghan NOC and the Ministry of Culture, Min went to Afghanistanin December 2005 as the first Korean coach to the Asian country.

Min, a Kukkiwon 6th Dan holder, said hestarted an individual training program for Nikpaiand other Afghan national taekwondo athletes.I focused on building up their physical strengthby putting a 20km marathon and cross countryin the training program.

As I sensed Nikpais great potential for a future Olympic gold medalist, I startedmaking up for his weak points of slow starttiming,Min said. I am confident that Nikpaiwill win the gold medal at the 2012 LondonOlympic Games.

To teach Nikpai etiquette, a key taekwondovalue, Min said he brought Nikpai to Korea on Nov. 8, 2008 for a 10-day training. I emphasized over and over the importance ofbeing humble and the fact that he was able to win the Olympic medal because of the concerted concern and support of thosewho love him.

Sara created historyby being Irans first-ever femaleathlete to participate in theOlympic Games in any sport.

Sara Khosh Jamal was from a middle-class family with twosisters and one brother. Being a teacher, her father wantedher to have higher education and as a typical Persianparent, he wanted Sara to be an engineer or doctor, so hewasnt too happy to hear about taekwondo.

But as time passed and he witnessed the discipline andrespect that was brought to his daughter by taekwondo,he allowed Sara to practice taekwondo.

Sara, with a weak physique, started taekwondo in

elementary school, and eventually in 2008 at the age of 20,she became the first Iranian woman to qualify for the Olympic Games in Irans history.

Sara is the first Iranian female athlete who participated in the Olympic Games.

At the Beijing Olympic Games, Sara beat MoroccosGhizlane Toudali 5-0 in the round of 16, but failedto advance to the semifinal round as she lost to ChineseTaipeis Shu Chun Yang in the fourth, sudden-deathround.

In 2007 when she was only 19 years old, Sara competedin the 2007 WTF World Taekwondo Championships inBeijing, China. She then lost to the Chinese Taipei athlete.

Despite being very disappointed, she became even moredetermined to continue for the Beijing Olympic Games.

I was disappointed, true, but I think that match made memore determined. It gave me a kick-start to continue mytraining harder and try to qualify for the Olympic Games,Sara said.

She earned a ticket for the taekwondo competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games as she finished third in the womens -49kg category at the 2007 WTF AsianTaekwondo Qualification Tournament in Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam on Nov. 28-30, 2007.

When I qualified for the Olympic Games, I was ecstatic. I wanted to show the whole world that Iranian women

could do anything,she said. It was a great feeling toknow that I was the first woman in my countrys history to actually qualify and, not on a wild card, and go to theOlympics.

She said, Experiencing the Olympic Games was justsuper. I felt so proud to be an Iranian Muslim woman. Even though I didnt get the result I wanted, but under nocircumstances I would change the experience I had in the Beijing Olympics.

Sara was very diligent and analytical with an introspectivenature,recalls Shin Dong-sun, who served as head coachof the Iranian national female team between June 2005 andDecember 2006. She constantly kept asking. She was a good, well-disciplined student. But she was veryaggressive and fearless in competition.

Shin said, When we first met at a hotel in Tehran, sheasked me about kicking technique.


Sara Khosh Jamal (Iran)


Taekwondo in Iran

Taekwondo is the second most popular sport in Iran with over 1.5 million practitioners

Taekwondo was brought to Iran in 1973 to train specialforces of the military. As more officers were trained, theystarted to have private classes for the public, and soontaekwondo became more and more popular among thepeople.

Over the last 15 years, Iran has become a majortaekwondo power in the world and has produced manyworld and Olympic champions.

As the president of the Taekwondo Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyd Mohammad Pouladgarhas achieved great success and has been able to developtaekwondo to become one of the top three most popularsports in the country that only wanted to play football andwrestle. In terms of the number of practitioners, taekwondocomes second after football.

Today there are about one and a half million taekwondopractitioners and about 3, 800 taekwondo clubs across the nation. There are five leagues starting from under 14to the premier league for males, one female league and a poomsae league.

Mr. Pouladgar became president of the TaekwondoFederation of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2000 afterserving as vice president for four years. He started the firsttaekwondo league in Iran and maybe in the world 14 yearsago and now there are several professional leagues.

In the past decade, Mr. Pouladgar has tried to concentrate his efforts on several factors that havebrought on the success and development fortaekwondo.

