Taekwondo (case: tecondò) s.m. (Korean tae = strike with the foot, kwon do and fist = = art). Method of fighting ancient Korean practiced since 1 st century BC As a martial art, taekwondo has become a combat sport in the second half of the 20 th century, distinguished from other sports martial for particularly effective, dynamic and spectacular of its techniques leg (kick circulars and in-flight, kicked multiple) . Distributed in almost every country in the World - 151 nations affiliated to the World taekwondo federation, 40 million students spread across 5 continents (data 1997) - The taekwondo has been admitted as a demonstration sport in the Olympic Games in Seoul and Barcelona'88 '92, and then be added as official Olympic sport from the Olympics in Sydney 2000.
• Athletes, divided by sex, age and weight categories (eight), wearing the traditional white uniform (dobok) with belt are fitted with guards (bodice and helmet) and face one another on a 8 square meters of hand all ' Internal security of a 12x12 meters. The shots valid for the score can be directed only on the trunk or face using one's foot, using only the handful valid target is the torso. The fighting, lasting three times to three minutes each with 60 "range, is directed by an arbitrator Central assisted by three judges corner and the director of field. The good points escape any penalties for prohibited techniques (push, hitting his face with the fist, hit with knee, landing the opponent etc.). The meeting taekwondo, as well as with the victory in points, it can be concluded for abandonment, disqualification, ko, intervention arbitration.
• In Italy the practice of taekwondo is governed by Fita (Italian Federation taekwondo), founded in 1985 and by 1995 became associated with the regulated Cones. Trainees are about 25,000 spread over almost all the national territory (data 1997).

(This article was translated by a machine translation software and not by one person)