Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Five Olympics Sports I Was Surprised I Loved

As a lover of sports, the best part of attending the Olympics is the ability to see amateur athletes participate in events that I would never get a chance to see at home in North America. Many sports that take center stage at the Olympics are not shown on TV in Canada and the US and watching the Olympics is a fantastic way to expand my knowledge of some of these lesser-known sports.
I was surprised at how much I loved watching some of the events. Here is a list of five Olympic sports that I never would have expected to enjoy as much as I do.
Field Hockey
In Canada, field hockey is a sport usually played for about a week in gym class by the female students and the fact that both men and women play professionally worldwide is something that has been missed by us ice hockey-crazed Canadians. Played on a grass field that is a lot larger than an ice hockey rink. Actually, field and ice hockey have very little to do with each other besides a shared name. Field hockey (simply called 'hockey' in most countries that play it) is fast and the ball-handling skills of the athletes are impressive, especially during set plays and penalties.
Handball
This sport is popular in Europe but virtually non-existent in most of the rest of the world. I remember playing it in gym class as a child, but that's about all I know about the game so when I attended handball at the Beijing Olympics I had no idea what to expect. The goal of the sport is simple: throw ball into goal. The game is high-scoring and fast-paced and the athletes who play this sport are tall, fit and most importantly, amazingly agile for their size. It is a hugely exciting sport with people flying through the air all over the place and I was happy to have discovered this sport.
Volleyball
Every kid grows up playing volleyball in school but that's about as far as any interest in the sport usually goes. There's almost no coverage of volleyball in North America and it seems to have been overshadowed by the more sexy version of beach volleyball. Well if you like beach volleyball then you will love the team version. There are six players on each team which makes for long, exciting rallies and some amazing saves. I was on the edge of my seat while watching volleyball and I didn't even care who won.
Weightlifting
Like wrestling, weightlifting can be a bit slow, but it's all about the buildup combined with a fast flurry of action that makes it exciting. The venue was small and you could practically see the beads of sweat forming on the athlete's brow as they stepped up to attempt their lift. The amounts they were able to lift was amazing and it is even more impressive seeing it in person.
Wrestling
Wrestling as I know it involves monster-sized men with freak muscles jumping off of ropes and doing a lot of great acting. Fortunately, wrestling at the Olympics is nothing like this except maybe for the level of drama. The intensity is amazing and, while the sport itself can be a bit slow to watch at times, when the action happens it's extremely exciting, especially if your country's athlete is involved.
So if you find yourself at the Olympics in person or even if you're just watching at home, make sure to branch out a bit from your usual favorite sports to see what else there is. I wasn't disappointed and I'm sure you won't be either!
Kirsty had attended two Olympics so far and has plans to attend the London 2012 Games. She hopes people check out some sports that are new to them like Olympic weightlifting, Olympic volleyball, and her favorite, Olympic handball.
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Deliberately handling the ball

Deliberately handling the ball

Among all fouls arising during the course of the game, handballs—or deliberately handling the ball, in the terminology of the Laws—may well cause the most disagreements, misunderstandings, and trouble for the referee.

Handling is the only foul not committed against an opposing player. It is, instead, committed against the opposing team. But it is also the only penal foul requiring a deliberate intent by the player committing the foul. The foul is not, after all, “letting the ball touch the hand” but rather “deliberately handling the ball.” Consequently, it is often said that if the ball plays the hand it is not a foul, but if the hand plays the ball, then it is.

This rule of thumb is, however, much more easily said than put into practice. In addition, it also conflicts with the far more conventional rule, which is loudly proclaimed by players, coaches, and spectators around the world: If it hits the hand of an opposing player, it is a handball. But given the fact that most players are blessed with at least two arms—which must be placed somewhere during the course of a match, if only to be available for throw-ins—it would be unfair to penalize players for accidental touches which are neither intended nor avoidable. A few moments of thought should be enough for us to understand the basic concepts:

Above all else, handling fouls require deliberate contact between the ball and a player’s hand or arm. This means that the player either chose not to avoid touching the ball or placed his arms in an unnatural playing position to make it likely that he would touch the ball. And there are many aspects of hand-to-ball contact for the referee to consider when deciding whether a handball is deliberate. An uneven playing surfaces can cause the ball to deflect at odd angles, making it hard for players to know how it will bounce. Players who are unchallenged in the open field have no incentive to handle the ball, since it will be easily detected—which often suggests an unintentional handling, especially on the fields where the playing surface itself not quite putting-green smooth. On the other hand, because players intending to commit a foul often try to hide their actions from the officials, many intentional handballs will occur just out of sight of the referee, a factor which makes cooperation between the officials all-the-more essential.

