Tae: Taekwondo kicks up storm of complaints

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2008
Tae: Taekwondo kicks up storm of complaints

By Shigemi Sato

BEIJING, Aug 20 AFP - Taekwondo kicked up a storm of complaints against referees and
judges at the Olympic Games today as Canadian Ivett Gonda claimed she was robbed after
losing her opening match.

"Everyone is saying it's unfair. I got ripped. Everyone is saying I got ripped," said
the 22-year-old, fifth in Athens four years ago, after going down 2-0 to Sweden's Hanna
Zajc in the women's -49kg flyweight.

"I could crawl up and cry like a baby but I am trying to be strong. I guess this wasn't
meant to be, I guess God has other ideas for me.

"The reason for no points was they didn't see it," she said after her protest was rejected.

"All I can do is laugh or cry about it. I prefer to laugh."

Protests against referees and judges have been part of the taekwondo competition since
the Korean-born martial art made its Olympic debut in 2000.

"The judges were not fair, not just to me, but to Africa," complained Kenyan Dickson
Wamwiri after he lost to Taiwan's Athens Olympic gold medallist 7-0 in his first men's
-58kg bout.

He claimed compatriot Mildred Alango also fell victim to unfair refereeing when she
lost to world champion Wu Jingyu of China in her first bout.

"If the judges were fair the score would have been like 4:5," Wamwiri added.

Zajc faced misfortune in her second match after beating Gonda.

Her coach Chago Rodriguez said the Swede landed hits that didn't score.

"We were disappointed with that."

European champion and world No.5 Levent Tuncat of Germany also questioned the judges
after losing to Afghanistan's Rohullah Nikpai 4-3 in his first -58kg bout.

"For me it felt that I might have scored some more points," he sighed.

The fresh flare-up in refereeing controversy is a slap in the face of World Taekwondo
Federation president Choue Chung-Won. He has insisted fair officiating is imperative for
taekwondo to be retained as an Olympic sport.

"I will not hesitate to impose whatever is necessary, should you disgrace taekwondo
or the WTF in any way," Choue told a meeting of referees here on Monday.

"The referees and judges involved in inappropriate action or in making grave mistakes
will not be tolerated and will no longer be allowed to officiate at WTF-promoted events,
including this Olympic taekwondo competition."

AFP tb

KEYWORD: OLY08 TAE REFS

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