Attracting private financial sources was very difficult andthe Taekwondo Federation of Iran had to depend ongovernment support heavily, but as time passed moreand more private capital was poured into taekwondoand today all 60 clubs that are participating in Iransleagues are privately owned.

One of the most important factors Mr. Pouladgar hasalways insists on, when he talks about taekwondo inIran, has been the promotion of higher education among

athletes and coaches. He believes this, along withacademic and scientifictaekwondo seminars, canproduce better players andcoaches. The IranTaekwondo Federation hasheld several international andnational seminars that haveattracted many guestspeakers and a wide range of audience from around theworld.

During his tenure as the president, he has beenable to gather support andbuild the Houses ofTaekwondo in all 30provinces in Iran. But themost important piece of thispuzzle was to attract the media.

Fortunately today taekwondoenjoys live broadcast of notonly the tournament that areheld in Iran, but also livebroadcast of its league everyweek.

When asked about his plans for the future oftaekwondo in Iran, the first thing Mr. Pouladgarmentions is to try to get the public moreinvolved.

Iran has been doing great inproducing champions as hewants to get families moreinvolved and there are plans to hold a family tournament thatcan see grand parent or parentsparticipating with their children.

In addition, he would like to expand the already existinggood relations with regionalcountries and help developtaekwondo in the Persian Gulfregion and accordingly Iranorganized the 1st West Asian

Taekwondo Championships in Tehran on Nov.8-9, 2008.

Iran plans to start the first taekwondo academy

in the Middle East and when the projectfinishes, it will be a dream come true for a manthat has dreamt about the idea for the last 25years.

Mr. Pouladgar is one of the first people whogave a vote of confidence and his supportfor the reforms started by the WTF PresidentDr. Chungwon Choue.

He thinks electronic protectors, suggested byDr. Choue, is a very important step towardbringing fairness to taekwondo and bringing an end to all the controversies surrounding the officiating situation in the WTF.

In his opinion, using the electronic protectorscan be one of the things that can attract a wider audience. Of course, we have to domore in regards to our rules and regulationsand the TV coverage of the matches to attractmore spectators and in turn attract financialsponsors.

Iran has been working very hard to raise the interest among the women and today there are over 50,000 female taekwondoplayers. After a long haul, Iranian women wereable to get a bronze in the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar in 2006, and then for the firsttime in Irans history, Iranian women were ableto finish first and qualify for the OlympicGames, something that had never happenedbefore in any sport.

Throughout the history, Iran has been attackedand invaded and the Iranian men have learnedhow to defend their country.

That is why Iranians are so good at martial arts and they have taken special liking totaekwondo. It has attracted many girls becausein taekwondo women are allowed to wear theirHejab-scarf covering their heads.


Aaron Cook (Great Britain)

Q What is your impression of participating in the taekwondo competition at the Beijing Olympic Games?

A : It was a great experience, and I was very lucky to fulfilla childhood dream by representing my country at theOlympic Games. I was also very proud to have ahieved it at such a young age.

Q : You are believed as a teenage sensation in yourcountry and a great hope for the 2012 Olympic Games.How do you think about that?

A : I just try to be the best I can be, but sometimes it is verydifficult to make others understand my dreams and goals.To be the best, you have to do things no one else hasdone before. I think that is what I have done, and had to do to achieve the things I have. I will continue to strive to achieve my goals, and winning the gold at my homeOlympics in 2012 would be a dream come true.

Q : Why do you think taekwondo should be in the Olympicprogram?

A : Taekwondo is a very exciting, dynamic martial art, thatanyone can be involved in. It is not expensive to participate,compared to a lot of other Olympic sports and has globalappeal. I very much hope taekwondo remains on theOlympic program.

Q : What are the strong points of taekwondo, comparedwith other sports?

A : Taekwondo is fast, exciting, unpredictable and a good spectator sport. In my semifinal match withthe Italian fighter at the Beijing Olympic Games, with just 10 seconds to go, we could have ended in a golden-point round, there could have been a KO,but we ended in an exchange of five kicks between us with the Italian being awarded the point to win 6-5.That was for an Olympic gold or silver medal. I did notsee much that exciting at the games.

Q : What is your opinion of introducing an electronic bodyprotector system at the next Olympic Games?