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Team Handball - Handball Rule - Handball Game

The handball history vouches that the handball games always bounce back whenever they are down. The handball games have captured the imagination of the people all over the world. Team handball is a combination of soccer, basketball and ice hockey and is as popular as all these games. Handball tournaments have been held all over the world with the patronage of the International handball federation. The United states handball association has made handball equipments accessible to the players. It has also given tips about the handball rules.

Handball History

The handball originated in the 11th century. The history of handball also states that this sport was developed in Ireland before being popularized in North America. Handball was played outdoors and it had a prominent place in the Irish legends. The ball was made of cloth wrapped in leather. The British soldiers and police along with the Irish players ensured the survival of the game. The handball history points out that handball was a one-wall game though the three-wall and the four-wall versions also existed. The Irish immigrants were responsible for developing the game in the U.S. The ball developed in the U.S was softer than the ball used in Ireland. The handballs are made from rubber or synthetic material. The handball has a hollow center which would enable it to bounce faster. The one-wall courts, which were forgotten, came into vogue again in the American bathing beaches. They were emulated by the athletic courts.

World war II saw a decline in the handball sports. But, the sport managed to sustain its' glory when U.S. held its' first handball national championship in the year 1959. The history of handball points out that the team handball is similar to soccer. But, the difference is that soccer is played with legs whereas hands are used in the team handball. The handball is advanced by batting or throwing and not by kicking.

Handball Game

Handball is a game in which the ball is struck against the wall with the hand or the fist. The handball games can be played in a single wall as well as in a three or four-walled court. The single wall handball court has sides with lines drawn on court. The sides will be the walls of the court in a three-walled handball. The ball should be served from the service line in the court. The game of handball is played by two players in the case of singles and four players in the case of doubles. The aim of the game is to make the ball rebound off the wall so as to make it difficult for the opponent to return the ball.

The handball game starts with a serve. Serve has become an important aspect of the game. If the service technique is good, it would be difficult for the opponent to return the ball. 'Roller' is an exciting technique where the ball hits the intersection of the wall and the ground. Here, the handball rolls on the ground earning an additional point to the server. Court handball necessitates the use of the hand. The game has 21 points and the player who manages to get 21 points is declared the winner.

Team Handball

Team Handball improves the physical fitness of the players. It is challenging and minimum equipments are required for it. The team handball is played with a 32 panel leather ball. There are 7 players on each team. The guidelines of team handball state that it is foul to have possession of the ball without throwing or trying to attack. The use of torso is allowed to obstruct the ball but the use of outstretched legs or arms is not permitted. The player is not permitted to dive on the floor to hit the ball.

Handball Tip

Handball tips have been provided by experts over a period of time. The handball experts feel that the players should try to capitalize on their specific skills. It is necessary to set goals for the future and seek efficient training partners. Unique handball swing bring fame to the players. It is the duty of the referee to make decisions regarding the handball rules.

Handball Rule

The handball rule states that if the player makes a delay in starting the game, his opponent will be awarded more points. The judgment regarding the rule should be protested before the next serve. A match would be forfeited if the players do not comply with the handball rules.

Handball Equipment - Handball Court - Handball Tournament

The handball equipment should be user-friendly in order to attract more people towards it. The experts in the handball tournament concentrate on developing a large, soft ball. The big, blue ball is popular in outdoor tournaments as well as school gymnasiums. The Olympic handball tournaments require the players to possess at least two sets of clothing. The players' numbers should be prominently displayed and it should be 20 cm high on their back and 10 cm high on their chest.

United States Handball Association

The first US handball association was brought about in 1951. The aim of the United states hand ball association is to organize the game and promote it successfully. It has a membership of over 8,500 and its' national office is located in Arizona. This handball association is a non-profit corporation operating with the sole purpose of promoting the game. This association has the responsibility of sanctioning hundred tournaments per year. The U.S. Handball association also assists and supports men, women as well as juniors in the development of their game. It also administers the regional and the state level competitions held every year. The United states association for handball promotes it as a game that helps in developing the brain as well as the body.

The members get discounts off their entry fees in all the tournaments sponsored by this association. The United states handball association also publishes a handball magazine which provides interesting details about the game. The magazine publishes tournament dates and guidelines from the best handball players. It also elaborates on the major handball events. The U.S. handball association also conducts many youth programs and sponsors players from the age group of 9 to 90.

