IOC votes to keep taekwondo in Games

The International Olympic Committee voted to retain the Korean traditional martial art of taekwondo as an Olympic sport during a secret ballot in Singapore on Friday.

In their general session, IOC members voted to keep taekwondo as an official event at the 2012 Olympics.

Taekwondo, along with baseball, softball and the modern pentathlon, had been threatened with being replaced due to growing criticism over judging mistakes and low television viewing rates.

The sport`s international image was further tarnished after its former top official Kim Un-yong, who also served as vice IOC chairman, received a jail term for corruption charges last year.

In recent weeks, South Korea has launched a government-led worldwide campaign to keep taekwondo among the Olympics` 28 official sports. On Tuesday, President Roh Moo-hyun sent a letter to IOC head Jaques Rogge seeking his support.

South Korea`s taekwondo officials also promised to provide electronic scoring systems, revise match rules and introduce other reform measures.

Taekwondo became an official Olympic sport at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. A total of eight gold medals - four for men and four for women - are at stake in the sport`s contest.

Meanwhile, baseball and softball, two sports invented in America, were dropped from the Olympic program.

Each of the 28 existing sports was put to a secret vote by the International Olympic Committee, and baseball and softball failed to receive a majority required to stay on the program. The other 26 sports were retained.

“I think they`ve made a big, big mistake," said Tommy Lasorda, the former Dodgers manager who managed the 2000 U.S. team to the gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Games.