# What is going on with the Taekwondo world? ( UK-fiasco )



## Markku P (Jun 6, 2012)

It seems we cant get rid of scandals in the taekwondo world. The latest thing is now from the UK where they didnt select Aaron Cook for the UK Olympic team. I have been really disappointed but not really surprised about that. I had heard rumours about this much earlier. What is striking, is how much earlier UK Taekwondo had started to work with this. They had already fixed their ranking points so it doesnt as badly affect UK fighters, for example.What is sad to see is that they seem to be lying all the time with a straight face. 

Its also very strange to see that one of selected fighters husbands was on selection committee! And of course, the fighter who is replacing Aaron Cook- his coach is also a member of the selection committee!(Of course they might not vote when they handle their fighters case, but it will be naive to think that they dont have any influence)What is quite obvious is that after the OS London, UK Taekwondo will explode.


I have heard that many people have been upset about this for a long time.I personally love the sport aspect of Taekwondo but as a school owner, I cant be part of it. Too many egos and too many problems! Many tournaments have been poorly organised, unfair referring and an unfair selection process for national teams. It just looks too unprofessional and unhealthy.

I prefer to just grow my schools, focus on my students and not care about competitions!  I start to believe that this will be last time that Taekwondo will be at Olympic games and perhaps that is a good thing for Taekwondo?


Yours,

Markku Parviainen​


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## terryl965 (Jun 6, 2012)

No Markku TKD will be in the 2016 for sure and it probaly will be at least in the next four after that simply because of the money that will get thrown at the IOC. Britian is making a huge problem the number one rank athlete in TKD not at the Olympics that say politics plan and simple. All countries have this same problem we do here in he states for sure, but all we can do as instructors is do the very best that we can to help build a solid foundation for TKD.


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## Manny (Jun 6, 2012)

Markku P said:


> It seems we can&#8217;t get rid of scandals in the taekwondo world. The latest thing is now from the UK where they didn&#8217;t select Aaron Cook for the UK Olympic team. I have been really disappointed but not really surprised about that. I had heard rumours about this much earlier. What is striking, is how much earlier UK Taekwondo had started to work with this. They had already fixed their ranking points so it doesn&#8217;t as badly affect UK fighters, for example.What is sad to see is that they seem to be lying all the time with a straight face.
> 
> It&#8217;s also very strange to see that one of selected fighter&#8217;s husbands was on selection committee! And of course, the fighter who is replacing Aaron Cook- his coach is also a member of the selection committee!(Of course they might not vote when they handle their fighter&#8217;s case, but it will be naive to think that they don&#8217;t have any influence)What is quite obvious is that after the OS London, UK Taekwondo will explode.
> 
> ...



Hi Markku nice to read you. Yes, TKD have been plagued of politics and this most of the time is a bad thing, politics can ruin almost anything. For this matters I am not inside sport tkd, because a) I don't have the time and b) Because I don't care because the politics. As you are going to do, I prefer teach the martial art of TKD without caring the sport side, and I think that maybe the soprt side of tkd will fade away from the olimpics and maybe this will be a good thing for the martial art of the tkd.

It's sad but true, maybe the tkd went out of the hands of the WTF and maybe will be see in the future the resurection of the TKD with maybe the soprt side but at another level, maybe without olimpics TKD can focus in a new set of rules and still in the asian games, FISU, and international competition but nothing more about olimpics.

Manny


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## Markku P (Jun 6, 2012)

terryl965 said:


> No Markku TKD will be in the 2016 for sure and it probaly will be at least in the next four after that simply because of the money that will get thrown at the IOC..



I hope Taekwondo will stay in the Olympic games but personally I don't believe it anymore. ( I have heard so many telling so.. )

/Markku P.


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 6, 2012)

To be fair Sarah Stevenson was a lock anyway.


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## Markku P (Jun 6, 2012)

ETinCYQX said:


> To be fair Sarah Stevenson was a lock anyway.