International Handball Federation

The International handball federation came into existence in July 11,1946. Denmark and Sweden were the initiators of this association. The International amateur handball federation, which came about in 1928, was the precursor of the IHF. This federation gained its' popularity in the Berlin Olympic games. Now, the federation for international handball is said to have a membership of 19 million men and women.

The International handball federation has also planned to allocate more funds to the developing and under-developed countries as they do not have the facilities to develop handball. Records show that many members have profited from the development aid given to them by the federation. The IHF announces the financial conditions before organizing a competition. The dates and the location shall be left for a public draw which shall be supervised by a IHF representative. It is also necessary to display the flags of the International handball federation, the member federation and the participants in the world championships. The website for the international handball federation provides the latest information on the Olympic handball games.


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Thierry Henry Wins Hands Down!

It all happened during extra time in the 180th minute when the ball touched Henry's hand during the buildup to William Gallas' goal that assured France a 2-1 win. And, of course, a place in the World Cup next year at South Africa. Henry openly admitted to ball handling and later apologized for it. Though his latest remarks on Twitter might not go down well with the fans: "I'm not the referee, but if I hurt someone I'm sorry. The Irishmen could have doubled their lead two or three times. The ball ran up against my hand and I continued to play, the referee did not whistle and there was a goal. I would have preferred that it happened differently but this is not down to me - it is the referee. However, I do not believe our qualification is stolen. I said to Richard Dunne that the ball had touched my hand, but he told me, 'you are not to blame'."
Meanwhile, Henry has also admitted that the Republic of Ireland deserve a berth at the World Cup finals. He has even gone so far as to support calls for a replay! The Football Association of Ireland made a complaint to FIFA, but the governing body remained firm in their decision that a replay was out of the question. Henry strongly feels that a replay would've been the best way to defuse the tension, "Naturally I feel embarrassed at the way that we won and feel extremely sorry for the Irish who definitely deserve to be in South Africa. Of course, the fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control.''
Though Henry is in the line of fire, he keeps repeating that the handball was an 'instinctive reaction'. He further clarifies, "I have said at the time and I will say again that yes I handled the ball. I am not a cheat and never have been. As a footballer you do not have the luxury of the television to slow the pace of the ball down 100 times to be able to make a conscious decision. People are viewing a slow motion version of what happened and not what I or any other footballer faces in the game. If people look at it in full speed you will see that it was an instinctive reaction. It is impossible to be anything other than that."
Henry also approached the Irish players, wearing white soccer uniforms, the referee and the media right after the game in order to express his embarrassment at having qualified this way... With his constant and open admission to a handball and his past record of fairness, it's important not to single out Henry and humiliate him for a mistake. Remember, to err is human, to forgive divine... As for FIFA, maybe it's time it introduced goal line technology.
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Sport in Our Life

Sport has become an integral part of human life.The word 'Sport' had originated between 1910 and 1915. Sport connotes a physical activity governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Over the years Sport has undergone an amazing metamorphosis. Sport was initially developed for recreation of the human beings. It has grown monstrously in the modern days and become high-tech.

Sport, athletic games or tests of skill have been undertaken primarily for the diversion or recreation of the participants or spectators. Sport has great and varied manifestations. It has been restricted to any play, pastime, exercise, game or contest performed under the given rules.

It has been played either indoor or outdoor, on individual or team basis, with or without competition, but requiring skill and some form of physical exertion. Some Sports, such as hunting, fishing, running and swimming have evolved out of the primitive ways and lifestyle of human life. Some Sports, such as riding, shooting, throwing the javelin or archery have derived from early military practices and background. Sports like boxing, wrestling and jumping, had arisen from the spontaneous human outbursts and challenges and occasional hostilities that had accompanied human interaction.

The development of sport in the ancient, middle ages and in the modern days has been phenomenal. In the ancient days, the Greek and Roman had evinced a keen interest in developing sport. It was the Greek who organized the Olympics and interestingly people from all over the world participated and witnessed it. Thus modern Olympics had originated in Athens city of Greece. The feudal system of the middle ages had hampered the growth of sport that was revived only in the days of renaissance. In the modern days, especially in the 20th century, sport has witnessed an organized growth and development of games.Baseball in the US, cricket in England, hockey in countries like India and Pakistan are some of the games that developed rapidly in the 20 th century.Olympic games, Pan-American games, Commonwealth Games and Afro-Asian Games etc have been organized and held at periodic intervals, making the sport as an international event in the 20 th century.

