Glad I'm not that taekwondo referee...

[crquack]

YouTube has pulled the video. WTF is obviously in full damage control.

I just watched in gory technicolor and multiple views on Radio Canada. Bit late for WTF.

As to ITF they had their share of problems but it is many years since I cared.

BTW the Armenian wrestler was vidicated by arbitration...

[erooMynohtnA]

BTW the Armenian wrestler was vindicated by arbitration...

What does that mean? What happened? He's no longer a bad sport?

[rac]

It doesn't really have to do with knowing anything about TKD, considering all the decisions have been made, by people who know more than anyone else.

and if I were to raise my post count I'd set up my macrobot and post in the 516k thread.

I owe Neinteen an apology, She may not know much about TKD but what does she need to know to make her call. After watching the Cuban bout, they (fighters) don't know much about TKD. That was probably the death knoll for the sport in the Olympics. Hello Karate!

[noodle]

I owe Neinteen an apology, She may not know much about TKD but what does she need to know to make her call. After watching the Cuban bout, they (fighters) don't know much about TKD. That was probably the death knoll for the sport in the Olympics. Hello Karate!

wait, so the cuban bout changed your mind about the lopez bout?

[Philistine]

YouTube has pulled the video. WTF is obviously in full damage control.

It's Here on the NBC Olympics site.

--Philistine

[erooMynohtnA]

I'm pretty sure it was only removed from youtube due to copyright concerns. All you have to do is search for the guy's name. It's plastered all over the internets.

[rac]

wait, so the cuban bout changed your mind about the lopez bout?

I know the Lopez's, at one time I was heavily involved in TKD politics. They were (at the time) a very stand-up bunch Gene and Paris are great coaches but they sold their souls for this chance. With Herb Perez involved in their bid they have given up the much which made them special. As for changing my mind, yeah, there have been too many incidents with TKD at this Olympics too many challenges, too many problems. I think that seeing that last incident really pushed me over to the other side... Perhaps, no probably, they have sold to much of themselves to the medal god to be the inspiration they once wanted to be. I don't think that the incidents--the sheer number of issues, can do anything else but drag the sport down into the Korean-Run business it has become.

The Lopez's have done well at carving a portion of the pie and in that they become, at least to me, guilty of allowing the issues to fester and gain credence. Rather than coming forth prior to ANY matches with the issues they waited until Steven was toppled from his pedestal until they cried foul.

This and many other issues have moved my family and me to fencing. We have been pleased with the results so far. I realize that the politics and greed exist throughout modern sports but at least the field is a bit more level over here in the fencing world.

Sorry for the rambling on, but these issues currently occurring in TKD, hurt.

I can't think of any other way to state it but that.


rac

As a PS to this post I should mention my daughter still cross-trains heavily in TKD on a weekly basis.

[Inquartata]

In the article, most of the complaining was done not by Lopez but by his coach. Rather like the Karolyis did all the complaining about the women's gymnastics scoring, while the gymnasts themselves were pretty classy about it...

Of course, the coaches might just be saying what the athletes think, but all Lopez himself said was

"(WTF officials) don’t think about the repercussions until after they make a mistake. They know the power we have as a family and bringing limelight to our sport. By no means do I want to bring this sport down. I love this sport. But sometimes in any sport there are judges, there are politics involved. Unfortunately, there’s not supposed to be that in any of the sports, but you see it all the time. Whether it be gymnastics, boxing, it happens.

“There are bad calls all the time. This is one of the times that it happened to me. It normally doesn’t, but it happened. It sucks.”

Sounds like fencing to me...just not this time.

[Guymelef]

It's Here on the NBC Olympics site.

--Philistine

Thanks for the redirect. Man o man, you're right there is no way to bury this.

[Zilverzmurfen]

What does that mean? What happened? He's no longer a bad sport?

He never was.

[rac]

In the article, most of the complaining was done not by Lopez but by his coach. Rather like the Karolyis did all the complaining about the women's gymnastics scoring, while the gymnasts themselves were pretty classy about it..

Agreed, but keep in mind the coach is Steven's older brother. I think you mean Herb Perez the "Team Manager or Head of delegation or Whatever".

The call for Steven is unassailable, it was a "field of play" call and thereby non-protestable by the players much like the calls for fencing actions.

But if you were to look at the number of protests made in TKD over this Olympics, you might get a feel for the unrest and discontent felt by the various national teams with the WTF.

Anyway, you are correct it was a simple situation, "Field Of Play" referee decision not protestable-that should have been it. {Problem with that is twofold: One: the WTF actually considered it when it should not have, and Two: I have seen those sort of decisions reversed when it was in the "Best Interests of TKD"}. (that is a WTF quote by the way)

As an aside the exact same situation got Ms. Diana Lopez onto the USA team when her opponent tried to protest that exact type of call (Field of Play). Protest denied. You can't have it both ways -- Can You????

rac

[HDG]

I should mention my daughter still cross-trains heavily in TKD on a weekly basis.

Thanks for the warning…

[Delta]

boxing (and wrestling) have had similar issues.
I think part of the problem is the technology and timing of what is considered to be a legitimate window of time for judges to punch in calls before someone in the ring gets a punch in.
A few of the martial arts I've studied has always had a palpable feel of bias at any level of competition.

[Phrogger]

From CBS News.

Castro: Corrupt Judges Hurt Cuban Athletes

Former Dictator Says Taekwondo Match Was Fixed; Predicts "Racism", "European Chauvinism" At London's 2012 Games