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Olympic tae kwon do differs from traditional tae kwon do.Olympic tae kwon do sparring first occured as a demonstration sport in the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics. At the Sydney 2000 Olympics, tae kwon do sparring became a full medal sport and has remained so in each subsequent Summer Games. This was the first time that a massive world audience experienced the Korean martial art. Until that time, most people would have heard of Kung Fu and Karate, but not Tae kwon do. So what is Olympic style tae kwon do sparring? Olympic sparring is a competitive sport practiced globally. Full contact is allowed and opponents score "points" by kicking and punching the body at certain targets above the belt. Competitors must wear protective gear such as a chest protector, mouth guard, helmet and arm / leg guards. The person who scores the most points in three rounds is declared the winner. 
Like boxing, there are weight divisions for male and female competitors.
The ring is 10m x 10m square. Olympic sparring adheres to very specific rules and has evolved differently from traditional tkd because of that evolution. Coming Soon : Specific information on: 2008 Beijing Olympics Tae kwon do Olympic highlights Specific rules Weight divisions "What does it take to be a champion? Desire, dedication, determination, concentration and the will to win."
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Only a small fraction of tae kwon do techniques are used in Olympic sparring which is why we refer to this style of fighting as tae kwon do sport. This is an important distinction from traditional tae kwon do training.