In the 21 century, sport has turned ultra-modern and developed with high tech facilities.The games like cricket , football and hockey have increasingly become global.Frequent changes in the rules of the games have been further complicated by the umpiring controversies due to human errors.The building of ultramodern stadia, provision of adequate infrastructure facilities etc had further increased their problems manifold and put them under a heavy financial stake.On the other hand technology has facilitated live telecasting and viewing of the matches and games so easy, thereby easing the common mans' burden to some extent.The Olympic events have been held under the auspices of International Olympic Association. Almost all countries of the world have become members of International Olympic Association and participate in Olympics, which is periodically held once in four years. Similarly cricket has a governing body called International Cricket Council to hold the premiere events like the world cup and the champions trophy etc with the object of spreading cricket throughout the world. Hockey has an International governing council known as International Hockey Federation, enrolling all hockey playing members in the world. Similarly soccer world cup has been held under the auspices of an international organization once in four years.The soccer playing member countries have to go through rigorous qualifying rounds before participating in the soccer world cup. Modern sport has also witnessed the evolution of multimillionaires like Sachin Tendulkar in cricket, Ronaldo in soccer, William sisters in Tennis, who have risen to prominence by dint of their hard work, skill and passion for their respective games.

The modern Sport has also witnessed the growth and development of sport and its allied industries. Media industry like Sports journalism, Sports education and online games etc have evolved and developed out of sports. Each country has a separate Sports ministry. For example India has a separate Sports Authority of India with sufficient funds to function separately and independently. Sports goods and apparels like tennis ball, rocket etc in tennis, bat, ball, flannels, Sport wears etc in cricket, hockey sticks, balls and synthetic astroturf etc in hockey have been the money spinning projects globally. Sponsorship has been a modern feature in popular games like cricket, soccer, tennis etc involving millions of dollars. Similarly popular players of cricket, soccer and tennis etc are engaged by the multinational companies to advertise their products, spending millions of dollars. Last but not least, Sport has been not only meant for recreation but also has the object of keeping the individual concerned in good health and stamina. We are all aware that a healthy person is a wealthy person and Sport has been the secret of ones' health as well as wealth.

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South Korea - The Olympic Revolution of the New Millennium