Yes, You are right but she has been injured and I felt they should give Bianca Walkden opportunity go to London 
​/Markku P.


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## Kong Soo Do (Jun 6, 2012)

Markku P said:


> I prefer to just grow my schools, focus on my students and not care about competitions! I start to believe that this will be last time that Taekwondo will be at Olympic games and perhaps that is a good thing for Taekwondo?



I completely understand your desire to focus on the growth of your school.  Here is my question (to anyone in general), if TKD is dropped from the Olympics (be it this time, the next or whenever), how would it really effect you as an individual school owner (or even as an individual practitioner)?


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## Markku P (Jun 6, 2012)

Kong Soo Do said:


> I completely understand your desire to focus on the growth of your school.  Here is my question (to anyone in general), if TKD is dropped from the Olympics (be it this time, the next or whenever), how would it really effect you as an individual school owner (or even as an individual practitioner)?



No effect at all. As a "sport" we don't get almost any media coverage so it doesn't matter.

/Markku P.


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 6, 2012)

Markku P said:


> Yes, You are right but she has been injured and I felt they should give Bianca Walkden opportunity go to London
> ​/Markku P.



Sarah's a better fighter and higher ranked. If she's healthy it's her spot and rightfully so.


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 6, 2012)

Kong Soo Do said:


> I completely understand your desire to focus on the growth of your school.  Here is my question (to anyone in general), if TKD is dropped from the Olympics (be it this time, the next or whenever), how would it really effect you as an individual school owner (or even as an individual practitioner)?



Competition approach would change and I'm sure WTF rules would eventually change. It would become about Worlds rather than Olympics. Essentially there would be a different pinnacle of the sport so to speak.


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## Markku P (Jun 6, 2012)

ETinCYQX said:


> Sarah's a better fighter and higher ranked. If she's healthy it's her spot and rightfully so.



If she's healthy and got enough training but I am not certain..and about ranking.. Taekwondo GB says it's not so important 

/Markku P.


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## andyjeffries (Jun 6, 2012)

ETinCYQX said:


> Sarah's a better fighter and higher ranked. If she's healthy it's her spot and rightfully so.



But British Taekwondo say that rankings mean nothing (otherwise Aaron Cook would be a shoe-in).


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## Master Dan (Jun 6, 2012)

Kong Soo Do said:


> I completely understand your desire to focus on the growth of your school.  Here is my question (to anyone in general), if TKD is dropped from the Olympics (be it this time, the next or whenever), how would it really effect you as an individual school owner (or even as an individual practitioner)?


 WE stoped pursuing it in the late 90's becuase of the cost per student benefit is just not there beter things to focus on on traditional training/life skills behavior modification/education/ Cogantive learning skills/ on and on competition is for growth and fellowship exposure to other arts like open turnaments all styles cultural exchange and such. Could care less about Olympics now after so many of us paid so much through 70's 80's 90's thinking it was everything? Politics means nothing to poor disavantaged and abused students.


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 6, 2012)

andyjeffries said:


> But British Taekwondo say that rankings mean nothing (otherwise Aaron Cook would be a shoe-in).



Maybe poor Aaron should marry someone on the selection panel...

I have a lot of respect for Lutalo, he's an excellent fighter and athlete and is Olympic caliber for sure, but Aaron is the best and it should be his spot. Lutalo is getting discounted here and maybe he shouldn't be, but realistically we are talking world number 7 (i think) or world number 1. Same issue with Sarah and Bianca, Sarah has been out but she is still better than Bianca overall.

Quick tidbit from Canada, all three of our team members come from Quebec. Big sparring province, sure, but I'd have expected west coast representation. Karine Sergerie, Sebastien Michaud and Francois Coulumbe-Fortier.


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## Gorilla (Jun 7, 2012)

It would have no affect!


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## andyjeffries (Jun 7, 2012)

ETinCYQX said:


> Maybe poor Aaron should marry someone on the selection panel...



