Just as Taekwondo guides students on the path of self-improvement, Taekwondo itself embraces the concept of continuous improvement by re-examining issues of safety, techniques, rules, and performance. Taekwondo’s evolution in recent decades is what earned it the status of Olympic Sport, and its continued evolution will secure that coveted title beyond the 2012 games.
Amendments to Competition Rules were discussed at a large WTF technical meeting in late 2008. WTF President Chungwon Choue summarized the meeting’s purpose:
“…we need the overall amendment of the Competition Rules for more fun, transparent and fair games…. We have now commenced a process of revising the Competition Rules to make taekwondo matches more enjoyable and exciting to both athletes and spectators alike.”
An extensive list of rule changes that came out of the technical meeting has been approved by the WTF Executive Committee. The list has now been presented to the WTF Member National Associations, who will cast votes by the end of January. Once approved, these changes could be fully implemented by late 2009.
Here’s a summary of the proposals that would have the most impact on players:
- Head kick is worth 3 points (up from 2)
- Additional point awarded (by referee) for "turning kicks" (spinning kicks)
- "7 point gap" rule removed
- "12 point ceiling" rule removed
- Competition area is reduced to 8×8 meters (from 10×10)
- Weight categories have been adjusted (affects 6 men’s divisions and all women’s)
- Penalties (kyong-gos and gamjeoms) awarded as points to the opponent (instead of deducted from offender)
- Lifting the knee to block an attack is a kyong-go
- Inactive period for fighters is now 5 seconds (down from about 10 seconds)
Several other proposals are intended to make judging more fair by reducing conflicts of interests, and by introducing video replays. Another proposal requires the commission doctor to be consulted before declaring a loss in the case of exceeding kye-shi time (1 minute injury recovery), a rule that might have prevented some referee headaches in the 2008 Olympics.
» WTF Holds Joint Technical Meeting for Amendments to Competition Rules
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These rule changes are deeply flawed and demonstrate that the people changing rules in our sport have no concept of sport science, of energy systems, of training programs. The three points for high section and 2 for turning kicks might work. The video replay ideas will turn a fast paced sport into a boring bureaucratic hubbub. The technology and processing of this is not clearly spelled out and is more knee jerk than thought out. Even the change to electronic hogus has slowed things down to a crawl. The recent US Open was delayed over and over again with faulty equipment, and obvious technical glitches that cost athletes points repeatedly over the entire 4 days.
I train in WTF TKD but I’m embarrassed of TKD sparring. If the WTF threw away the ridiculous hogu, and allowed punches but regulated the amount thrown to the head, TKD would not be a joke in the martial arts world nor would it have its spot in the Olympics threatened. I agree the WTF people are so clueless its disgusting!
If we also used knives and guns it would be even less “embarassing”. Sign my kids up for that!