Kickboxing Vs. TaeKwonDo in the Olympics

[chaosomega]

I believe that kickboxing should replace tae kwon do in the olympic games. My reasoning for this is that you would get a wider range of martial artists competing in a similar manner. It doesn't even have to replace it, I guess. Perhaps just include it alongside. Of course they should also have Pankration ... But that's probably been discussed. What do you folks think?

 

[Cthulhu]

The problem with that is, what set of rules should the Olympics adopt? U.S.? Canadian? European? Any of the others that I can't think of at the moment?

Cthulhu

 

[chaosomega]

Perhaps they should use muay thai based rules, so that practioners of that art could compete as well.

I'm sure the Olympic Comitee (or whoever does this kind of thing) could come up with a set of international rules by reviewinf all the other sets.

 

[Zepp]

I'd be all for muay thai in the Olympics. But I doubt the western world is ready for it. Perhaps savate, but I think the same problems apply. Olympic boxing, TKD, and wrestling get so little press exposure as it is.

 

[don bohrer]

That would be interesting, but would the networks give any of these events air time? I cant remember the last time I watched olympic tkd. BTW could someone post a few differences between the mentioned styles?

 

[J-kid]

K-1 rules..................

 

[chaosomega]

Where in Washington do you live? I think I should travel down south sometime and we could spar! It'd be good fun.

 

[chaosomega]

Originally posted by don bohrer
That would be interesting, but would the networks give any of these events air time? I cant remember the last time I watched olympic tkd.

I don't care if they don't televise it, I just think you should be able to get a gold medal if you practice something other than TKD.

 

[MartialArtist]

Olympic TKD? You mean playing tag with their feet?

Olympic TKD isn't an art, or a fighting style... It's a variation of a kid's game.

 

[MartialArtist]

Originally posted by chaosomega
I don't care if they don't televise it, I just think you should be able to get a gold medal if you practice something other than TKD.

Well, why won't they just have freestyle grappling rather than greco-roman and freestyle?

And Olympic boxing and TKD aren't as popular as you think. You can win a gold medal in boxing... Great, that really doesn't amount to anything. The gold medal is supposed to stand for you being the best in the world at that given time, but in boxing, with all its politics... You need a belt.

Wrestling is a bit different however... But in the Olympics, there are a lot of talented people who don't even compete or some that don't even hear of the national wrestling tournament (I think this year's is in Las Vegas, with the freestyle one being in one of the Dakotas or another remote state). Some people don't have the time, the money, etc. Hell, I remember one of the Olympic wrestlers on the US team didn't know about the tournament until the last few months, and the whole town had to raise money for him in the past.