A : I think electronic scoring will be good forthe sport, as long as it works properly. I believethere are still problems with the new system (I have not yet competed with it) and unlessthese problems are solved, I think using it willbe no different than having judges that makepoor decisions and you will end up with morecontroversy. As long as the new system worksfairly and doesnt cause change in the way youhave to fight your opponents, I think it will be a good thing for the sport.

Q : What is your opinion of introducing aninstant video replay system at the taekwomdocompetitions?

A : I think this would also be a very importantchange for the sport. I train very hard, havegreat ambition and want to win, but sometimesI will lose. As long as I lose for the right reasons(because my opponent was better than me), its okay, but if I lose because of a poordecision, I, as an athlete, cant do anythingabout that, and that is something that has to change. If video replays give the athlete andcoach the opportunity to alter a poor decisionthat could affect the result of a match, it canonly be fair to everyone, including the judgesand spectators, as well as the athlete andeliminate further controversy.

Q : When did you start practicing taekwondo?

A : I was five years old when I started practicingtaekwondo.

Q : What were the reasons for practicingtaekwondo?

A : I loved the Power Ranger TV program. I was always trying to copy them so my mumand dad found a local martial arts club. I wasvery lucky it happened to be a taekwondo cluband not another martial art.

Q : How important is taekwondo to you andyour career?

A : From the moment I started taekwondo at the age of five, taekwondo became my life.I cannot imagine life without taekwondo.

Q : What is your taekwondo philosophy?

A : My parents encouraged me to observe andlive my life by the tenets of taekwondo, which I have and continue to do, and I get upset by people within taekwondo that neglect thosetenets, tenets that the sports success hasbeen built on. Because of my age and my ownachievements within the sport, I also have a phrase that also helped me achieve all I have,and has inspired me when things have beenhard and not going to as planned. That phraseis Impossible is Nothing.

Q : Do you have any suggestions for the development of taekwondo and the WorldTaekwondo Federation?

A : I personally feel that taekwondo is headingin the right direction. Electronic scoring andvideo playback are positive responses thatcould change life as an athlete for the better.The proposed world rankings are a majormove forward. I love to compete; it is why I getout of bed every morning to train, becauseI know I have a competition coming up tofocus on. The ranking system shouldencourage athletes to compete more, it willeliminate the potential of the best athletesmeeting in the early stages of a majorcompetition (via seeding), and this will in turnmake major competitions more exciting andcreate more spectator/media interest, withmore chance of the better athletes progressingto the later stages of the competitions and fightone another for medals, instead of the earlierrounds that the current drawing of lots systemcan sometimes give.

Q : What are your plans for 2009?

A : I hope to do well at ranking competitionsand get a good ranking by the end of the yearat the World Senior Championships, at the newU21 European Championships, and hopefullycompete in the first WTF Invitation competitionat the end of the year.


Q : What is yourimpression ofparticipating in the taekwondocompetition at the Beijing OlympicGames as a WTFinternational referee?

A : To participate inthe Olympic Gameswas one of thosedefining moments in my life, whichprovided me the

opportunity to walk the talk of fairness and transparency in the most competitive venue in the world under extremeand intense conditions.

Every match was like a final as each athletes dream ofOlympic gold and status as a national hero was at stake.The exuberance and uninhibited pleasure in victory shownby those who stood at the top of the podium resonatesthrough us all for as referees we had a big hand in creatingand maintaining the atmosphere, which in many waysprovided a clear and uninhibited path for victory.

Q : What is your evaluation of the overall taekwondocompetition at the Beijing Olympic Games?

A : All things considered, I believe the taekwondocompetition at the Olympic Games was very good, in fact

it was superb. This is to be expected as the best at thattime from each national association in their weight classwas there.

It was a contest between some of the finest and mostcompetitive athletes I have ever seen. The skill level andfellowship with the exception of one individual wasoutstanding and represented the true ideal of the OlympicGames.

Q : What is your evaluation of the overall taekwondocompetition at the Beijing Olympic Games in terms ofrefereeing?

A : Given the level of competition, the overall microanalysisand evaluation of every contest, and the pressure toperform, I believe our overall performance was very good.

Q : Do you think the WTF refereeing system has beenimproved?

A : Yes, without question it has. Under WTF President Dr. Chungwon Choues leadership and critical attention to the referee division, improvements have been made.Secretary General Jin Suk Yang has paid close attentionto and actively taken part in referee development events.

Q : Do you think the WTF referee selection for the BeijingOlympic Games was fair?

