The Future Of Taekwondo
By WTF
Monday, April 23, 2007
Sooner or later electronic protectors will come. WTF has decided to postpone the regular usage of this new device for some time and this is probably a good decision. Even if the technical problems seem to be mostly solved, competitors, coaches and referees will need some time to get used to the new system.
In the meantime constantly test events with electronic point measurement are held and a selected number of fighters get the priviledge of using the new electronic hogoo. Not only Koreans get this priviledge, but also competitors from other nations, if they participate in those test tournaments. In Europe several times electronic vests from different producers have been tested at various tournaments, but there has been no full tournament at higher level so far, that used electronic point system fully.
This may change in the near future and in the meantime the interested visitor can watch some videos of selected fights at the International Test Event on March 3rd 2007 in Korea, where LaJust company - the only one who has received a WTF license so far - proved that giving points automatically by electronic measurement is possible.
Quite surely there will be some more adaptions and changes before the first official WTF tournament with electronic vests will occur, but anyway - take a glimpse into the future of Taekwondo (you will need the Real Player to watch the videos) - this are excerpts from Korean KBS TV-Company broadcasting (but with reduced quality for faster streaming):