I don't think Bianca would be happy about that ;-)



ETinCYQX said:


> I have a lot of respect for Lutalo, he's an excellent fighter and athlete and is Olympic caliber for sure, but Aaron is the best and it should be his spot. Lutalo is getting discounted here and maybe he shouldn't be, but realistically we are talking world number 7 (i think) or world number 1.



Lutalo is number 59 in the world at -80kg (number 7 at -87kg).

http://www.wtf.org/www2/board.php?b...e1&no=53&file=WTF_WORLD_RANKING_2012_JUNE.pdf

I completely agree...



ETinCYQX said:


> Same issue with Sarah and Bianca, Sarah has been out but she is still better than Bianca overall.



I must admit, personally I'd go with Bianca.  Although I think Sarah is better/has more experience, she's reasonably untested after her knee operation.  If she'd have had time for a couple of tournaments beforehand maybe I'd change my mind, but I wouldn't risk it.


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## Markku P (Jun 7, 2012)

"The World Taekwondo Federation is to review the selection process that has resulted in the world No1, Aaron Cook, being rejected three times for a place in Great Britain's Olympic team."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jun/07/london-2012-taekwondo-aaron-cook?CMP=twt_gu


/Markku P.


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## Markku P (Jun 7, 2012)

"This review will not have the power to alter [the] decision, but will determine whether any rules of WTF Ethics Code have been broken.&#8221;

/Markku P


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## Gorilla (Jun 7, 2012)

This is a fiasco!!! I feel sorry for everyone encipher in this mess. imagine what kind of position Lutlao is in!!!wow!!!

Cook should be selected but his is unfair for all!!!!


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## Tez3 (Jun 7, 2012)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jun/07/london-2012-olympics-aaron-cook-taekwondo?newsfeed=true

_"The British Olympic Association, which is considering the unprecedented step of forcing the British governing body to pick Cook over Muhammad, said it would consult the WTF and its own board before deciding how to proceed."
_


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## ATC (Jun 7, 2012)

Easy solution is to have a double elimination fight off. If Cook wins he is in. If Lutlao wins he is in. Simple right!?!?!


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## ralphmcpherson (Jun 7, 2012)

ATC said:


> Easy solution is to have a double elimination fight off. If Cook wins he is in. If Lutlao wins he is in. Simple right!?!?!


Very good point. My mates and I have been saying this for 2 weeks, it just seems so obvious.


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 7, 2012)

andyjeffries said:


> I don't think Bianca would be happy about that ;-)



Had no idea they were dating. Cook is lucky, lol, I'm a big fan of Bianca's.



andyjeffries said:


> Lutalo is number 59 in the world at -80kg (number 7 at -87kg)
> 
> I completely agree...



Muhammad doesn't deserve the flack he gets, but he isn't Aaron Cook. I wouldn't expect him to give up his spot, but it shouldn't be his. Not to take anything away from him, 19 years old and number 7 world wide is more than most ever accomplish, but Cook is just better.



andyjeffries said:


> I must admit, personally I'd go with Bianca.  Although I think Sarah is better/has more experience, she's reasonably untested after her knee operation.  If she'd have had time for a couple of tournaments beforehand maybe I'd change my mind, but I wouldn't risk it.



Bianca or Stevenson is arguable and debatable. I'm still in Sarah's camp personally but it's a good point that she's relatively untested, you could make a strong case for either. There isn't one for Lutalo IMO.


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 7, 2012)

ATC said:


> Easy solution is to have a double elimination fight off. If Cook wins he is in. If Lutlao wins he is in. Simple right!?!?!



Great on paper but if I were Aaron or Lutalo, I'd want to avoid competing as much as possible right now


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## ATC (Jun 8, 2012)

ETinCYQX said:


> Great on paper but if I were Aaron or Lutalo, I'd want to avoid competing as much as possible right now


They have 50 days to recover. Not much to lose...well for one of them anyways.