A : I have not been privileged to know all the details of the selection processes leading to the final 29 selected to

referee the Olympic Games. I do know we allattended and participated in a number of verydifficult processes starting with the selectioncamp at Woosuk University in Korea duringJuly of 2007 and progressed through six otherevents leading up to the final selection. I willnever forget those days and times.

Q : Why do you think taekwondo should be in the Olympic program?

A : Without any question, taekwondo shouldremain on the Olympic program. These aretimes where many sports find themselvesstruggling to remain exciting to the public andwin the acceptance of the IOC. Taekwondohas demonstrated ongoing efforts to improveour venue and competition rules to add greaterexcitement for the public and IOC recognitionas a popular sport worldwide with audienceappeal.

Taekwondo brings excitement andrelevance to the world of sport.Taekwondo instantly appeals to all with itsflamboyance and tenacity. Once anyonewitnesses taekwondo and has anopportunity to understand the game, theybecome fans for life and easily see how itfits within the Olympic ideal.

Q : What are the strong points of taekwondo,compared with other sports?

A : Humility, cooperation, respect, a sence ofmutuality and its cultural diversity amongathletes, coaches, referees, fans, and familymembers. Taekwondo is dynamic in itsapplication as a sport unlike any other martialart.

Q : What is your opinion of introducing an electronic body protector system at the nextOlympic Games?

A : The concept is good. It will take much moredevelopment and refinement, but it is possibleand a goal well worth pursuing. The integrationof the electronic body protector and humanmatch management is ideal and central toour ongoing goal of fairness in all aspects of competition.

Q : What is your opinion of introducing an instant video replay system at thetaekwondo competitions?

A : I think it is a good idea. The real question isunder what conditions and how many videoreplays can a coach request, and if a request is granted, how will that impact potentialprotest rights. I am sure there are otherquestions, but I have not analyzed this matterfrom a critical thinking process as of yet.

Q : When did you start practicing taekwondo?

A : I first took up taekwondo as a kid but neverreally stayed with it because my attention wasfocused on basketball, football, track and field,and baseball. It was not until I graduated fromthe university that I really focus my attention on taekwondo.

Q : What were the reasons for practicingtaekwondo?

A : Fun, new friends, hard workouts,something different and new as a challenge to excel within myself. The nature oftaekwondo is compatible with my athleticbackground.

Q : How important is taekwondo to you andyour career?

A : Taekwondo is not important to my career,but does have importance in my life as itcontinues to provide me opportunities andchallenges each day to grow from a humanperspective and understand some of the manypathways we all travel. I believe the humancapacity is infinite and our paths in life dependon how deep we can see into infinity.

Q : What is your taekwondo philosophy?

A : Taekwondo empowers equity and socialjustice on all levels of interaction, butrecognizes ones right to self-determinationand individuality.

Q : Do you have any suggestions forthe development of taekwondo and the WorldTaekwondo Federation?

A : Bring individuals on board in all positionsthat have proven knowledge, skills, and abilitiesto help move the WTF into a strategic positionto maintain our Olympic status and promulgatetaekwondo throughout the world as the preferred martial art and sport ideology.

Q : What are your plans for 2009?

A : Continue my work at the University ofWashington School of Social Work. I lookforward to teaching and training referees andcreating referee development programs. I hopeto get back into coaching. I plan to continuetraining and consulting with national programsoutside the United States on sparring theoryand sport psychology.

Leon Preston (U.S.A.)


Dr. Ken Min (U.S.A.)Member of WTF Council

Q : Why taekwondo should stay in the OlympicMovement?

A : The relationship between taekwondo and the OlympicGames has been and should be one of positive mutualbenefit and growth. Baron Pierre Coubertin, founder of theInternational Olympic Committee, said that, The importantthing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part,the important thing in life is not to have conquered but to have fought well.

The taekwondo movement shares this philosophy of participation and also seeks to cultivate the educational values of character building,perseverance, self-discipline, self-confidence and,

most of all, self-respect,both for the individual andfor humanity as a whole.Moreover, taekwondo isdeeply rooted in Asianmacro philosophy whichperceives the surroundingnature as a whole wheremankind can existharmoniously with theenvironment.

Since its introduction as a demonstration sport in the1988 Seoul Olympics, andthrough the efforts of manytaekwondo leadersthroughout the world,taekwondo has become oneof the major emerging sportsin the Olympic Movement.

