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The article offers information related to the benefits of Taekwondo for children and their mother in the U.S. along with reference of a mother Frances Ramirez's children Edwin and Emma Jade who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, fight to get through to them.

The article focuses on Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a Swedish soccer player and won black belt in taekwondo. It states that Ibrahimovic is almost 1.96 meters and has lack of figure on the soccer field, yet he showed his scoring skills with a sharp prod of his foot for one goal in the game against England in Stockholm, Sweden. According to Carlo Ancelotti, an Italian who coaches soccer team of Paris, Ibrahimovic is a champion since he uses his skills to make the team play better.

Kristina Kim, left, lost to Chanatip Sonkham in the women's taekwondo preliminaries on Wednesday. Sonkham went on to win a bronze medal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

KABUL -- It was only by chance that a 10-year-old Rohullah Nikpah found taekwondo. Unlike most Olympic athletes, Nikpah was not groomed from an early age to compete. Rather, he grew up in a refugee camp in Iran, and one day he accompanied his brother to a makeshift gym for a taekwondo sparring session. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some critics of this summer's Olympic Games in London have seized on the potential traffic nightmares and security concerns. Others have expressed outrage over the cost of the Games while Britain copes with high unemployment and a wobbly economy. Still others have criticized the ticket-allocation system, calling it unfair. But the issue that might be boiling the hottest is this: Who will represent Britain in the under-80-kilogram weight class for men's tae kwon do? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

USA Taekwondo filed a protest Friday with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking changes in the sport's judging protocols after Steven Lopez's disputed quarterfinal loss in the Beijing Olympics. Lopez was a two-time defending Olympic champion heading into Beijing and a favorite to win a third gold medal. He wound up with a bronze after he had a point deducted because of a series of penalties. USA Taekwondo said judges failed to follow the sport's rules by refusing to watch video of the match after the result was protested. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A Cuban tae kwon do athlete committed one of the biggest breaches of sportsmanship at an Olympics, kicking a referee in the face in anger after he was disqualified from his match Saturday. Angel Valodia Matos, 31, charged at the referee, Chakir Chelbat of Sweden, after Chelbat disqualified him for taking too long in an injury timeout. Matos angrily pushed another judge, ran at Chelbat and kicked him, and spit on the mat as he was grabbed and ushered out of the arena by security. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

If you are betting on Olympic tae kwon do, you may do well to consider the color of the fighter's protective gear. A German study has found that referees consistently favor the fighter wearing red, although the researchers say they are not sure why. In Olympic tae kwon do, one competitor wears a blue helmet and chest protector, the other red. The referee awards 1 point for delivering attacks to the chest protector with feet or fist, and 2 for a blow to the head, permitted only with the foot. Knocking down an opponent gains additional points, and points can be deducted for prohibited moves. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Having inspired the international fashion world's name for bikini, the Marshall Islands will now join the international sporting world, competing for the first time in the Olympics. The Pacific nation's entire team of five athletes could fit around the dinner table, which seems somehow apropos, considering that its best athlete is a chef. Anju Jason, a tae kwon do athlete who has spent most of his life in Hawaii, cooks for Panda Express, one of the largest chains serving Chinese fast food in the United States. He finds some culinary feng shui in the alignment of his job and the Summer Games in Beijing. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Tae Kwon Do Operative Kevin Padilla is USA Taekwondo's chief spy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Of all the potential explanations for why the Lopez family of suburban Houston has become the dominant force in American tae kwon do, credit Chuck Norris, a one-and-a-half-car garage and Nicaragua. But it all began, really, with a misunderstanding that happened like this. Julio Lopez, a fan of 1970s' kung fu movies, wanted to enroll his oldest son, Jean, then 8, in martial arts classes. One day, he saw a storefront advertising karate lessons. Perfect, Julio thought. Soon after registering him, though, Julio discovered the truth. The truth was Julio didn't register his son for karate. He registered him for tae kwon do, which, like karate, is a Korean martial art, but places a greater emphasis on kicking. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