I -Eva Peron, Korea and the OlympicsBefore Korea became one of the most industrialized nations on the entire Asian continent, Argentina -it is about 26 times the size of SK- was one of the world's six richest countries. Around the same time, they were getting off on the right foot in the Olympic Games. Argentina -now a football-loving nation- was home to sixty percent of Latin America's Olympic winners-aquatics, boxing, polo, rowing, track-field. At the 1948 London Games, they finished 13th in the medal standings. In contrast to its neighbours, Argentina had an Olympic champ to cheer in that year , when Delfo Cabrera won a gold medal. On that occasion, Korea was certainly not lucky,and finished 32nd in the medal table. Korea's first Olympic national team was formed in the late 40s. But Koreans dare to dream the impossible. At the 1951 Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, the host country finished first in the count medal- where America was ousted from the number one spot for the first time in Continental Games history by Argentina. But Argentina is now history. In the last Olympics, the Latin American nation only won two golds-soccer & cycling. Ironically, Argentina-where there are snow-mountains- has never won an Olympic medal in the Winter Games. Then, in April 2009, the Bolivian men's soccer squad upset team Argentina, which was trained by soccer player-turned-coach Diego Armando Maradona, 6-1. Different from Argentina, Japan, Australia and Canada, SK is ranked among the five best Olympic teams, along with China, America, Russia and Germany. This superb team is a paradigm on Earth. Korea expects to send about 50 champs to the XXI Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. The country's athletic rulers also expect to send 250 champs to the London 2012 Olympics. II-A Small Nation With A Big AmbitionFrom my perspective I think that South Korea is the most successful Olympic nation in history. Now SK became a source of inspiration for many Olympic countries around the world. Certainly, it is a role model for small countries -from Austria to Brunei Darussalam- and multiparty States -e.g. India, Taiwan, Chile, Peru, Argentina. The Republic of Korea, also known as South Korea, is about the size of Indiana. More than 49 million people live there-it is not far off the total in Ukraine. Unlike Venezuela-it has had the benefit of high oil prices, Peru and Angola, Korea has few natural resources. This nation does not have oil, diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, gas, and uranium. But in the last decades of the 20th century, the Korean State introduced an industrialization program and expand education. The rulers devoted more than 20 percent of its national budget to the development human-education, culture, welfare, sports. Now SK has one of the world's strongest economies. III-The Difficult YearsIn the 1940s and 1950s, SK was a war-torn nation-World War II and Korean War. Because of this, it became one of the world's poorest nations. After World War II ended 35 years of Japanese domination and Korea gained its independence (1948). From 1950 to '53 nearly three million Koreans died. On the other hand, there were, 500,000 Koreans living overseas. In the following decades Korea was governed by military warlords. In the 1990s SK became a democratic nation. IV- A Nation of Sports LoversDuring the 1960s and 1970s, the rule introduced many sports reforms -a strong emphasis on physical education into educational system- and did many things to improve sporting life in the nation-an official policy that continued in the 1990s and 2000s. In just a few years, they also promoted the sports that were not well-known in the country. Success came slowly at first. The number of Asian awards increased from around 27 in 1958 to more than 65 in 1978. From 1964 to '76, the country's champs earned 12 Olympic medals. Another example, Korea's boxers, led by Moon Sung-Kil, won many global titles in the 1980s. Unlike Cuba -which had a lot of coaches from the USSR, East Germany, Bulgaria, North Korea and Poland- SK did not have foreign coaches. All its Olympic awards were produced by Korean coaches. To support Seoul's bid to host the 1988 Olympics, the Korean chairmans hosted many international events -the 1979 Shooting World Championships, the 1982 Baseball World Cup, the 1982 Boxing Global Championships and the Korea Cup (volleyball)-and built world-class stadiums. V- The Boycott Against South KoreaDuring Cold War, especially between 1950 and 1985, Korea was an isolated Olympic nation. This Asian country was considered an international pariah by the World Marxist and several anti-American states (Korea became a UN member in 1991). The 1979 Seoul FIBA Women's World Championships were boycotted by the Soviet Union and its allies. Three years later, Cuba's boxers, world & Olympic champions, were not allowed to compete in the World Cup by Fidel Castro. That same year, Cuba also did not send baseball players to the World Championships in South Korea. In 1986 North Korea boycotted the Asian Games. The Democratic People' s Republic of Korea refused to send champs to SK. Subsequently, the XXIV Seoul Summer Olympic Games were boycotted by seven nations-Albania, Cuba, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Nicaragua, North Korea, and Seychelles. However, the sports officials sent several champs to Moscow, Varna, Havana and Prague. VI - Seoul Olympic Games- A Gold Medal for KoreaDuring the IOC Session in Germany in 1981, Seoul was selected as host country for the 1988 Summer Olympics, and began a new era for the country's sports development. Seoul beat Nagoya, Japan's city. That decision caused surprise around the world.
Thirty-eight years ago, Seoul had been destroyed by Korean War, but it had been rebuilt in record time. In the '70s and early '80s, Seoul was a successful host to several international tournaments. The IOC awarded Seoul the Olympics by a margin of 15 votes. Kim Un-Yong -one of the world's best Olympic czars- was a key figure behind South Korea's bid to host the 1988 Summer Olympics. He was runner-up when Jacques Rogge was elected IOC chairman. SK, an anti-Marxist state in the 20th century, did not have full diplomatic ties with the World Soviet-which had won the last three Olympics- and the People's Republic of China-the new Olympic member. Moscow could have boycotted the Games in South Korea. Secondly, Korea was not a multiparty-state on the Asian region. In 1980, a demonstration organized by the pro-democratic groups turned into the bloody riot known as the "Kwangju Massacre". In 1974 South Korea's First Lady had been assassinated. Some time later, ruler Park Chung Hee was killed by the head of South Korea CIA in Seoul. At the 24th Summer Games, SK won 12 gold medals and was one of the four best sports teams on the planet.
