2016 USA Olympic Team

Brian R. VanCise

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The US needs to develop its younger competitors and give them a chance to compete. Having the same old competitors will again have them trounced by international competition.
 

WaterGal

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Actually, if you want to make the comparison fair, you need to adjust the numbers to consider the cost of maintaining an equal standard of living in each of the two countries.

Doing the same job, my salary would be slightly higher in California than Colorado. However, the cost of living is significantly lower in Colorado. Ergo, I'm "richer" in Colorado than California.

That's true, but TrueJim's numbers were actually the PPP, which is the GDP adjusted for local cost-of-living. If you just look at the national GDP divided by the total number of residents, the US has the #4 GDP/capita in the world at $55,904 compared with, in this case, Iran at #93 with $5,048.
 

Archtkd

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It's amazing that he is able to compete internationally at his age. It's so amazing, in fact, that it makes me question why we don't have younger players who can take his spot from him. Either we aren't developing enough world class players or he's just so much better than everyone else that his story is even more incredible. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
While Lopez is a great athlete he also has physical attribute that until fairly recently, were not found in elite taekwondoin. That’s great height at very light weight. Lopez is 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) and competed in the under 149 lbs (-68 kg) at the 2000 Olympics. Two years prior to that he had won Bronze in the under 141 lbs (-64 kg) at the World Taekwondo Championships. Even at his current under 176 lbs (-80 kg) for the Olympics, he is tall compared to his opponents. Iranian Mahdi Khodabakhshi, the WTF’s current ranked number in that division is 6'1 (185 centimeters); No. 2, Aaron Cook, of Moldova, is about 6'0 (183 cm) and No. 3 Albert Gaun of Rusia is 6'2 (188 centimers.)

Height plays a large part of Lopez’s arsenal so much so that WTF invented the “Lopez rule” in 1998 because of him. That’s the rule that prevents one from “surfing” with a lifted chambered knee as if kicking – but really protecting oneself from getting kicked. Of note, Mauro Sarmiento of Italy who beat Lopez at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 is 6'5.

On the subject of Iran: Iran is not the WTF’s current No. 1 nation, because it’s a wealthy nation, as some of you are suggesting. Some of the best performance by Iran – over the lat decade -- came at the height of severe economic sanctions that severely hampered the nation’s economy and badly curtailed its citizens' standards of living.

Iran is good in WTF taekwondo competion because Iranians take taekwondo very seriously, over many other kinds of sport and activities. Iran is one of very few countries the world that has an active year-round taekwondo competition leagues that pit clubs against each other with the goal of recognizing the top clubs and competitors in the country, the same way that other coutries organize leagues in soccer, baseball, rugby, basketball, etc. According to the Iran Taekwondo Federation, nearly 3,400 Iranian taekwondoin athletes and about 580 team official from the coutry’s 29 province participated in 49 kyorugi and poomsae league events in 2014. Expenses for the league competions are covered by the Iranian Taekwondo Federation and club sponsors. The national teams are selected from top performers at the league.
 

Tez3

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This is failry old news. Happened early last year.

I didn't post it as 'news' I posted it to show that the better off countries have less to complain about and perhaps should count their blessings.
 

Archtkd

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I didn't post it as 'news' I posted it to show that the better off countries have less to complain about and perhaps should count their blessings.
Understood. I initially read it thinkings its new. And you are right in many ways.
 

Tez3

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Understood. I initially read it thinkings its new. And you are right in many ways.[/QUOTE]



Of course, I'm a woman! No, that's a joke honestly.:)

Sometimes we forget how hard it is for others who love the things we do but can't do them or battle far harder than we do.

There's also another problem, that poor athletes are leaving their countries of origin and becoming citizens of the rich ones lured by the scholarships and sponsorships available. Of course this is fine for the individual but how does it help the sport when all the good players/athletes belong to just a couple of countries?
People here complaining that the US TKD is poorly funded but that funding would seen as an enormous amount by most countries likewise the sponsorship deals. In Benin the Judo team cannot even afford Gis to compete in.

Olympic Inequality: Poor Nations vs. Wealthy Nations
 

mango.man

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Developing TKD athletes is reasonably inexpensive when compared to developing say an Olympic level gymnast, figure skater, downhill skier etc. You know "the prestigious medals" in the Olympic Games.

This is why a country like Afghanistan has 1 Olympic medal in the history of the games and it is in TKD. Because it cost the country/athlete literally nothing when compared to those more prestigious sports. Meanwhile the USA and other "first world nations" that can afford to support the athletes in the more prestigious sports will continue to put their focus on those sports and athletes.

The USA sees a bronze medal in figure skating as much more valuable than a gold in TKD where a country like Iran or Afghanistan is immensely thrilled with any world recognition at all for something other than oppressing their own people.
 

Archtkd

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Developing TKD athletes is reasonably inexpensive when compared to developing say an Olympic level gymnast, figure skater, downhill skier etc. You know "the prestigious medals" in the Olympic Games. ......
Mangoman: Nice to hear from you after a very long hiatus.
 

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