i was wondering that how comes only WTF is in the olympics and not ITF?
because my friends and family say they belive ITF is a much more enjoyable style to watch (well thats thier oppinion)

also i have trained in ITF TKD for many years and i would love to compete in the Olympics but i dont think i would be able to make the change from ITF to WTF very easily.

so i was wondering if anybody nows why WTF is in the olympics and not ITF?


many thanks
jack

Thats a very good reason - and something probably to do with politics!

However, coming from an ITF background myself I would say that at its highest level ITF is pleasing to watch but if we take our bias out of it - which is more true to the meaning of Taekwondo?

i was wondering that how comes only WTF is in the olympics and not ITF?


As far as I understand it, taekwondo was introduced to the Olympics in 1988 in Seoul as a demonstration sport. As the WTF headquarters are based there, they were the taekwondo authorities who were able to bag the Olympics.

General Choi, the man accredited with the foundation of ITF taekwondo, had emigrated to Canada before then, taking the headquarters of the ITF with him.

As people have said, the WTF has the support of the South Korean government and is a more unifed body rather than the very fractious ITF and related associations. If you look at the sports in the Olympics there is usually only one internationally recognised body, which may oversee national federations.

Unfortunately ITF based associations have a history of falling out with each. I remember when instructing at a university club, we used to try and promote the British Student Taekwondo Federation and it's competitions. The WTF side never had any issues and the competitions ran pretty smoothly. On the ITF side, some associations refused to take part as it would mean recognising other associations or clubs. I just thought it was a shame as it was a genuine attempt to have a competition that all university students, regardless of association could take part in. There was also the issue that some referees refused to fairly mark forms where the competitor didn't do sine wave. Ultimately it looks like the BSTF is only going to viable going forward as a WTF competition.

I understand that the country hosting the Olympics is allowed to introduce demonstration sports and, as Lesley said, when the Olympics were in Seoul it was introduced and later become a full Olympic sport. I think there was a vote on whether to keep it for the last Olympics and it only stayed in by one vote, so who knows if it will remain in the games much longer.

I personally would like to either see some sort of sport karate or kickboxing in the Olympics, but given the numerous associations and governing bodies, whether this will ever be possible is debatable.

thank you everybody much appreciated

<opens mouth>

oh wait.... you guys got this one covered

As Dan said you guys pretty much got this one covered.

On a side note there are just too many sports in the olympic games. We have to make limits somewhere, otherwise soon it will become a monthlong sports fest. That is just toooooo much.

But even if Taekwondo leaves the Olympic arena there are still the World Cup which existed before Olympic Days. International competition will still exist.

As it does today for the ITF rule sets. It just won't be an olympic game.

There is Greco Roman, Freestyle and Judo in the grappling arena, why can't there be Karate, Takwondo, and Pankration in the games as well?