The Opening ceremony was spectacular. The next day, the photos were seen all over the world and from that moment the name Korea was known everywhere. Meanwhile, representatives from 159 countries attended the Olympics, including the USSR and China. Seoul'88 was a political-blow to the Communist Movement. The Kremlin sent 514 champs to the 1988 Games. That travel had the blessing of the Soviet regime, which had boycotted the Summer Olympics in the States in 1984. Then, more than 290 champs -e.g Petra Felke, Heike Drechsler, Kristin Otto- were sent by the East German warlords- a landslide victory for the Korean chairmans. But there were other friends too: The Vietnamese rule allowed champs from Vietnam to attend the Summer Games. Certainly, sports was an important diplomatic tool for Korea. VII- Democracy & SportsIn the country's first multiparty presidential election, in December 1992, Kim Young Sam -a passionate human-rights advocate-, was elected, and the Asian nation returned to civilian rule. It was a watershed moment. Now South Korea is one of the most outstanding democracies -human development and democracy- in Asia and a role model for several post-dictatorship states. From then on, Korea has one of the world's most ambitious educational projects-many young people study more than 11 hours. Under the new democratic rulers, SK has reinforced its sporting system. Certainly they wanted to be the centre of excellence in Asia. The Olympic Korean team surprised the world when it emerged as a "new world power" in the 21st century. On the other hand, the country staged successful 2002 World Cup and 2003 World University Games. In the two-year period between the 2006 Winter Games and 2008 Summer Olympics, Korea won 42 awards (19 golds, 13 silvers, 10 bronzes) and finished five in the unofficial team standings, behind China, Russia, Germany and the U.S. Korea's delegation was backed up by President Roh Moo-Hyn. In addition to the Olympic and world titles, South Korea has won several Asian gold medals. They competed with 45 countries in the Olympic-type Asian Games. Before the 1992 Winter Olympic Games, Korea had not won any medal. Without the sporting tradition of Czechoslovakia and Sweden, Korea has more Winter Olympic medals than Spain and Japan. For this reason, the government lent its support to a bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics. In Guatemala City, Pyongchang was only beaten for the Winter Games by Sochi (Russia). VIII- From Archery to WrestlingSince the 2000s Korea is powerhouse in aquatics, archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, fencing, field hockey, gymnastics, handball, judo, shooting, short-track, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling,and other sports. Archers With Olympic HonoursKorea has produced world-beating archers in recent years. From 1984 to 2008 they have won 16 gold medals. The country's archers, inspired by Seo Hyang-Soon, won 3 of the 4 events at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. Athletics-Fusion of Past, Present and FutureIn the first half of the 20th century, two Koreans, Suh Yun Bok & Ham Kee Yong, won the Boston Marathon. In 2001 Bong-Ju Lee became the first non-African to win the Boston Marathon since 1991. The country's marathon runner Hwang Young-Cho - one of Korea's most well-known champs- claimed a gold medal at the 25th Summer Olympics in Spain. Hwang is the second sportsman from an Asian nation to win an event in this competition. Korean-born Kijung Son won the Olympic title in 1936. At the Berlin 1936 Games, he had been forced to run in the colors of the occupying Japanese forces. Badminton-Stage of StarsSince 1985 SK became one of the world's best teams. Lee Yong-Dae and Lee Hyo-Jung defeated Lilyana Natsir and Nova Widianto (Indonesia) in the mixed doubles final at the China Summer Olympics in 2008. Korea placed first at the 1996 Olympic Badminton Tournament in the States-it collected two gold and silver medals. Baseball- SK vs CubaBaseball has come a long away in South Korea. Its greatest year was 2008, when Korea won the gold at the Beijing Olympic Games, beating Cuba, former world champion (1984-2005). Eight years ago, they had earned a bronze medal in Sydney 2000. When the Games were opened in China, the States-2007 world champion- and Cuba were contending odds-on favorites.The year 1982 was very happy for Korea too. That year they became the first Asian team to win a World Cup. The national team came close to winning the Global Championships in 2005. Women's Basketball-Asian SuperstarSurprisingly SK was runner-up at the FIBA Women's World Cup in Czechoslovakia in the late 1960s.In 1979, Korea, host country, placed second at the Global Championships. They caused an upset in the second round of the World Cup by beating the favorite America (94-82). Four years later, Korea was one of the semi-finalist in the Universal Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil-behind the USSR, America and the People's Republic. But they did not stop there. The following year it earned silver at the Summer Olympic Games in California, USA. The team became the first women's basket team in Asia to win an Olympic award. Fencing-New Olympic AwardsIn 2000 Young Ho Kim lived up to reputation as one of the most popular Asian fencers by winning a gold medal at the Summer Games. He is the first fencer from an Asian country to win an Olympic title. Field Hockey- A Major Asian TalentIn the past few decades, the Korean teams have won three Olympic silver medals. During this period of time, SK became the first Asian female team to qualify for the Olympic finals. The national men's team won silver at the 2000 Sydney Games and were fourth at the 2002 World Championships. In Australia they, spearheaded by Song Seung-Tae, defeated India (2-0), Poland (3-2), and Pakistan (1-0) before losing to the Netherlands (4-5). Amazing silver medal! Women's Handball- Two Olympic GoldsThis country is the only successful Asian team in the world. In 1984 they became the second Korean players in history to win a team Olympic medal at the Summer Games.
In 1988 Korea made history when it won the Olympic gold medal without ever having won a World Cup title. The national team, host country, became the first non-European handball team to win a global title in history. After the winning the Asian Tournament in 1990, Korea qualified for the 1992 Olympics and won its second Olympic medal in a row.
At its fourth Olympic appearance, they claimed silver medal at the 26th Olympiad-only Denmark could beat SK. During the 14th Asian Games in 2002, Korea won both the men's and women's handball tournaments. This sport was completely unknown in the 1960s. Judo- A Gold Mine for MedalsFrom 1981 to 2007, Korea has won a total of 21 gold medals in the World Championships. At the 1996 Atlanta Games, the national team won seven judo medals (2 golds, 3 silvers, 2 bronzes), behind only Japan (8 awards). In 1981 Park Chung Hak became the first judoka in SK to win a world trophy. Short-Track Speed Skating-New Olympic record!SK is the only country to have 17 Olympic gold medals. At the 2006 Turin Winter Games, the national team dominated the medal table, with a total of 10 awards (6 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medals). Shooting-SurprisesIn Barceolona'92 it earned two Olympic golds, Lee Eun Chol (men's free rifle) & Yeo Kab Soon (women's air rifle). Soccer- Cha Bum-Kun, the LegendAccording to Park Pil-Soon, Director of the Korean Olympic Committee, soccer is the most popular sport in the country. "The most popular sport in Korea these days is football. While baseball used to take the top spot in terms of popularity and the number of spectators in the past, football gained many fans after the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which we hosted with Japan. Korea advanced to the semifinals, which made us very excited about this sport".