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## ATC (Jun 8, 2012)

I got to see Aaron in person compete at the US Open this year. I was impressed. His speed is much faster in person than I thought. I use to think that he was not that good and he did not really impress me. But after I got to sit ring side and see him up close and live I left with a change of mind. He is very good and to not let him compete is criminal.

I watched that fight with him and Lutalo at the German Open, many times over and to me Lutalo got away with a great many leg checks. He had a few that they called but still got away with way to many. Lutalo also seemed to be very disrespectful at the start of the match when he was losing. Taking off his headgear and then not wanting to put it back on when he got called for Kungo. That match was just bad, bad, bad all around, to me that is.

Lutalo is much bigger than cook and maybe they think that his size will be an advantage in the Olympics. Cook is much faster. Watch the fight and see how much faster Cook is. Once Lutalo got up on Cook he just used the cut kick and his size to keep Cook out and from scoring. Not sure why Cook did not play more defense when he was up big on Lutalo, but sometimes you just choke it away for no reason at all. Cook was winning big and pretty easy until the leg checks slowed him down

Fight footage here
[yt]UNYiCMR1pUM[/yt]


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## andyjeffries (Jun 8, 2012)

ATC said:


> Lutalo is much bigger than cook and maybe they think that his size will be an advantage in the Olympics. Cook is much faster. Watch the fight and see how much faster Cook is. Once Lutalo got up on Cook he just used the cut kick and his size to keep Cook out and from scoring. Not sure why Cook did not play more defense when he was up big on Lutalo, but sometimes you just choke it away for no reason at all. Cook was winning big and pretty easy until the leg checks slowed him down



At least he avenged it two weeks later.


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 8, 2012)

ATC said:


> They have 50 days to recover. Not much to lose...well for one of them anyways.



Absolutely, and it's unlikely, but freak injuries happen. Broken feet, knee injuries, broken hands, etc.


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 8, 2012)

ATC said:


> I got to see Aaron in person compete at the US Open this year. I was impressed. His speed is much faster in person than I thought. I use to think that he was not that good and he did not really impress me. But after I got to sit ring side and see him up close and live I left with a change of mind. He is very good and to not let him compete is criminal.
> 
> I watched that fight with him and Lutalo at the German Open, many times over and to me Lutalo got away with a great many leg checks. He had a few that they called but still got away with way to many. Lutalo also seemed to be very disrespectful at the start of the match when he was losing. Taking off his headgear and then not wanting to put it back on when he got called for Kungo. That match was just bad, bad, bad all around, to me that is.
> 
> Lutalo is much bigger than cook and maybe they think that his size will be an advantage in the Olympics. Cook is much faster. Watch the fight and see how much faster Cook is. Once Lutalo got up on Cook he just used the cut kick and his size to keep Cook out and from scoring. Not sure why Cook did not play more defense when he was up big on Lutalo, but sometimes you just choke it away for no reason at all. Cook was winning big and pretty easy until the leg checks slowed him down



Has anyone else noticed Aaron plays with his pants a lot? Even in training videos he's constantly adjusting them.


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## ATC (Jun 8, 2012)

andyjeffries said:


> At least he avenged it two weeks later.


Yes he did. Like I said he is better fighter. He is more skilled and faster. Guess GB does not want any medals in TKD this coming Olympics. Lutalo won't even place. He is good don't get me wrong, just not medal good.


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 8, 2012)

ATC said:


> Yes he did. Like I said he is better fighter. He is more skilled and faster. Guess GB does not want any medals in TKD this coming Olympics. Lutalo won't even place. He is good don't get me wrong, just not medal good.



Nope and it's a shame, this isn't Lutalo's fault and the rest of the world wants to see him lose his shot.


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## Tez3 (Jun 8, 2012)

ETinCYQX said:


> Nope and it's a shame, this isn't Lutalo's fault and the rest of the world wants to see him lose his shot.



I suppose there's no room for both of them? that would solve the problem!


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 8, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> I suppose there's no room for both of them? that would solve the problem!



