04/16/24
August 23, 2008
Video: Olympic Taekwondo Competitor Kicks Referee in Head: Angel Matos, a Cuban taekwondo competitor, kicked the referee in the face after being disqualified at the Olympics. The competitor and his coach are likely to be banned for life. See the video
posted by TheQatarian to olympics at 01:18 PM - 25 comments
Not that he handled it well, but Matos was right about the call being bad.
He didn't get one minute. If you count from the time the ref signals an injury break to the disqualification, it's around 41 seconds.
posted by rcade at 02:29 PM on August 23, 2008
Well, I guess Ultimate Fighting is the next best career choice.
posted by Joey Michaels at 02:49 PM on August 23, 2008
Not the best sportsmanship, but not surprising. You train for at least four years and visualize glory and get so close only to have it taken away perhaps unfairly. Competitive people are going to get upset:
"Paddy Barnes gave his post-fight interview . . . "There's no question I lost the fight, but the judges were a disgrace. They should be docked points ... this is the worst country in the world, they shouldn't even be hosting the Games," jabbered Barnes with no little justification, as out-of-shot BBC reporter Garry Richardson audibly winced.But sensing a good story, the notoriously hard-nosed newsman set about stoking the fire with his standard issue Big Investigative BBC Stick: "Well at least you won a medal," he simpered, anxious not to offend his jovial Chinese hosts. "I don't care. They can keep it for all I care," replied Barnes heroically, felling his pathetic interrogator with a knockout blow.
And listening to the exchange, the Fiver couldn't help but wonder if the chippy, handy-with-his-fists Irishman [Isn't that all Irishmen? - Fiver Ed] who was voicing his contempt for incompetent officialdom and finishing anywhere other than didn't remind him of somebody . . ."
posted by yerfatma at 02:58 PM on August 23, 2008
What did the coach do to get banned for life?
posted by bperk at 05:39 PM on August 23, 2008
Classy move. Maybe I'm simply short of memory, but I can't remember an Olympics recently with the kind of petty crap we've seen in these games:
Usain Bolt's hotdogging (fairly harmless, yes, but not in the best interest of sportsmanship); the wrestler who made a scene during the medal ceremony because he thought he deserved the gold; the Chinese baseball team beaning Matt LaPorta and hitting four other American batsmen; and now this.
A series of breaches of Olympic decorum. Maybe a refresher course in sportsmanship is needed every four years, too.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 12:02 AM on August 24, 2008
C'mon, shouldn't the referee been able to defend himself? Isn't he supposed to be an expert in taekwondo as well?
In a serious vane, good job to Matos, way to get yourself suspended. Well done.
posted by Bonkers at 05:00 AM on August 24, 2008
Addendum to previous: way to get yourself for suspended for nothing.
posted by Bonkers at 05:02 AM on August 24, 2008
There were a few other judges that needed kicked also,especially in gymnastics. I don't condone the violence but I understand the anxiety by the athlete.
posted by Doehead at 08:40 AM on August 24, 2008
What did the coach do to get banned for life?
Get the WTF mad at him. That's pretty much how it is in taekwondo.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:58 AM on August 24, 2008
What I haven't seen is an explanation of whether Matos actually got screwed by the ref or not. The way the article reads, Matos was doing what he was supposed to do -- wait for medical attention -- and the ref disqualified him for using up his injury time.
After watching the video, I still don't think it's clear. What's Matos supposed to do, kick the medical staff to get them off of him?
Not that he'd have a problem with do that, I suppose ...
posted by wfrazerjr at 11:11 AM on August 24, 2008
I had always considered martial arts a sport of discipline and mental strength alongside the physical requirements.
He did appear to be okay, as he did quickly jump up and kick the ref and push the judge. So I do believe that he was expecting to continue, he just was using his 60sec injury time. As rcade points out, he didn't quite that that full minute, and if that was the case, it should have the option of review. But he ruined that option when he tried to knock everyone out.
At this point, he should have to face the consequences of his actions, whether it's a full ban or not, you can't just go around kicking refs/judges/umps.
posted by BoKnows at 02:03 PM on August 24, 2008
I don't think that the video is in straight sequence...the camera goes to a replay of his foot hitting the other fighter...so we can't go by the clock on the bottom of the screen.
I also wonder what the coach did to deserve being banned. It appears that he tried to keep his fighter away from the judge after the incident.