In the early 80s, Korea placed fourth at the FIFA Junior World Cup and became the second Asian football team to qualify for the semi-finals in a global tournament.
They have qualified for the FIFA World Cup since 1986. At the 2002 Japan-South Korea, Cha Bum-Kun became one of the best football players on the planet. Korea has won five regional tournaments (two Asian Cups and three continental gold medals). At the 1948 Olympics in the UK, South Korea placed 8th. Swimming- The Road to BejingPark Tae-Hwan became the first swimmer in SK to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games when he won the men's 400m freestyle at the 29th Summer Olympics in Beijing (China).Park's first major international success came at the 2007 FINA World Championships, where he won a gold medal. The Korean star is the country's pre-eminent sporting icon. Table Tennis- A Traditional SportThis sport is one of the oldest sports in the nation.In the early 1970s, Korea made history when it won a gold medal in the Global Tournament. Between 1987 and 1993 it also earned four world trophies. Taekwondo-Unbeatable RecordsSome famous taekwondo athletes have born in South Korea: Hwang Kyung-Seon, Kim Kyong-Hun, Lee Sun-Hee, and Moon Dae-Saung.
For many decades these athletes were unbeatable in the world. Korea has won more than 140 world titles (1975-2007). They have also dominated the Olympic Taekwondo Tournament. Since 2000 it has won nine golds. Volleyball- A Strong National TeamThis sport is one of the most popular in the country. In 1987 the national team claimed the FIVB Men's Junior World Championship in the Persian Gulf, and was the third Korean team to win a global title since 1977.
When they arrived in Manama, Bahrain's capital, the Korean team was not favorite.Some time later Korea defeated Brazil, which won the silver medal in 1984, 3-2 (19-17, 15-8, 6-15, 11-15, 15-12), at the Olympic Men's Volleyball Tournament. In the late 70s, Korea was semi-finalist at the World Championships in Italy. In the qualifying rounds, they defeated Poland, Olympic champion, 3-1 (15-7, 11-15, 16-14, 15-10).
The Korean women's national team have also won many international trophies. Between 1973 and 1977 they earned three world bronze medals. Weightlifting- A Dark HorseIn 2006, Jang Mi-Ran, 2004 Olympic silver medalist, broke the world record in the + 75 kg category in the Middle East.In the early 90s, Chun Byong Kwan, an unknown weightlifter, came to the Barcelona Games and won the Olympic trophy. Wrestling-Heroes of the GamesKorea's wrestlers have a long tradition of winning awards. In the mid-60s, Sun Jang Chang earned a gold medal at the World Cup in the States. He became one of the first Koreans to win a global title. In the last decade of the 20th century, the national team won nine universal awards. IX - Man Bok Park- A Superb CoachDespite attractive offers from many nations, he remained in Peru. In the mid-1970s, Man Bok Park came to Lima and became one of the world's best coaches. Led by Park, Peru was runner-up at the 1982 FIVB World Championships and silver medal at the 24th Summer Olympics. Korea's Man Bok Park became the first coach to lead a Latin American female team to the Olympic finals in 1988. In 1980 Cuba, Olympic's favorite, failed to qualify for the semi-finals at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Under the advice of Man Bok Park, the Peruvian women's volleyball squad defeated Brazil several times and won more than six South American Championships. After the Golden Age for Peru, country's volleyball team were never as successful again at the World Championships. X -Young Wang Sonh's LegacyBut Man Bok Park was not alone! At the same time, the Argentine men's volleyball squad was trained by Young Wang Sonh.This South Korean is a pioneer of Argentina's volleyball.Young Wang Sonh led the South American team to win the bronze medal at the 1982 Global Championships. He has become the most successful coach in the history of Argentine volleyball.
Today Argentina is producing an ever-increasing number of world-class coaches-Julio Velasco (Italy), Jon Uriarte (Argentina & Australia), Carlos Cardona (Puerto Rico), Marcelo R. Mendez (Spain), and Raúl Lozano (Poland). XI -A Statistical ComparisonSK: 2006 Winter OlympicsNation..........Gold......Silver.....Bronze...RankingSK....................6...........3..........2..............7thItaly..................5............0.........6.............9thFrance.............3............2..........4............10thChina..............2............4.........5.............14thJapan..............1.............0.........0.............18th Asian Games MedalsHosts............Gold......Silver.......Bronze....Total...RankDoha 2008......58.........52............82.........192........2Busan 2002....96.........80.............84.........260........2Bangkok'98.....65.........46............53..........164.........2Japan'94........63.........56............64...........183........3China'90........54.........54.............73............181........2Korea'86........93.........55.............76............224........2India'82...........28.......28.............37.............93.........3Bangkok '78.....18.......13.............23.............54.........2Iran'74.............15.......14...........17..............46.........5Bangkok'70.......18.......13...........23..............54.........2Bangkok'66.......12.......18............21..............51........,2Jakarta'62.........4.........4.............7..............15..........5Japan'58...........8.........7...........12..............27.........3Manila'54...........8.........6............5..............19.........3 XII -ReferencesAlmanaque Deportivo Mundial 1976, Editorial America, 1977 Almanaque Deportivo Mundial 1977, Editorial America, 1978 El Grafico. "Este Podio Vale una Lagrima y un Grito", 19 de octubre de 1982 Guevara Onofre, Alejandro. "Historia del Deporte en America Latina"-------------------------"El Deporte en el Sur" Leipziger, Danny & Thomas Vinad. "Las Bases del Exito del Asia Oriental", Revista Finanzas y Desarrollo, marzo 1994 White, Peter. T. "South Korea: What Next?", National Geographic, September 1975 Yun-han Chu, Larry Diamond, Doh Chull Shin. "Halting Progress in Korea and Taiwan", Journal of Democracy, January 2001 1988 Seoul Official Report Volume 2, IOC, 1989 2000 Sydney Official Report Volume 2, IOC, 2001 2006 Torino Olympic Winter Games Official Results,IOC, 2007
Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer. Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso". He is an expert on foreign affairs. Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latin America.
He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), José Gamarra (former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee ,1970- 1982), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). Alejandro said: "The person who I admire the most is José Gamarra . He devoted his professional and personal life to sport. José played an important role in the promotion of Olympism in Bolivia -it is one of the Third World`s poorest countries- and Latin America. His biography is interesting". The sportspeople he most admire is Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. "This African-American sportswoman is my idol... "
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Confusion With Some Soccer Rules - Laws

