When did Tae Kwon Do become an official sport in the Olympic Games?

Answer 1

Taekwondo first became a medal sport at the 2000 Games in Sydney after having been a demonstration sport at the 1988 Games in Seoul and the 1992 Games in Barcelona.

Taekwondo made its Olympic debut in 1988 at the Seoul, Korea Games (appropriately enough). It continued as a demonstration sport at 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain. Taekwondo was not part of the 1996 Atlanta Games. The International Olympic Committee voted against inclusion of demonstrations sports. Taekwondo became a medal sport at the 2000 Sydney, Australia Games. It continued as an Olympic sport in 2004 at the Athens, Greece Games and in 2008 at the Beijiing, China Games.

Following several controversial scoring decisions and upsets and the very unsportsmanlike behavior of the athlete from Cuba, there was fear that taekwondo would be cut from the roster in 2012, but taekwondo has been confirmed as an Olympic sport for the 2012 Games in London and also for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Answer 2

High spinning kicks look really flashy even in competition.

These are some of the reasons taekwondo is very popular

• In the 1970s a group of black belts toured the world promoting taekwondo. Audiences were particularly impressed by their breaking and kicking skills.
• In 1988 taekwondo was a demonstration sport at the Seoul Olympics. This undoubtedly boosted tkd's global profile.
• As mentioned above taekwondo kicks are pretty spectacular. When people choose a martial art taekwondo is often the choice because of the cool kicks.
• Lots of people today are interested in improving themselves. They want to get fitter, mentally tougher and learn to defend themselves. Training in a traditional martial art like tkd is a great way to do this.

Answer 3

Technically, taekwondo did not become a sport. It is a Martial Art that also has a sport of the same name played under certain rules, and using only a portion of what the full Martial Art contains.

Throughout history, nearly all physical combat skills have been played as sports for both entertainment, and developing elite athletes who can push the skills of their art to the limits. From the Gladiators to the Olympics in Greece, as well as all of the ancient fighting skills of Asia, combatants have always put their skills to the test in the arena of sports.

When Korea was first liberated in 1945 from the oppression of Japanese occupation during World War II, many different methods of Martial Art were being taught in a variety of schools called Kwans. It was not uncommon for schools of any Martial Art system to hold tournaments within their own school, and between rival schools to determine who had the best fighters.

As the Korean Kwans became unified under the title of Taekwondo, both the Martial Artists, and the Korean government were interested in promoting their own native Martial Art, based on Korean philosophy, customs, traditions, and earlier known fighting skills such as Subak, and Tae kkyeon (kicking method). National Tournaments, and World Championships were held to attract attention to the art, build its popularity and reputation as an effective Martial Art, and to boost the economy. From the Korean government's point of view, taekwondo is a commodity to market among the international market place. Striving toward Olympic recognition would lend credibility to the sport, and help to put the country of South Korea on the map as a formidable force in Asia.

Many countries have a chosen sport that embodies the people of that country, and gives character to who they are. For Americans, that is Baseball (although many Americans are also Football fans). For Korea that national sport is Taekwondo because they associate their long history of survival and feudal struggles resulting in an independent nation as being the result of their brave warriors and Martial Artists.

America: Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet

Korea: Taekwondo, bulgogi, kimchi, and Hyundai

Answer 4

On September 16, 1961, the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA) was established in Seoul, South Korea. Each of the major Kwans (affiliated schools) of Korean Martial Art united to form what would become the National Martial Art and Sport of South Korea.

February 23, 1963, the KTA was affiliated to the Korea Amateur Sports Association (later changed to Korean Sports Council).

November 30, 1972, the Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters) was established (named on February 6, 1973) with Dr. Un-Young Kim as Kukkiwon President.

May 25-27, 1973, The 1st World Taekwondo Championships organized by the Korea Taekwondo Association were held at the Kukkiwon (200 competitors from 19 countries).

May 28, 1973, The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) was established at the inaugural meeting held at the Kukkiwon with participation of 35 representatives from the world. Dr. Un-Yong KIM was elected WTF President for a four-year term.

October 18-20, 1974, 1st Asian Taekwondo Championships held in Seoul, Korea.

October 8, 1975, The WTF was affiliated to the General Association of International Sports Federations [GAISF]. The GAISF is an association of all international sports, both Olympic and non-Olympic.

April 9, 1976, The CISM (Conseil International du Sports Militaire) executive committee adopted Taekwondo as an official sport.

September 10, 1978, the Asian Taekwondo Union was established.

April 15-16, 1980, Program Commission of the IOC in its meeting in Lausanne decided to recommend recognition of the WTF to the IOC Executive Board and Session.

July 17, 1980, The WTF was granted recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the 83rd General Session in Moscow.

January 15, 1981, The WTF was affiliated to the International Council of Sports Science & Physical Education [ICSSPE]

February 15, 1982, Taekwondo was selected as an exhibition event at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

August 12-13, 1983, Taekwondo was adopted by the Pan American Sports Organization [PASO] and made its debut in 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.

September 28, 1984, Taekwondo was adopted by the Olympic Council of Asia [OCA] as an official sport of the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, Korea.

June 2-6, 1985, Taekwondo was adopted as a demonstration sport of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, by the Executive Board of the IOC in Berlin.

July 28, 1986, WTF President and Secretary General gave a presentation of the sport of Taekwondo to at the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne.

September 18, 1986, an Honorary 10th Dan was awarded to the President of the IOC.