Fidel should be proud!
posted by dviking at 05:36 PM on August 24, 2008
Like taking a bat to an MLB ump. While it may seem justified in some cases, it's usually not a good idea. I think the life time ban in this case is just a few years too short.
I'd like to see that Chinese baseball team play the White Sox. Hit even one of his players and Ozzie Guillen would show you all about payback.
posted by irunfromclones at 08:48 PM on August 24, 2008
As rcade points out, he didn't quite that that full minute, and if that was the case, it should have the option of review. But he ruined that option when he tried to knock everyone out.
Ask Roy Jones Jr. and dozens of other screwed-over Olympians about those options of review.
The decision was final, he knew it, he also knew he got screwed out of a lifelong dream, and he overreacted as a result. Can't say I condone what he did, but I certainly understand it.
posted by bdaddy at 10:44 PM on August 24, 2008
To put this in context: the taekwondo officiating had been dubious throughout the week. Earlier that day, a British competitor had lost a contest because the judges didn't score a clear kick to the head (against a Chinese opponent) then, after protest, declared her the winner. She was summoned back to fight at short notice, lost her semi, but got a bronze medal.
In the Matos case, standard practice in competitions is apparently to give a degree of leeway with the one minute injury timeout. I saw the BBC's as-it-happened coverage, and the expert co-commentator was livid with the judges for declaring the fight over -- until Matos kicked out at the referee.
The BBC's Nick Mullins, who was the other on-site commentator for the judo and taekwondo, discusses it here.
posted by etagloh at 01:20 AM on August 25, 2008
"Maybe I'm simply short of memory, but I can't remember an Olympics recently with the kind of petty crap we've seen in these games..."
I wouldn't say that what happened to the men's volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon's father in law, when he was murdered before the opening ceremony in Beijing is considered petty. It's a downright disgrace and a sad case of unnecessary violence to the T.
posted by BornIcon at 11:58 AM on August 25, 2008
I wouldn't say that what happened to the men's volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon's father in law, when he was murdered before the opening ceremony in Beijing is considered petty.
No shit. That's why I didn't say it. Thanks for playing, we've got some nice parting gifts for you.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 12:53 PM on August 25, 2008
But you still made it a point to say, "I can't remember an Olympics recently with the kind of petty crap we've seen in these games..."
And next time, come up with something a little more original instead of some lame ass Wink Martindale, Trivial Pursuit parting words.
posted by BornIcon at 01:25 PM on August 25, 2008
But you still made it a point to say, "I can't remember an Olympics recently with the kind of petty crap we've seen in these games..."
Whoa, where did this (and your prior comment) come from? All TBH was saying was that it was his impression that there was a lot of petty crap in this Olympics; that's not the same as saying that everything that happened was petty.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 02:59 PM on August 25, 2008
I definitely agree with LBB and TBH. There has been a lot of crap surrounding the Olympics this year, from boxing to gymnastics. That includes everything in between as well (don't get all crazy BornIcon). I have been utterly disgusted with all of the cheating and garbage that has tainted the Olympics this year. Someone actually had the nerve to suggest that it's just "sour grapes" (comment posted by "sic" in "Enough is Enough" Comments). Only complete IDIOTS would be totally blind to everything that has been going on this year. They just need to get a whole new Olympic Committee! I don't know if that is even rational or possible, but I am sick of this one!
posted by v_dog at 03:35 PM on August 25, 2008
Matos now has the backing of El Presidente.
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:29 AM on August 26, 2008
But you still made it a point to say, "I can't remember an Olympics recently with the kind of petty crap we've seen in these games..."
Yes, I did. I then provided three examples, and referenced "Olympic decorum" and "sportsmanship." Neither of which have anything to do with cold-blooded murder.
Seemed pretty common sense when I wrote it; guess it wasn't simple enough for everybody to follow.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 11:42 AM on August 26, 2008
I feel a kick to the head coming on ...
posted by worldcup2002 at 08:16 PM on August 26, 2008
Seemed pretty common sense when I wrote it; guess it wasn't simple enough for everybody to follow
What's the problem with trying to understand the actuality of your statement? Don't be so sensitive, if it was a misunderstanding, so be it.
The murder that transpired was a heartbreaking situation and having the men's volleyball team win the gold medal against Brazil didn't make things go away but it was a bitter sweet ending to this story.
posted by BornIcon at 09:42 AM on August 27, 2008
WTF indeed.