Fourth-Place Medal, a Yahoo! Sports blog covering the Summer Olympics in Beijing

Fourth-Place Medal

Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:59 pm EDT

More bad judging; this time in taekwondo

By Maggie Hendricks

Fans of the Fourth-Place Medal real medal count just picked up one more reason to dismiss judged sports. Steven Lopez, a two-time gold medalist, lost the match that would have sent him into the gold-medal match on a controversial referee's decision. He filed a protest, but that was badly bungled, according to taekwondo team leader Herb Perez. Taekwondo is rumored to be on the chopping block for Olympic sports, and they didn't need any bad publicity. They probably should have mentioned that to the the judges. 

"When (poor judging) happens to you, you're told to shut up and not say anything because of what will happen to you, or what will happen to the sport," Perez said. "If this is truly what taekwondo is about, maybe taekwondo shouldn't be in the Olympics. Maybe they should fix it."

Oh, Herb. With taekwondo at the very end of the Olympics, I assume that you have been busy helping your athletes prepare to compete. You probably haven't seen that bad judging is exactly what the Olympics are about, and if that's what taekwondo is about, it will always have a home in the games. Just ask Ara Abrahamian and Alicia Sacramone.

Photo via Getty Images 

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128 Comments

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  1. Charles L
    1. Posted by Charles L Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:22 pm EDT

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    More whining?? It is getting really tiresome.
  2. Scratch G
    2. Posted by Scratch G Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:10 pm EDT

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    More whining!! From Maggie Hendricks
    Ms. Hendricks has a unique and whining writing style that she often blend her complaints and whine in a seemingly positive message.
    Consider this: "MORE bad judging...." Yep, More whining from Maggie.
    And more medal for whining for Maggie.
  3. Chairat
    3. Posted by Chairat Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:04 pm EDT

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    Cry baby again! LOL.
  4. Dag
    4. Posted by Dag Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:34 pm EDT

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    Too tell you the truth, I was a little bit taken aback when I saw so much whining by American athletes and media at this Olympics. Since then I have learnt to enjoy it. It actually is becoming one of my daily routines to check up on what's new in this department. So it is taekwondo this time, what's for tomorrow? Thank you, Maggie. You made my day.
  5. Chairat
    5. Posted by Chairat Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:04 pm EDT

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    I watched this game and he DESERVED to get bronze.
  6. redreturn 08
    6. Posted by redreturn 08 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:34 pm EDT

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    Ok, I understand that athletes are at times getting a raw deal from the judges. But you would think that most of them, after being in that judged-sport for a long time, they would expect some scores to be lower than they think it should be. Judges scores are like opinions and if you don't like it, then pick a sport that has a clear cut winner/loser like basketball or football. I have sympathy for the age debate and other complaints, but this is not an American panel of judges-- compete your best and do what you can. I also think this complaining might be slightly watershedding due to the comments from Bela and other US announcers. After hearing some of them, you think THEY were cheated out of a medal. Now they have 1/2 of America thinking it, too! Good job team USA-- you performed outstandingly through these games!
  7. victor l
    7. Posted by victor l Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:14 pm EDT

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    It doesn"t surprise me at all with what happened to the Americans in taekwondo.Everyone who has any ties to the WTF knows how much the KOREAN delegates of the art despise the lopez"s especially STEVE due to our dominance; if theallegation that MR PEREZ talks about is true it doesn"t surpriseme.Our AMERICAN team was doomed from the start.I HAVE OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE ART AND THE POLITICS AND TACTICS MADE BY THE KOREAN REPRESANTIVES VIOLATE THE TENANTS OF TKD.It is shameful that these tactics had to be showcased on the worlds biggest stage! We had no chance from the start;this is just as bad as ahit from the mob or should I say triads;I"m sorrybut it what it is!
  8. noway
    8. Posted by noway Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:34 pm EDT

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    Oh my ... here we go again....
    I did watched the match and cheer for Lopez but he came short. Blaming on ref is another crying baby act. There were the rules in TKD and Lopez was caught and got deduction. To me this tour was the cleanest so far. Only problem is team US will complaint when Lopez didnt make final.
    BTW Herb Perez is no TKD, metally, physically hes not. I knew this guy for long time, and I dont know why USA let the guy without talent leading the USA team.
    I had seen Jean Lopez leading US jr. team to world cup last year and with a big let down ...
    US taekwondo is corrupted badly because those guy like Perez.
    You dont have to beilieve me, just check with all master around and find out!
    quit crying for gold, Lopez is good but someone better today.
  9. cors8
    9. Posted by cors8 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:30 pm EDT

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    What? No mention of blaming China in the post? Amazing.
  10. noway
    10. Posted by noway Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:34 pm EDT

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    and for OP...
    Talking about judging, you should check with those in TKD try out for US team. ITS SICK! they will do anything to have Lopez sibling go to Olympic.
    Remember the young talent girl with Silver medal in 2004? IMO shes the best but ... well no whinning here!
    ;o(
  11. Mike S
    11. Posted by Mike S Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:36 pm EDT