There are several rules (aka laws) that seem to confuse the American spectator, especially the spectator of youth soccer. Among the most commonly misunderstood rules are:

  • Handball
  • Off-Side
  • Goalkeeper Possession

Now, one must also bear in mind that the referees who are officiating youth soccer games may, themselves, just be learning the game, and they may also not fully understand these particular rules. Therefore, you may find that some of the calls are not consistent with the interpretations given here, but the FIFA laws are written as represented in this article.

Handball

A handball violation is to be called only when the hand plays the ball. If the ball is kicked into the hand and the ball bounces away without the hand (or arm) redirecting or otherwise controlling the ball, then there is no handball violation. A particular case in point is on the occasion of a free kick and the defenders align themselves into a defensive wall. They may position their hands and arms to protect themselves and, if the ball is kicked into them and hits the arm or hand without the player moving from the protective position, then no handball violation is to be called. There is also no handball violation called when a player is very close to an opponent who kicks the ball directly into his/her hand or arm. Clearly, there is no violation if the ball hits the hand or arm when the player is not even facing the ball when the incident occurs and, therefore could not have known that the ball was going to strike the hand.

Off-Side

The first point to be made is that the judgement of whether or not a player has committed an off-side violation is made at the moment that the ball touches or is played by a member of his/her team. Further, the player in the off-side position must, in the opinion of the referee, be:

  • interfering with play
  • interfering with an opponent
  • gaining an advantage by being in that position

There is no off-side violation when a player in an off-side position receives the ball directly from:

  • a throw-in
  • a goal kick
  • a corner kick

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