Taekwondo included in new Sport Accord Martial Arts and Combat Sports Games
Taekwondo and other martial arts and combat sports are stepping up their efforts to create a new Sport Accord Martial Arts and Combat Sports Games to be held in Beijing, China from 28 August to 4 September 2010. This is being driven by the Sports Accord (formerly known as the GAISF – General Association of International Sports Federation). The sports being considered are Aikido, Boxing, Judo, Jujitsu, Karate, Kendo, Kickboxing, Muaythai, Sambo, Taekwondo, Wrestling and Wushu.
The Games will likely to be separated into 3 groupings and held over 8 days in 3 different venues. Each sport is expected to be hosted over one and a half days, and is likely to be limited to no more than 80 players. For taekwondo, the WTF is considering having the 64 highest ranked athletes in the Olympic weight divisions covering 8 players per male and female weight division. At this stage the WTF is considering using the new WTF player ranking system to determine the 64 players.
The Games will also host cultural programs, history of traditional martial arts sports, physical education and teaching programs. It is envisaged that these Games will be held once every 4 years in between the Olympic Games years.
Roy Khoh says:
January 28th, 2009 at 7:15 am
Sounds like competitors for each discipline will be competing with others within the same discipline only?
Kim Seng says:
January 29th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Yes. That would be correct. It will be like a multi sports games carnival similar to the Olympics where each sport discipline will run and manage their own sports competitions. Each sport discipline will be on show for up to 2 days each within the 2 week programme.
The martial arts are well known for its skills and spectacular techniques and it would be great if the organizers or the 12 sports above could agree to put together a skills demonstration extravaganza where each sport discipline could showcase their best skills for the crowd or even have an open demonstration competition where the best teams would win gold, silver or bronze just like a sporting event on its own right.
The rules and judging would be a challenge in itself to get agreement and an acceptable methodology that would clearly determine the winners. Interesting!!