Tricky-wondo situation

Li Lai Li Lai of China competes with Alireza Nassrazadany of Iran in taekwondo Men's Under 74kg 1/8 Bout during day five of the 16th Asian Games Guangzhou 2010 at Guangda Gymnasium on November 17, 2010 in Guangzhou, China.I had tea with several parents over the weekend.

Being parents, they were rather enthusiastic over their children's participation in Taekwondo.

However, they claimed certain 'academies' promoted their exponents rather quickly. What used to take years can now be done within months.

Others claimed that many are eager to become instructors to make a quick buck. After all, Taekwondo is a business - from the clothes to the examinations.

After spending more than an hour, we left the restaurant with more questions than answers.

Is it true some exponents obtain their black belts easier than others?

Is it true some exponents can buy their black belts from certain centres?

Is it true that only a handful people can grade exponents in the country?

Is Taekwondo Malaysia or Malaysian Taekwondo Association the national body in the country?

According to Olympic Council of Malaysia secretary Sieh Kok Chi, Taekwondo Malaysia is recognised by the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF). For the record, WTF is recognised by the International Olympic Committee.

Nevertheless, the courts had recently decided that MTA remains status quo. With that in mind, shouldn't they now be the governing body?

Then again, the Taekwondo saga has been going on since Azalina Othman Said's tenure as Sports Minister.

"It's a tricky situation but for now Taekwondo Malaysia is the governing body in the country," said Kok Chi.

"To some it is a business but there are those who are passionate about taekwondo. Hopefully those in the scene will come to an agreement soon."

"As for exponents graduating quickly, from what I understand it really depends on what modules they are learning, whether their academies or masters are affiliated to WTF, International Taekwondo Federation or the Global Taekwondo Federation," he added.

If you plan to enroll your kid into Taekwondo with aspirations of him or her becoming a national exponent, do your homework and get into the right academy. Or you could end up spending hours thrash talking the national taekwondo scene in a coffee shop.

HD says: I remember Taekwondo being taught for a fee of RM 10 per month at the badminton hall at Pekeliling Flats every Saturday morning some 20 years ago.

Comments

  1. Yen Chia HueiOctober 15, 2012 at 7:50 AM

    The taekwondo scene has changed since MTA got issues...but it's good to hear taekwondo being highlighted here! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousOctober 15, 2012 at 1:48 PM

    Like ypu said Taekwondo is a business. And the people - instructors, administrators and graders- are businessman. THE SC must announce the rightful nation al association. But the situation is not going to change with the so called businmessman

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousDecember 30, 2012 at 3:33 PM

    I took up Taekwondo more than 40 years ago after inspired by Master C.K.Choi, who took on 5 black belts during a sparring session. If you follow the History of Taekwondo in Malaysia, C.K.Choi, was one of the most skillful exponents of the art who had ever set foot in Malaysia.
    I trained under many Korean masters and did it for enjoyment and the comradery,but sadly money and politics have gained control of Taekwondo over the years. Taekwondo, will never be the same anywhere in the world when power, money and politics are involved.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pelepasan cukai tambahan untuk pembelian alatan sukan, sewaan fasiliti sukan antara cadangan untuk Bajet 2024

Image
Berikut merupakan antara cadangan-cadangan Kementerian Belia dan Sukan untuk Bajet 2024 yang akan dibentangkan bulan hadapan. 1. Pengasingan sukan daripada kategori gaya hidup 2. Meneruskan dan memperluaskan inisiatif pelepasan cukai tambahan bagi aktiviti sukan berdasarkan senarai baharu 103 sukan berkuatkuasa Mac 2023 seperti berikut: 3. Pelepasan cukai tambahan sebanyak RM5,000 khusus berkaitan dengan aktiviti sukan yang dibelanjakan oleh individu bagi: • pembelian peralatan sukan untuk aktiviti sukan mengikut Akta Pembangunan Sukan 1997. • bayaran sewaan atau fi kemasukan ke mana-mana fasiliti sukan. • bayaran fi pendaftaran bagi penyertaan pertandingan sukan yang diluluskan di bawah Akta Pembangunan Sukan 1997. • Bayaran jurulatih/latihan/kelas untuk aktiviti sukan mengikut Akta Pembangunan Sukan 1997. Justifikasi: Impak kepada negara 1. Pembudayaan gaya hidup sihat dan aktif melalui aktiviti bersukan kepada semua peringkat sebagai pelaburan  kepada negara bagi mengurangkan be...
Read more

Papa win, papa win.

Image
Those were the words of three-year-old Dasha Ong. National coach Ong Kim Swee has not seen his wife Alodle Donna Derick, Dasha and his seven month old baby Dashie for almost a month. And the words of Dasha just hours prior the kick off between Indonesia and Malaysia in the final certainly motivated Kim Swee. In return, Kim Swee motivated the lads and they won. Read more in today's Mailsport. As expected members of the Press - even those not from the Sports Desk - had numerous questions for Kim Swee. Some wanted Kim Swee to share his experience in Jakarta, others were penning down every word of his when he slammed the organisers for their antics which certainly disturbed him and the boys. But the celebrations must come to an end as Kim Swee and the Olympic lads will now face Syria in the Asia zone Olympic qualifiers tonight (8.45pm). And Kim Swee had this to say: "The players are tired but with the support of the fans, if they come in full force, perhaps that will motivate our...
Read more

From 'Mr P' to 'Kemelut Dalaman BAM': Four chapters of 'mesej Whatsapp layang'

Image
Surat layang , or rather ' mesej Whatsapp (or some will pronounce as Wasup) layang '. That was what I received this afternoon from a number that is not registered on my phone. The sender identified him/herself as " ahli yg memerhati tingkah laku BAM " (Badminton Association of Malaysia). The four chapters were titled as:  'Siapa dia Tan Sri BAM "Mr P"' Perletakan Jawatan Presiden BAM 'Siapa Tengku Zafrul' Kemelut Dalaman BAM There were many allegations to which the sender justified as not " fitnah " but " hakikat apa yg berlaku ". The four chapters highlights Mr P's "connection kuat ", goes into why Tengku Zafrul was named as the incoming BAM president, and takes issue with the establishment of 'Yayasan Badminton Nasional' and Akademi Badminton Malaysia. The writer (unsure if the sender is also the writer) also wrote that ' majority in the Council dalam BAM semua tak berani buat laporan sebab tak...
Read more