Lopez takes fight to taekwondo federation

[DWx]

As our collegue DWX has eludded to, the ITF is split into 3 pieces currently. An ITF/WTF merger would most likely be with only one of those groups (although which one, I couldn't guess) & only the one with something to offer the WTF. The WTF is in the "Power seat" in this discussion. If it sees nothing to gain, it will only be talk.

Chang Ung's ITF is currently involved in talks with the WTF and IOC: http://www.internationaltaekwon-dofederation.com/

Out of the three, the other two being GM Choi Jung Hwa's http://www.itf-administration.com/ and Master Trân Triêu Quân's http://www.tkd-itf.org/ , Chang Ung probably has the best chance at agreeing a merger with the WTF. He is a member of the IOC (this year he got to hand out some Judo and Boxing medals) so has pretty close links to the Olympic side of it. Although GM Choi Jung Hwa's has some close ties with WTF, they are too small now to make anything of it. And as for Master Trân Triêu Quân's they don't seem to like WTF much:

The International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) wishes to formally disassociate itself from the sport of Taekwondo as displayed at the 29th Olympic Games held recently in Beijing, CHINA.

(from the homepage)

I don't really know what the WTF would want from an ITF. There doesn't seem to be much benefit for them. However, as for the ITF, the only thing I think they could want is the Olympics. After this year's games they could have a chance now at getting in but it seems unlikely.

[bushido_man96]

Perhaps using a merger is the WTF's way of trying to snuff out a bit of competition? Just thinking out loud...

[Aodhan]

I don't really know what the WTF would want from an ITF. There doesn't seem to be much benefit for them. However, as for the ITF, the only thing I think they could want is the Olympics. After this year's games they could have a chance now at getting in but it seems unlikely.

Very unlikely. Kukkiwon/WTF is recognized as the governing body for Olympic qualification. ITF would have to completely supplant the WTF at all levels, from International down through National and regional championships.

Plus, I don't think that various ITF bodies have the requisite #'s in various countries to qualify, although I stand to be corrected on that.

John

[DWx]

Agreed its very unlikely that ITF have the numbers. The WTF and its regional unions represent far more countries than the individual ITFs and probably far more individual practitioners (it is hard to say though with the ITF split into three at the moment). Also am I right in thinking that the ITFs being private orgs as opposed to a public org is a problem for the Olympics?

[IcemanSK]

Swallowing the ITF may be what the WTF would have in mind. That was a good point. Regardless of the Olympic status of the WTF, the WTF still has the claim of being "official" as the choice of the South Korean government. I'm not sure that is interesting to the ITF or not. If the idea of being "official" is attractive to the ITF, that might be reason enough. I have my doubts about TKD in the Olympics past 2012.

[bushido_man96]

I agree, Iceman, especially after what went on in the 2008 Olympics. It may be for the better, though.

[frightmaster]

I'm going to be seriously PO'ed if Tae Kwon Do gets cut from the Olympacs. That's the only sport I'd follow.

It is not like we really go tot WATCH any matches here in USA. Not a SINGLE match was broadcasted during the entire olympics. They only reported standings/winners.

[DWx]

I'm going to be seriously PO'ed if Tae Kwon Do gets cut from the Olympacs. That's the only sport I'd follow.

It is not like we really go tot WATCH any matches here in USA. Not a SINGLE match was broadcasted during the entire olympics. They only reported standings/winners.

That's really weird because it was shown on BBC over here and I would have thought Olympic TKD was bigger in the USA than it is in the UK. You have the Lopezs and we have nobody really.

[bushido_man96]

The overall coverage of the Olympics, in my opinion, needed some work over here. We only had one channel devoted to it, and they pretty much picked the stories they wanted to follow. Phelps got a ton of attention, as did the gymnastics team. Track and field got its usual following, too. Everything else was pretty much filler.

[tallgeese]

Yeah, combatives always suffer in coverage. Even boxing was hard to come by. Forget wrestling or judo.