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Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:44 pm EDT

Cuban taekwondo athlete may earn lifetime ban for kicking ref

By Pat Imig

Cuban taekwondo competitor Angel Matos and his coach, Leudis Gonzalez, may be permanently banned from Olympics competition after Matos kicked referee Chakir Chelbat. The altercation occurred when Matos was disqualified in the second round of his match with Kazakhstan's Arman Chilmanov.

Up 3-2 with a minute remaining, Matos fell to the ground and awaited medical attention when his one minute of injury time expired, thereby awarding the match to his adversary. From there, Matos snapped and created a scene straight out of the WWE handbook. 

Matos angrily questioned the call, pushed a judge, then pushed and kicked referee Chakir Chelbat of Sweden. Matos then spat on the floor and was escorted out.

“He was too strict,” Gonzalez said, referring to the decision to disqualify Matos. Afterward, he charged the match was fixed, accusing the Kazakhs of offering him money.

In addition to the Olympics ruling, Matos and Gonzalez may be banned from all championships sanctioned by the World Taekwondo Federation. Matos' Beijing records may also be terminated.

Photo via Getty Images

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872 Comments

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  1. Brian S (brianguy)
    1. Posted by Brian S (brianguy) Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:19 pm EDT

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    THAT looks like a great Nike ad!!
  2. Brian S (brianguy)
    2. Posted by Brian S (brianguy) Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:19 pm EDT

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    and we thought Lopez' poor judging protest would be the biggest taekwondo news... guess not
  3. David
    3. Posted by David Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    Another bad call. The ref is too disoriented to make the call that he got kicked and why should Coach Gonzales be banned for life?
  4. FTLlatinguy
    4. Posted by FTLlatinguy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:04 pm EDT

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    WHAT A SHAME!
    As a cuban living abroad, I am ashamed of what this guy did. He always thought he was the best after winning in Sydney 2000. The coach did not even apologize for him. He should have been arrested by the chinese police for assault and put in a chinese jail forever.
  5. ftllatinguy
    5. Posted by ftllatinguy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:17 pm EDT

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    David:
    The fact that it was a bad call does not allow any competitor to kick the referee in the face!
    The coach must be suspended of course, for not stepping in immediately. Why are you justifying the unjustifyable? Are you a castroite?
  6. Brian S (brianguy)
    6. Posted by Brian S (brianguy) Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:19 pm EDT

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    OK, adidas ad...
  7. terry m
    7. Posted by terry m Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:28 pm EDT

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    i think it was hilarious.... but i don't condone it...he's cuban but it doesn't reflect what people think of cubans....it was merely one mans act... ban him and get on with the olympics!!!!!!
  8. TeXaS SoLdIeR
    8. Posted by TeXaS SoLdIeR Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:44 pm EDT

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    Haha
  9. Cathy S
    9. Posted by Cathy S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:26 pm EDT

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    Every sport has it's fair share of poor sports but Matos is LUCKY he didn't get arrested - it personally makes me sick. He violates every rule of what the sport is all about. Bad call or no bad call, I would think authorities will make an arrest. This is assult no matter how you look at it. I'm glad him and his thug coach are gone. Loser in the sport and loser in life! Shame!
  10. daysofelk
    10. Posted by daysofelk Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    didn't look like he needed much medical attention when he kicked the ref, guess it wasn't a bad call after all
  11. duchess
    11. Posted by duchess Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:05 pm EDT

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    whether the referee deserves it or not, there's always a proper way to handle things and kicking a ref in the face is definitely not one of them. this is the olympics, not some third world country neighborhood match.
  12. duchess
    12. Posted by duchess Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:05 pm EDT

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    banning him and the coach will give justice to his action
  13. TimothyJ
    13. Posted by TimothyJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:10 pm EDT

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    Singing.....
    "Everybody was Kung-Fu fighting....HIAAHHHHH!!!!!"
    "Those cats were fast as lighting....HIAHHHHH!!!!"
  14. cowboyinnj
    14. Posted by cowboyinnj Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:30 pm EDT

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    This completely goes against the discipline of TaeKwonDo. This person has disgraced the sport and the foundation on which it was built. He should be stripped of his ranking and never be permitted to enter a school again.
  15. TimothyJ
    15. Posted by TimothyJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:10 pm EDT

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    But seriously folks.....
    After all of this controversy of bad scoring, bad reffs and protests, will taekwondo find itself on the chopping block. They ditch softball and baseball but THIS sport is kept?
    At this rate, lets just have Mixed Martial Arts!!!! I would buy a ticket for that.
  16. hhhhhhhhaaaaaa
    16. Posted by hhhhhhhhaaaaaa Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:05 pm EDT

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    hahahahahahahaha. to funny
  17. whoaaa
    17. Posted by whoaaa Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:53 pm EDT

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    wow, this is intense. This shouldnt be a lifetime ban. This is what the sport is about!
    Taking out the cheaters!
  18. Warpath
    18. Posted by Warpath Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:40 pm EDT

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    What a chump
  19. james
    19. Posted by james Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:19 pm EDT

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    The best of sports my hairy butt
  20. Steve T
    20. Posted by Steve T Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm EDT

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    Finally, the WWE has arrived in the 2008 Olympic Games. lol
  21. VanceP
    21. Posted by VanceP Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:38 pm EDT

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    cuba...lol...figures.
  22. Pistolcort
    22. Posted by Pistolcort Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:13 pm EDT

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    First of all it was a lousy kick.......
    I watched the clock, Oh! my foot hurts. He knew the rules and was there to represent his country. FAILED!!!
    I don't agree with alot of the calls in this olympic arena but to kick an offical in the face because you don't agree with his call? Gimme a break.
    Ban his butt for life. That was totally uncalled for AND was not in the spirit of what the olympics stands for. He was only thinking of himself, not his country.
    This on top of the controversy earlier in the week with the american fighter is gonna doom the sport in the olympics. Really lame......Hey maybe they can have Kung Fu in there now instead..Hmmmmmm.
  23. Carol
    23. Posted by Carol Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:26 pm EDT

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    Makes me sick! With what the Olympics are to stand for, this is the height of ignorance; no one with this type of thinking should be honored with any metal let alone in the Olympics. Anyone that commends this idiot of his action need to go see a shrinK
  24. kc
    24. Posted by kc Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:06 pm EDT

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    unbelievable.
  25. Roman
    25. Posted by Roman Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:44 pm EDT

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    Maybe he can defect now????

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