Host country gets four athletes in four weight classes. The rest of the world gets three in three weight classes. Aaron is #1 at 80kg, Lutalo is #59 at 80kg and #7 at 87kg. I don't want to be critical to Lutalo but he doesn't deserve to be there, he's just not Olympic caliber like the rest are.


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## Tez3 (Jun 8, 2012)

ETinCYQX said:


> Host country gets four athletes in four weight classes. The rest of the world gets three in three weight classes. Aaron is #1 at 80kg, Lutalo is #59 at 80kg and #7 at 87kg. I don't want to be critical to Lutalo but he doesn't deserve to be there, he's just not Olympic caliber like the rest are.




Ah I see. Shame.

I don't think a 'fight off' will do it, there will be claims of biased judging, reffing etc by one side or another. Though I'm willing to host a fight off if they'll go in the cage with our refs and judges (we actually have TKD, MT and karate trained ones who can judge kicks and punches only)!


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## ATC (Jun 8, 2012)

ETinCYQX said:


> Has anyone else noticed Aaron plays with his pants a lot? Even in training videos he's constantly adjusting them.


Yeah, a lot of players do something like this. My son always pulls at his hogu for some reason. He will keep his right hand at the bottom of the hogu and after every so often he will tug at it. I have asked him many times why he does this but he does not even realize he does this. I am sure Aaron does not either. Just a reflex type thing I guess.


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## Tez3 (Jun 8, 2012)

Andy, did you have the same odd thoughts about Aaron playing with his pants in public as I did in that split second before remembering that to Americans pants aren't underwear!


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## andyjeffries (Jun 8, 2012)

Tez3 said:


> Andy, did you have the same odd thoughts about Aaron playing with his pants in public as I did in that split second before remembering that to Americans pants aren't underwear!



No, I'd seen it was from Ethan before reading the comment so automatically translated it.  Now you've pointed it out and I've re-read it I'm ROTFLMAO!!  Funny as hell!!!


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## Gorilla (Jun 9, 2012)

ETinCYQX said:


> Host country gets four athletes in four weight classes. The rest of the world gets three in three weight classes. Aaron is #1 at 80kg, Lutalo is #59 at 80kg and #7 at 87kg. I don't want to be critical to Lutalo but he doesn't deserve to be there, he's just not Olympic caliber like the rest are.



If you can qualify four you get four the USA has  four.


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## Gorilla (Jun 9, 2012)

Cook is out! This is why we have long ago gave up on the Olympics!  Not really a viable option no matter how good you are!


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## Master Dan (Jun 9, 2012)

Gorilla said:


> Cook is out! This is why we have long ago gave up on the Olympics!  Not really a viable option no matter how good you are!



I agree with your statement but I am a little confused not about the politics but if I was reviewing the match supplied by this thread between him and Latilo at the open boring fight by the way Latilo seemed much larger and Cook was knocked down feel down constantly fixing his gear I would not have given him the fight but the computers must have? didn't finish I hate the hands down crap.

But based on if I was going to choose only on the basis of which could beat all other talent I would have favored the larger fellow? 

Bottom line the suggestion of a match was simple but it seems rules are being followed and unlikely to be changed there seems to be a sense of fear by governing bodies to allow transparency worse yet actual control by its members??


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## Gorilla (Jun 9, 2012)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18365361

Patrice Remark Aaron Cooks Coach


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 9, 2012)

Master Dan said:


> I agree with your statement but I am a little confused not about the politics but if I was reviewing the match supplied by this thread between him and Latilo at the open boring fight by the way Latilo seemed much larger and Cook was knocked down feel down constantly fixing his gear I would not have given him the fight but the computers must have? didn't finish I hate the hands down crap.
> 
> But based on if I was going to choose only on the basis of which could beat all other talent I would have favored the larger fellow?
> 
> Bottom line the suggestion of a match was simple but it seems rules are being followed and unlikely to be changed there seems to be a sense of fear by governing bodies to allow transparency worse yet actual control by its members??



