The row over Aaron Cook’s omission from the Olympic taekwondo team escalated today when the world governing body accused its British counterpart of bringing the sport into disrepute.
The World Taekwondo Federation said it would review the selection process of GB Taekwondo, which has refused to nominate Cook on three occasions, criticising the procedure for a “lack of transparency”.
Cook, the world No 1 and European champion, received his latest snub yesterday when GB Taekwondo stood by its decision to put forward Lutalo Muhammad, who is ranked 58 places beneath him. The BOA has twice refused to accept Muhammad’s nomination but is now considering whether it can take any action to overrule the selectors.
There was little surprise when GB Taekwondo selected Muhammad yesterday because the same five people who had previously overlooked Cook sat on the selection panel. Cook’s agent, Jamie Cunningham, described it as a “flawed decision” and the adverse publicity surrounding the case has persuaded the sport’s international body to step in.
“We are extremely disappointed by the way in which British Taekwondo’s selection process has been conducted and it is clear that the lack of a conclusive rationale has caused confusion,” Jean-Marie Ayer, the WTF secretary general, said.
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“The manner of the selection is bringing our sport into disrepute among the UK media and major Olympic stakeholders due to a perceived lack of transparency. Our main concern is always that every athlete is given fair and equal consideration - their welfare must come first.
“We at the WTF have done our utmost to bring fair practices and transparency to our sport and that is why we have committed to undertaking this review.
“People all over the world practise taekwondo because it represents sport in its purest form: an individual display of skill, speed and strength.
“It is essential that the WTF preserves that purity for its 201 member countries and 70 million practitioners with transparent and decisive governance.”
The BOA’s Olympic Qualification Standards Panel will consult with the WTF tomorrow before it makes a final decision on whether to challenge the non-selection of Cook again.
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“Given the importance of the issues being considered, the OQS Panel will consult with the World Taekwondo Federation and the British Olympic Association board of directors before making its final decision,” the BOA said.
“This consultation will take place tomorrow and the panel will make its decision as quickly as possible thereafter.”