Undoubtedly, one of thehighlights of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the thirdOlympic Games to be held in Asia, was the unprecedentedand unparalleled levels of volunteers, funds, and facilitiesmade available by the Chinese government. The BeijingOlympics festivity strove to meet Coubertins noblechallenge of participation. In particular, I was privileged to attend the Olympic taekwondo competition which washeld August 20-23, at the Gamestaekwondo venue at Beijing University of Science and Technology.

I was impressed not only by the athletes but by the numerous taekwondo dadsand taekwondomoms,especially from Western countries, who broughttheir boys and girls hoping to compete in the 2010 YouthOlympic Games in Singapore. Such enthusiasm showsthat taekwondo is more and more becoming a contemporary family sporting event, like soccer andswimming.

Taekwondo is now more than ever a universal Olympicsport. Of the 188 membership countries of the WorldTaekwondo Federation, which is currently headed byPresident Chungwon Choue, 64 countries sent teams to compete in the taekwondo competition at the BeijingOlympics. These athletes went through the stringentOlympic qualifying competitions to reach Beijing. Thequality of taekwondo athletes has been elevated or hassurpassed those who competed in the 2004 AthensOlympics.

Q : What is your evaluation of taekwondo as an Olympic sport?

A :Evaluation of todays taekwondo movementshould include the past, present and futuredirection. The cumulative experience andknowledge of the World TaekwondoFederation since its establishment in 1973should be leveraged for the future of thetaekwondo movement.

To help us do so, the continuity of all positions,from volunteer committee chairs to thepresidency, should be closely and effectivelymanaged, especially the professional staff atthe WTF headquarters. The world taekwondomovement should archive all records anddocuments so that they can be referenced byconcerned parties. Also following all events,small or major, especially post-OlympicGames, there should be an objective debriefingby all concerned parties with records madeavailable to the public for the constructiverecommendation and criticism for the future ofthe taekwondo movement.

For ongoing harmony and collaboration withinthe world taekwondo community, I would alsostrongly recommend that the WTF adopt anemeritus system for those who contributed to the success of the world taekwondomovement by recognizing individuals forhonorary positions, similar to the policyestablished by the FISU, which is definitelyneeded for the future success of theorganization.

Jacques Cousteau did more than any otherperson to raise mankinds awareness of

the immutable bond between the creatures ofthe sea and those who are bound to its shores.At the age of 84, Jacques Cousteau spoke ofthe Olympic Movement at the IOC ParisCentennial Congress in 1994. He said: TheOlympic Games is a celebration of constantimprovement and is therefore a dash by mantoward the future. For me, the purpose of an event is not to beat others but rather to improve the performance of our fellowcreatures.

The Olympic Movement can trace its originsback to an elite competition. Taekwondo, onthe other hand, was cultivated and developedfor personal enhancement via self-training, withthe ultimate goal being mutual respect amonghumanity. Both the Olympic Movement andthe taekwondo movement now endeavor to educate our youth to cultivate health, ethics,and mental and aesthetic development to maximize their human capability on all fronts.

Q : What is the current taekwondo status in the United States?

A : I can remember when people in the UnitedStates used to call taekwondo by the nameKorean karate.Today, fewer people askwhat is taekwondoor have difficulty in pronouncing or spelling its name. In fact it may now be better known than other Asianmartial arts, perhaps even more than judo.There are definitely more taekwondo followersthan any other martial arts in the United States,according to the martial arts publications.

Taekwondo development in the United Statesis second only to that of Korea, the mothercountry of taekwondo. The National CollegiateTaekwondo Association has hosted an annualnational collegiate championship since it wasestablished in 1971, and was the mainorganizing force that created the national officialtaekwondo body, which has evolved throughseveral name changes from the National AAUTaekwondo Committee to the current USATaekwondo, Inc.

There are thousands of master andgrandmaster instructors who teach taekwondo

in private dojangs, or clubs, and YMCAs,Boys and Girls Clubs, and recreation centerswhich have spread throughout the nation, fromsmall communities to major metropolitan areas.

Taekwondo was accepted as an official UnitedStates amateur sport in 1974, second only to Korea in establishing a national governingbody. In fact, USA taekwondo was developedto establish a character-building program thatwould coincide with physical education inschools and universities, including high school.

