Taekwondo

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webberg
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Taekwondo

Post by webberg »

Apologies if I've spelt the title incorrectly.

I've been following the Aaron Cook story. It is reported that he is the world No 1 in his class but was not selected because he left a UK training program in order to follow his own plan. So far, so good.

The selection committee is now presented as being incompetent at best and vindictive at worst for not picking him.

However the alternative choice, whilst only 59th in the world, has beaten Cook this year and has some excellent results in European championships. People who know him have reported that his career is on the up and he is a great competitor.

It now seems that the Cook camp is being advised and financially supported in its attempt to get selected by VISA who sponsor Cook and the Olympics!

Is it me, or do I smell the taint of vested interests and commercial imperative trying to interfere?

Does anybody else ahve any information on this or any view?
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JohnTee
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Re: Taekwondo

Post by JohnTee »

The alternative, Lutalo Muhammad, may have beaten Cook, but he normally fights a weight above him. Weight classes are there for a reason, much as they are in indoor rowing. Aaron is number 1 in his weight class in the world. Lutalo is only 7th in his weight class. Lutalo is going to have to cut pretty hard to get down to weight for the Olympics, he's only ranked 59th in Cook's weight class. Cook is already there and very strong. He's beaten most of his possible rivals for medals this year already, Lutalo really hasn't. Lutalo did win Gold at the Euro's. in his weight class Aaron did too, in his.

Yes it's all about money. But not VISA's.. GB Taekwondo have been funded to produce medals at London 2012. The same as many other sports have, to give a best ever showing for GB Athletes. They know how bad it will look, if, after being given all that money to produce medals, someone who isn't on their program wins one. It might impact on future funding, if people can point at them and say, 'Why are we giving you money? Aaron got gold without your help.'

If you're number one in the world at your sport, and you lose out to number 59, you're going to be a bit annoyed. Imagine if Ramone Mckenzie were selected to represent Jamaica in the 100m (currently ranked 57 in the world,yes I had to look it up) and Usain Bolt were left at home?
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Re: Taekwondo

Post by Paul Victory »

Sounds like a mess. Any idea why he went off to do his own thing?
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Re: Taekwondo

Post by Wolfmiester »

Amazing story.
Paul, I heard, during a pub conversation yesterday (so not exactly the definitive word) that he left the GB programme as he was simply too good for it.
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Re: Taekwondo

Post by Paul Victory »

Wolfmiester wrote:Amazing story.
Paul, I heard, during a pub conversation yesterday (so not exactly the definitive word) that he left the GB programme as he was simply too good for it.
Bizarre.

So let me see if I've got this right. He's the best in the world in his weight class. He won't join the British taekwondo programme because it would make him a less proficient competitor. And now they wont pick him for the Olympics.

Sounds a bit like the local bully who storms off home and takes the ball with him when the score goes against him.
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Re: Taekwondo

Post by webberg »

Interesting piece in Private Eye on this.

Apparently the former Olympic medal winners (Redgrave, Grey-Thompson, etc) who made a big fuss about the decision are also part of "Team Visa" and supported by the Daily Telegraph who provided a platform for their views.

The world governing body of the sport is also supported by Visa.

In addition, Pinsent was a vocal commentator and is apparently represented by the same agent as Cook.

I have no real idea as to the relative merits of Cook and Lutala in terms of sporting performance but I do find it a bit smelly that vested interests are interfering with a selection process.
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