WHILE protective gear for the martial arts is nothing new, lately one piece of equipment has become more common. In the last two years, two martial arts associations have mandated the use of face shields attached to headgear during tournament sparring to protect noses and eyes. The North American Sport Karate Association, the host of a dozen open tournaments in North America annually, requires athletes under age 18 to wear them, while the American Taekwondo Association (ATA), which has 1,500 schools worldwide, specifies their use for all ages. ''It's like wearing a seatbelt, a preventive measure,'' said Jay Kohl, the ATA's international chairman of tournaments.Not every martial arts federation requires them. Notably absent is the World Taekwondo Federation, recognized as the sport's governing body by the International Olympic Committee. ''The face shields pose a risk of no clear vision,'' said Ji Ho Choi, the president of the Pan American Taekwondo Union, one of the regional taekwondo organizations of the World Taekwondo Federation. Face shield makers prefer clear plastic as a material, because it is transparent and lighter than older-style wire cages. The shields are attached to headgear with Velcro straps and sit off the face for ventilation. Christina Park, 27 and a third-degree black belt, tested four face shields at West Side Taekwondo in New York, where she is an instructor. Ranked by USA Taekwondo, one of the regional taekwondo organizations of the World Taekwondo Federation, she is a two-time national middleweight sparring champion and does not regularly use shields, only headgear. She preferred one-piece shields free of vented cutouts, which she said impeded her vision. By YISHANE LEE [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article offers news briefs related to sports. Jai Lucas, a college basketball player, has said that he will sign a letter of intent to play for the Florida team. The football team Cincinnati Bengals has cut its player Sam Adams who played in two Super Bowls and made three Pro Bowls in a 13-season National Football League (NFL) career. Also, the World Taekwondo Federation has said that Muslim women will not be allowed to wear a hijab.

The article presents information on the watered-down martial arts classes, Street Kata, introduced by Bishop Garland in New York City. Garland says that those learning martial arts at Street Kata are not merely making forward and backward movements. They move with grace and balance exhibiting showmanship. Tae kwon do, shodokan aikido, capoeira and tai chi with serious dance moves are taught at Street Kata. Street Kata is all about knowing movements, which help in understanding self.

Reports on the victory of Steven Lopez in men's tae kwon do gold medal finals in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Performance in tae kwon do tournament; Career background; Awards and achievements.

Reports on the medal won by newcomer Nia Abdallah of the United States tae kwon do in the 2004 Athens Olympics in Greece. Advantages of Abdallah's lack of international experience on her matches against experienced opponents; Advancement of Abdallah to the finals before losing to South Korea's Jang Ji Won; Record set by Abdallah for being the first American Woman to win an Olympic match in tae kwon do.

Presents an overview of the taekwondo competition in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Categories of the event; History and discipline of the game; Names of individuals favored to win gold.

Reports on the taekwondo tournament in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in Australia. Measure taken in making sure that Korea did not dominate the tournament; Problems encountered with the scoring system; Information on the winners.

Presents a roundup of events from the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, New South Wales. Dominance of Chinese women's diving squad; Systems used by China and the United States for their diving teams; Factors which helped Steven Lopez to win the taekwondo gold medal.

Covers updates on sports events at the Olympic Games in Sydney, New South Wales as of September 28, 2000. Taekwondo; Water polo; Canoe; Diving; Equestrian.

Comments on the gesture of woman taekwondo athlete Esther Kim to forfeit her flyweight-division final to her injured friend, Kay Poe. Friendship of Kim and Poe; Importance of the gesture to the tainted Olympic ideal; Remarks of Kim's father and coach Jin Won Kim on her gesture.

Provides information on taekwondo, one of the sports events at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Setup of the qualifying round; Scoring in taekwondo.

Reports on the decision made by Esther Kim, an athlete at the Olympic tae kwon do trial in Colorado Springs, to forfeit her match with her friend Kay Poe, to let Poe join the United States team to the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Reason of Kim for forfeiting her match with Poe; Comments from Jay Warwick, executive director of the US Tae Kwon Do Union.

Focuses on the psychological aspect of joining tae kwon do classes. Things to be expected in joining the classes; Significance of the yin and the yang; Emotional challenges that go with tae kwon do; Significance of earning a black belt in tae kwon do.