Taekwondo 101: Olympic equipment
Taekwondo returns for the 2024 Paris Games. Read on the learn about the types of equipment that will be used during the Olympic tournaments.
What are the uniforms worn by Olympic taekwondo athletes?
Contestants wear a V-neck uniform called a "dobok" (pronounced "doe-bok"), which is based on traditional peasant garb.
The dobok is traditionally white, although World Taekwondo experimented with letting athletes wear colored pants at the 2016 Olympics.
What protective gear is used in Olympic taekwondo?
All competitors are required to wear a trunk protector and headgear. The color of that equipment will be either blue or red, corresponding to that participant's designated color for the match.
The trunk protector and headgear are equipped with electronic sensors as part of the Protective Scoring System (PSS). The sensors in the protective equipment work in conjunction with sensors in the socks of the participants to measure the impact of any strikes delivered and automatically record valid points for those strikes.
For protection, athletes must also wear a mouthpiece, groin area protector, gloves, shin and forearm guards. The forearm and shin guards are to prevent nerve damage to those areas.