Sport Taekwondo is scored on points, very much unlike kickboxing or MMA. This means damage is not an important consideration, connecting as many times as possible is. It makes sport matches look like that.


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 9, 2012)

Gorilla said:


> If you can qualify four you get four the USA has  four.



This might be a dumb question but how does one qualify? I have a good idea of how selection by your country works but not qualification. Do you qualify with the WTF? IOC?


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## ATC (Jun 9, 2012)

Gorilla said:


> http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18365361
> 
> Patrice Remark Aaron Cooks Coach


Yep. And Aaron Should just move to the US and compete. 4 years from now.


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## ATC (Jun 9, 2012)

ETinCYQX said:


> This might be a dumb question but how does one qualify? I have a good idea of how selection by your country works but not qualification. Do you qualify with the WTF? IOC?


Here you go -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taekwondo_at_the_2012_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Qualification


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## Gorilla (Jun 10, 2012)

ATC said:


> Yep. And Aaron Should just move to the US and compete. 4 years from now.



He will run into the same issue in the USA!


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## Tez3 (Jun 10, 2012)

Perhaps we'll contact him and see if he wants to come across to MMA.


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## Master Dan (Jun 10, 2012)

ETinCYQX said:


> Sport Taekwondo is scored on points, very much unlike kickboxing or MMA. This means damage is not an important consideration, connecting as many times as possible is. It makes sport matches look like that.



Yes I know that and should remeber that in fact from a scoring point he may of had a few more flury of points but was clearly rocked by harder shots from his opponent I am from the old days of tkd sport always looking for the knock out or down still hard to believe they were same weight?


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## ATC (Jun 10, 2012)

> "Lutalo is improving at a rate of knots and has potential which hasn't been
> tapped," said Peters.


The above is from the article that Gorilla posted a link to. I really hate this quote everytime I hear it. I hear this alot. First off, everyone has untapped potential. Second, the rate of improvement by someone does not mean they will continue at that rate or get to a level of someone above them. White belts will improve at a faster rate than a brown belt does not mean much. As you get better at anything you slow down that improvement and the gains get slower and slower. This is in anything. Only stupid people use this way of thinking to compare things at different stages of development.


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## ETinCYQX (Jun 13, 2012)

Master Dan said:


> Yes I know that and should remeber that in fact from a scoring point he may of had a few more flury of points but was clearly rocked by harder shots from his opponent I am from the old days of tkd sport always looking for the knock out or down still hard to believe they were same weight?



Lutalo is higher ranked at 87kg than he is at 80kg. 

Taekwondo is judged on numbers not getting rocked, doesnt matter if he got hit hard as long as he stayed standing.


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## Tez3 (Jun 13, 2012)

ETinCYQX said:


> Lutalo is higher ranked at 87kg than he is at 80kg.
> 
> Taekwondo is judged on numbers not getting rocked, doesnt matter if he got hit hard as long as he stayed standing.



He was on the news today, I haven't seen him before and didn't know of him until now but he was smirking, saying that Cook should get over it, there has to be a winner and a loser and he's won so Cook should shut up. Put me right off him tbh.


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## bugatabugata (Jun 13, 2012)

This popped up on the Daily Mail today: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ol...12-Olympics-Aaron-Cook-demands-fight-off.html

"Cook said: 'I'm world No 1 I don't need to prove myself, but if a fight-off is my last hope of getting to the games I'll fight him any time, any place, anywhere." [ATC, looks like you were on to something]
​
I get it that this is sports TKD and there are reputations (i.e. money) to be made, but WTF -- not letting the guy compete...this whole fiasco is just sad.


​


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## ATC (Jun 14, 2012)

bugatabugata said:


> This popped up on the Daily Mail today: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ol...12-Olympics-Aaron-Cook-demands-fight-off.html
> 
> "Cook said: 'I'm world No 1 I don't need to prove myself, but if a fight-off is my last hope of getting to the games I'll fight him any time, any place, anywhere." [ATC, looks like you were on to something]
> ​
> ...