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    America's whining continues into the wee hours of these games. "Under-aged" gymnasts, waiting too long for Alicia Sacramone, Blake's opponent "touched the ball and didn't call it himself", the Cubans pitcher nailed the US batter, ..., now this Taekuando guy, who got kicked and lost in overtime, ... I can count forever.
    I has been an awesome Olympics. We the world owes a collective "thanks" to he people of China. Thank you China for your hospitality.
    As for the circus that is called USA, well, have fun in it Yanks. The rest of the world just moves on.
  12. noway
    12. Posted by noway Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:34 pm EDT

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    "I has been an awesome Olympics. We the world owes a collective "thanks" to he people of China. Thank you China for your hospitality."
    thanks!
  13. Annie
    13. Posted by Annie Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:53 pm EDT

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    please stop with the whining, you make the rest of us look bad.........
  14. CherryOnTop
    14. Posted by CherryOnTop Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:47 pm EDT

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    Please the guy just can't believe that he got bronze, instead of gold.
    Please Maggie this "article" is highly immature, and the last paragraph makes no sense. And Kamatari is right! What fans?
  15. Scratch G
    15. Posted by Scratch G Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:10 pm EDT

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    Maggie, this srue reads like a snack bit size whining piece on a slow Friday afternoon.
    Learn from the 16-yr old Shawn Johnson. She is good at gymnastics and she is even better at praising other competitors.
    Why do you, like your follow sour grape Chris Chase, have to whine?!
  16. JK
    16. Posted by JK Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:36 pm EDT

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    Bad judging is certainly a part of the Olympics. However, the US does not suffer from bad judging any more than other countries do.
    As someone who primarily follows American athletes, I'm more aware of the judging controversies involving them, but in subjective sports, these things happen-- to athletes from many countries.
    In the uneven bars final, the Australian judge gave scores that were very different from the other judges. You could say that the other judges were wrong, the Australian judge hates Americans, or the Australian judge made an honest mistake. I choose option 3.
    It's not an anti-American conspiracy.
  17. Nan H
    17. Posted by Nan H Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:33 pm EDT

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    In boxing, I have watched several matches in which one fighter would get the other fighters points. The one between the Irish guy and the chinese guy which is on right now is clearly an example
    pts only going to Chinese side even if the hit was placed by the Irish guy. Something is wrong. Been this way for all the boxing segments no matter what country is fighting. Something is wrong.
    'Watch and see what you think. Any match will do. This is no joke or whine and not about any country, watch it, if you agree please email someone. I am trying to.
  18. Gina J
    18. Posted by Gina J Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

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    Why don't these sports just fix their scoring system? Make is straight forward like swimming or basketball.
  19. Home Health D
    19. Posted by Home Health D Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:18 pm EDT

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    bet if the shoe was on the other foot, and you had worked extremely hard like these athletes have, you would want the judging to be equal. If you lost under those circumstances, well that is just the way the ball bounces. However, it a bad call knocks you out...you should jump up and shout. Whining.......absolutely not. Sticking up for your rights, I'd say.
  20. I W
    20. Posted by I W Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:40 pm EDT

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    I agree this blogger is an idiot...There has been alot of controversy at these games but Steven had a legit complaint. I watched the fight and he did not use an "illegal kick" that deemed the point deduction. It was a legal block.
  21. noway
    21. Posted by noway Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:34 pm EDT

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    Travis M = Chris Chase
    ;o)
  22. jk
    22. Posted by jk Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:53 pm EDT

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    imagine if some other country was fourth instead of Alicia sacramone, you probably wouldn't even have whined about Cheng fei. But in reality Cheng fei clearly has the highest start point value, even if she falters she'll still be ahead of Alicia. If she didn't, she obviously would've gotten first.
  23. Edwin
    23. Posted by Edwin Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:51 pm EDT

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    if they signed something to that fact. produce the documents. as so many have said. the lopez family has been here and done that for a while so this is nothing new to them. if you didn't like it why fight. your cause would have more meaning if the family didn't fight because of what the sport wanted you all to do. sorry! doesn't sound but a poor loser to me. now 3 fighters pushing their cause and not fighting. that holds water.
  24. shortyrags
    24. Posted by shortyrags Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:21 pm EDT

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    The ref did make a mistake with the kyongo that he gave Lopez but sometimes it happens. Lopez used his leg in a defensive position; not kicking below the belt as the ref interpreted. But that's what you accept when you participate in this sport that requires subjective opinion. I felt bad for him but sometimes it happens. People like Maggie whining about it just makes America look like bad sports.
  25. American
    25. Posted by American Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:22 pm EDT

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    United States of America, the nation of whiner.
    Paul Hamm and US SHOULD RETURN THE GOLD before any complain on judging.
    Also, in 1988 Olympic diving USA shamelessly FIXED A GOLD for Greg Louganis. Greg Louganis hit the spring board while diving (and score like a zero), and even though his diving and his splash are CLEARLY inferior then Chinese counterpart (didn't know their names), Greg Louganis still score ridiculously high and won the gold medal. That 1988 diving is the lamest fixed Olympic event I have ever watch in my entire life. I can't believe I still remember nowadays.

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