U.S. taekwondo has also contributed to the evolution of the global taekwondomovement by contributing major professionalvolunteer positions, including hosting two worldchampionships and two world universitychampionships and numerous Pan Americanregional championships. U.S. taekwondospearheaded the formation of the PanAmerican Taekwondo Union in 1977, which isrooted in the North American TaekwondoUnion, formed in 1974.

Recently in the United States, variousorganizations have been competing for NGB(National Governing Body) status of the UnitedStates Olympic Committee. I consider this apositive contribution for grass-rootsdevelopment and success of its nationalmovement. I am very optimistic aboutthe future of taekwondo in the UnitedStates, as long as taekwondos valuescoincide with the educational values in the training of our upcoming generation.

Q : What is the future of taekwondo, in general?

A : After 35 years of accumulative experienceand development, celebrated by the WTF at a special reception in Beijing, taekwondo isnow one of the major sports movements in the Olympics program. It covers all five rings ofthe Olympic symbol, from Asia (41 countries),to Oceania (13 countries), to Pan Am (42countries), to Europe (49 countries) and Africa(43 countries). The WTF has grown large andsophisticated enough to observe ethicalconcerns related to its organization as the IOC


Mr. Dae-Sung Moon (Korea)New Member of the Athletes Commission of the IOC

On Aug. 24, the final day ofthe Beijing Olympic Games,the 120th IOC Sessionelected four new IOCmembers: Dae-Sung Moonof Korea, Alexander Popovof Russia, Claudia Bokel ofGermany and YumilkaRuiz-Luaces of Cuba.

They are new members ofthe AthletesCommission,

to which they were elected by their peers during the BeijingOlympic Games. The Commission, which was created in 1981, is a link between active athletes and the IOC.

Moon, the gold medalist in taekwondo at the 2004 AthensOlympic Games, was elected with 3,220 votes, followed byPopov with 1,903, Bokel with 1,836 and Yumilka with1,571. The new members were officially introduced at the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Gameson Aug. 24.

Moon, 32, became the first Asian Olympian to be electedas a member of the IOC AthletesCommission for an eight-year term. The Commission has 19 members,including active and retired athletes. Twelve, eight fromsummer Olympic sports and four from winter Olympicsports, are elected for eight years by the athletescompeting in the Olympic Games, and up to seven athletesare appointed by the IOC president to ensure a balancebetween regions, genders and sports.

The IOC AthletesCommission upholds the rights,expertise and obligations of the athletes, and meetsregularly - as well as with the IOC Executive Board, to which it issues recommendations. The Commissionmembers are also represented in nearly every other IOCcommission.

I am happy to be a member of the IOC AthletesCommission as the first Asian. I will devote most of my timeand energy to leading a strong anti-doping campaign,said Moon. I will also do my best to reflect the voices ofAsian athletes in IOC policymaking.

Of course, I will do my utmost for the promotion oftaekwondo,said Moon, who clinched the gold medal inthe mens over 80kg category at the 2004 Athens OlympicGames. Moon also serves as a member of the WTFCouncil.

Moon painted a bright future of the Olympic sport oftaekwondo as a total of 22 countries won at least onemedal at the Beijing Olympic Games. A total of 128athletes from 64 countries participated in the taekwondocompetition at the Beijing Olympic Games. Afghanistanclinched a bronze medal in taekwondo, the first medal in Afghanistans 72-year Olympic history.

Reflecting the high popularity of taekwondo, all the ticketsof the Beijing Olympic taekwondo matches were sold out,Moon said.

did following the 2002 XIX Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. TheIOC adopted many USOC structures such as athletesrepresentationand ethical standards.

It is unfortunate that taekwondo, with its Asian inheritance of discipline,confidence, and mutual respect, has had to adopt a more explicit ethicscode to balance the Westernization of taekwondo as an Olympic sport,effected by the drive of international elite competition to win at all costs.Yet we must remember that sports itself is considered a training groundfor the law-abiding citizens, and especially the Olympic Movementemphasizes education of youth for peace, harmony and collective effort to overcome obstacles.

Taekwondo should seek to attract spectators and media attention, but I do not consider taekwondos sole emphasis to be entertainment orcompetition with other sports for popularity or spectatorship. Instead, I see the goal of taekwondo to be a philosophy in action, an educationalendeavor which should be spearheaded by the WTA (World TaekwondoAcademy), a similar concept of the IOA (International Olympic Academy)of the IOC.

Documents

2009 Taekwondo Magazine