September 17-20, 1988, Taekwondo was a Demonstration Sport of the 24th Olympiad at Changchung Gymnaisum in Seoul, Korea with 35 nations participation (120 male and 63 female athletes in respective eight weight classes for male and female division). It also had attendance of 243 Taekwondo instructors, including 58 officials from WTF member national associations, and was an exhibition at the opening ceremonies.

August 3-5, 1992, Taekwondo participated in the 25th Olympic Games at the Palau Blaugrana in Barcelona, Spain as a demonstration sport with 64 male athletes from 27 nations and 64 female athletes from 25 nations. There were 86 officials and 30 International Referees.

May 4-8, 1993, WTF Vice President Josiah Henson, and Technical Committee Chairman Bong Sik KIM visited the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland to give presentation for promotion of Taekwondo as an official Olympic sport.

June 2-7, 1993, Sydney Olympics 2000 Bid Limited invited a WTF official to visit Sydney, expressing a strong interest in inclusion of Taekwondo in the official programs of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games if their bid had been successful.

June 25, 1993, The IOC informed WTF "Taekwondo is on the list of sports to be studied for their inclusion in the program of the Games of the 27th Olympiad in 2000."

September 21, 1993, Dr. Un-Yong KIM was awarded the Order of Commander by King of Monaco Rainier in recognition of his contribution to the Olympic Movement.

October 7, 1993, IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch made a visit to Dr. Un-Yong KIM at the Kukkiwon during his visit to the IOC Pavilion at the EXPO '93 in Taejon, Korea.

January 15, 1994, The Promotion Committee for Taekwondo's Olympic Status was created at a meeting held in Seoul, Korea with 49 sports and social leaders from Korea and other countries.

April 22-23, 1994, The IOC Centenary Seoul International Taekwondo Championships took place at the Changchoong Gymnasium in Seoul, Korea with 32 male and 32 female athletes participating from Australia, Korea, Spain and USA. Six IOC Members attended the event.

September 4, 1994, Taekwondo selected as an official event at Olympics 103rd IOC General Session (Paris) beginning at the 2000 Games in Sydney Australia.

February 15, 1995, The WTF was affiliated as a provisional member to the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations [ASOIF].

November 17, 1997, Executive Council of the WTF at its meeting in Hotel Miramar in Hong Kong, China passed the proposal for regulation of "Standing Procedure for Taekwondo Competition of the Olympic Games" that defines the details of the Taekwondo competition of the Olympic Games.

September 27-30, 2000, Taekwondo competition of the 26th Olympic Games as an official sport with four male and female weight classes in the Sydney Olympic Park in Sydney, Australia (55 male athletes from 39 nations and 48 female athletes from 32 nations, and 25 International Referees).

The IOC selected the World Taekwondo Federation as the official "IF" (International Federation) for governing the sport of Taekwondo. It should be understood that the WTF is not comparable to any other Taekwondo organization since it is not an instructional institution with individual students, instructors, or club members. The WTF does not promote student ranks or Black Belts and contains no Taekwondo curriculum (that is the job of National Taekwondo Associations and the Kukkiwon regarding the Martial Art of Taekwondo). The WTF was created for the purpose of governing the sport aspect of Taekwondo, and promoting competition world wide. The WTF was presided over by former IOC Vice President, Dr. Un-Yong Kim, from its inception in 1973 until 2004. Dr. Kim was also the president of the Korea Taekwondo Association, the Kukkiwon, the Korea Sports Association and President of the GASIF. He was the main pillar of the Olympic movement.

While Taekwondo remains an authentic and effective Martial Art for self defense, and growth of the individual student, it has solidified its position in world sports and is now played as an official medal sport in most international multi-sport games such as World Games, Pan American Games, All Africa Games, Southeast Asian Games, and Central American Games. With the announcement that Taekwondo would be a full medal Olympic sport in the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Taekwondo gained worldwide recognition as a sport.

[Sources listed below in related websites.]

Answer 5

Taekwondo began as a culmination of many native Korean unarmed systems of combat, and was influenced by both Chinese and Japanese systems as well. The original intent was to create an effective fighting system that could be used for personal development, health and fitness, self defense, and an effective tool for combat in war time (Koreans still being uneasy about the recent brutal Japanese occupation).

As most Martial Fightig systems throughout history were used by soldiers in combat, they were also played as sports for entertainment of Emperors, Kings and royalty, as well as challenge matches for combatants to improve their skills. The "sport aspect" of Taekwondo goes hand-in-hand with the develpment of the art, but they are technically two separate activities. Taekwondo was named in 1955, and the first official organization which unified the many Kwans (family of schools) was the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA).

To promote the art, and challenge the practitioners, Taekwondo tournaments were started in Korea in the early 1960's. On February 2, 1963, The KTA was affiliated to the Korea Amateur Sports Association (Later changed to Korean Sports Council). The First World Taekwondo Championships was held on May 25, 1973.

Answer 6

Yes! Taekwondo first became a medal sport at the 2000 Games in Sydney after having been a demonstration sport at the 1988 Games in Seoul and the 1992 Games in Barcelona.

Taekwondo made its Olympic debut in 1988 at the Seoul, Korea Games (appropriately enough). It continued as a demonstration sport at 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain. Taekwondo was not part of the 1996 Atlanta Games. The International Olympic Committee voted against inclusion of demonstrations sports that year. Taekwondo became a medal sport at the 2000 Sydney, Australia Games. It continued as an Olympic sport in 2004 at the Athens, Greece Games and in 2008 at the Beijiing, China Games.

Following several controversial scoring decisions and upsets and the very unsportsmanlike behavior of the athlete from Cuba, there was fear that taekwondo would be cut from the roster in 2012, but taekwondo has been confirmed as an Olympic sport for the 2012 Games in London and also for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.