Yep, makes sense to me. But not in the Olympics as a prelim fight. That just puts both in the Olympics. Fight off now, before the Olympics as the selection process. Not sure how you have these two in the same weight catagory without a fight off.


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## Gorilla (Jun 14, 2012)

They should have had a qualifying tournament in the first place!  Selection panels are never the answer in a combat sport.

Let's have a fight!


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## Daniel Sullivan (Jun 14, 2012)

Markku P said:


> It seems we cant get rid of scandals in the taekwondo world.


I think it more accurate to say "....can't get rid of scandals in large organizations."

Each nations NGB is itself a large organization which feed into the WTF, an even larger organization.  Each KKW school is also connected to the Kukkiwon, itself a large organization.

It is the nature of large organizations to have politics.  It is the nature of politics to produce scandals.  Some would say that this is a good argument against large organizations.  Certain goals, however, are not achievable without a large organization, and Olympic inclusion is one of them.  Same holds true for any sort of national or international level competition circuits.  

Look at baseball, football (NFL), and basketball.  There are several major scandals in each of those sports every year, sometimes in a month.  Boxing has also had its share of fiasco and scandal.  By comparison, I'd say that the taekwondo world is doing pretty good all things considered.    ​


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## Gorilla (Jun 14, 2012)

Cook beat Lutalo 7-2 at the Dutch Open...controlled the fight with the cut kick.  That is the most recent fight.

Lutalo is good fighter but not in Aarons class.  Not nearly as versatile.  Lutalo is very limited in his approach.  He just does not have as many options.

He was clearly a political choice! GB TKD is getting a black eye on this one.


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## Carol (Jun 15, 2012)

Somehow I predict that Aaron Cook and some Bulgarian weightlifter will suddenly be extended citizenship in Bahrain or Qatar....


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## Tez3 (Jun 15, 2012)

Carol said:


> Somehow I predict that Aaron Cook and some Bulgarian weightlifter will suddenly be extended citizenship in Bahrain or Qatar....



I've often said on MMA theads that here in the UK we have no tradition of wrestling, lo and behold however we seemed to have acquired a world standard wrestling team for the Olympics! yes all Eastern Europeans, however for once someone has thought 'this isn't right' and stopped some of the Plastic Brits for competing.
In the Independent newpaper yesterday on the same page as the Cook story is one about an Olympic competitor holding his country to ransom before he competed, a sprinter who was aloowed in their Olympic team despite not getting the qualifying time at the expense of someone who did, neither British and a British cyclist David Millar who was banned for drugs cheating who is on the Olympic team shortlist. it makes you wonder really about the sporting integrity of the Olympics, well I suppose not, we do know that it's not about 'doing your best' anymore.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ol...ics-No-passports-plastic-Brits-wrestlers.html


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## Metal (Jun 15, 2012)

In 2008 German player Helena Fromm was injured before the Qualification tournament, so Pinar Budak was elected to compete in the female -67 kg category (although her weight category usually was -59 kg) and she won the qualification tournament and therefore qualified for the Olympics. Well, she didn't qualify for the Olympics directly, but secured a quota place in the female -69 kg division for the German NOC.

Then after her recovery the German Taekwondon Union decided to send Helena Fromm to the Olympics.


Stuff like that happens probably everywhere around the world. Also this year the German Taekwondo Union didn't send Daniel Manz to the qualification tournament and those who were sent didn't qualify.


Anyway, I hope Lutalo wins a medal so that he can prove that he was the right selection.



In Judo btw, qualification for the Olympics is based upon the world ranking.


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## andyjeffries (Jun 15, 2012)

Metal said:


> Anyway, I hope Lutalo wins a medal so that he can prove that he was the right selection.



I hope Aaron manages to get the decision reversed (via BT decision, BOA decision, WTF decision, High Court or CAS) and then gets a gold medal.  I also hope that Lutalo continues to improve and eventually we get two great equal fighters competing for the spot (I have no grudge towards him, it's not his fault, I just think Aaron is better).


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