Aaron Cook taekwondo - why? not up to speed with olympic selection

[mikiesbuk]

Hi

Call me an idiot, not really into taekwondo, but someone who is a world champion and has trained themself/elsewhere is not being allowed to compete in the olympics for GB?

Why?

I really don't know much about olympic selection, heard a few stories before regarding amateur boxing, boxers not getting picked because their style not suited to amateurs/olympic boxing even though they had beaten boxers who did get selected... (based on what I've heard - not recently though and again i don't know all the ins and outs... )

However, i am really perplexed as to someone who is the world number 1 in their chosen sport - that being taekwondo - not getting to go to the olympics... - this seems very clear to me that the wrong person is going.

Doesn't add up?

It basically sounds like because he didn't train with the GB squad he aint going to represent GB...is this compulsory - in all seriousness? not trying to sound sarcastic..

So if for example as another someone from another olympic sport trained by themselves/or with someone else
apart from the olympic team it seems like it is frowned upon ???

Also this seems stupid also, with the runners it's a simple case of whoever runs fastest gets the slots respectively... that seems fair...

So why not the same with taekwondo selection - the guy is at the top of his game??

I don't know the guy and haven't followed him just genuinely don't know how this selection malarky works.

Can't someone intervene and force Team GB to take him purely based on merit?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[taffdragon]

read on another forum that the offical training teams methods didnt suit him so he went on his own and only after that he became number one. so it looks like the authorities are haveing a hissy fit over his snub to them.

but like you said i know nothing of the ins and outs, just what i read.

[mikiesbuk]

Thanks taffdragon..

Thought I wasn't going mad...

So this sends out a clear message to athletes..

If you don't train with GB squad you are not going to the olympics...

w.t .... ??

So another similar scenario in the future another athlete this could happen

"mr.smith" is being trained/coached by "mr.bloggs" on his own without fellow GB squad members,

"mr.smith" becomes world champion in respective sport and doesn't go to the olympics as he hasn't trained with GB squad even though his training is going great and he is world champion/world record holder etc.

Seems bang out of order to me.

Suprised there hasn't been an on-line petition regarding this somewhere.

Surely there must be someone who can intervene/ help him out and get his opportunity to win an olympic medal - solicitors etc. shouldn't need to be involved - it should be a simple case of he is the best in his class and he should go to the olympics.

[taffdragon]

heres the email address for the tkd assosiation.

info@gbtaekwondo.co.uk

maybe if enough people email it will help.

[taffdragon]

and andy murray did the same didnt he? left the offical coachs to train in spain if i remember right?

do they have tennis in the olympics anyway?

[Rob T]

Yes, tennis is in the Olympics.

The GB team have said Cook hasn't been picked because the other guy they've gone with has a better style for the opponents, but that must be BS... article I read said Cook has beaten half the field he will face, the other guy has beaten none of them.

[The Tez]

On the commitee which sat to choose who was going into the Olympics was the coach of the man who was chosen instead of Cook.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012...ook?CMP=twt_gu

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18365361


I can't stand Olympic TKD but this is making us a laughing stock in the rest of the martial arts world, I've read comments from martial artists from a lot of countries. We should have the best team possible to win medals if we can whatever the sport even syncronised swimming! In the last Olympics Sarah Stevenson was robbed of her chance of a gold medal in TKD because of corrupt judging, she managed a silver only after the British team put a complaint something that by all accounts is 'not done' in TKD you are supposed to just shut up.
The message this sends out to young people wanting to do a sport is not a good one, proper TKD is a good martial art for children to start out with but this shows that it's not what you do in that sport that counts but whether you toe the party line and whether your coach is on the selection committee.

[r-v]

Same b.s happens in gb wrestling comity from what I have been told, allot of politics and snubbing happening

[Sack Attack]

If Aaron Cook competes then Team GB has a good chance of getting a Gold.

If Mohammed what ever his fucking name is competes, then chances are Team GB will get sweet fuck all medals.