2012 Olympic Games Decision Making Technologies for Taekwondo Competition

Rene Leveaux

doi:10.5171/2012.834755

Abstract

Leading up to the 2012 Olympic Games the demands for transparency and correctness in referee decision making in the sport of taekwondo increased dramatically to the extent where differing technologies were implemented for the first time at the Olympic level in London.

Highlights

The sport of Taekwondo has origins reportedly dated back over 2000 years, where the Korean martial arts developed in 3 main kingdoms - Koguryo (37 BC – 668 AD), Silla (57 BC-918 AD) and Paekche (18 BC-660 AD) (Capener and Kim 2000)
These findings provide a platform for further studies including trials utilizing more advanced technologies to further increase the transparency and correctness of referee decision making
There are two world bodies – the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) and the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), with the latter recognized as the governing body by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)

Summary

Introduction

The sport of Taekwondo has origins reportedly dated back over 2000 years, where the Korean martial arts developed in 3 main kingdoms - Koguryo (37 BC – 668 AD), Silla (57 BC-918 AD) and Paekche (18 BC-660 AD) (Capener and Kim 2000). There are two world bodies – the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) and the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), with the latter recognized as the governing body by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The first World Championships were held in Korea in 1973 with participants from 19 countries (WTF, 2006). Since being a full medal sport at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the sport continues to grow rapidly, with the WTF, in July 2011, admitting its 200th member country. This places the sport amongst the top 10 of International Sports Federations. The sport is currently contested globally at the amateur, semiprofessional and Olympic levels (WTF, 2011)

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Conclusion