Taekwondo, Virtual Reality, and Disability!

As an athlete with a disability, I can say that taekwondo sparring is not something I'm able to do often, and I need to take extreme precautions when I do. I enjoy the action and the exhilirartion immensely, so it's certainly not the most ideal circumstance to be unable to participate.

However, there is a bright side! If you didn't already see my last post, taekwondo has a future with the latest technology of virtual reality. New tech is coming out where people can compete in competitions using VR technology, and the potential for disability is endless. Here is why.

If you haven't seen it already, there was a competition in 2024 in which a variety of taekwondo athletes in various weight categories, ages, and heights (among other factors) wore some of the latest VR technology and sparred (or perhaps "sparred", depending on how you see it). There were some significant differences. Instead of being in one ring for example, they were placed in two seperate rings, close together and their VR scene was displayed on a screen. There was a referee between them monitoring the match with a remote controller. The camera often switched between the VR game screen and watching the competitors spar with their gear on.

Now, a focus on my title topic. Disability, taekwondo, and the future. For disabled athletes this could be revolutionizing. They could involve themselves in virtual reality events, where they are less likely to be injured, and it's easier to accommodate them for their disability. For example, if an athlete has a medical emergency while on the mat, it can be handled quickly, safely, and securely. No one needs to risk injury to handle a medical emergency, such as a heart attack, dislocated joint, or any other unanticipated but possible circumstance. This could be extremely helpful for disabled athletes, should the need arise during a competition, since their need for medical care may be greater than their peers.

Other examples include making the event possible for athletes with physical disabilities. Let's say an athlete is, for some reason, not able to use their arms. Instead of having to only spar athletes who have the same or similar disability, this athlete could now safely spar another able-bodied athlete. There could be so many ways to accommodate this. For example, giving the disabled athlete some sort of modified feature in their tech, to compensate for some physical impairment.

Another example of accommodation might be accessibility. It can sometimes be hard for an athlete (disabled or not) to get to an event because of a lack of transit options. No need to worry about transit issues if the event can be done remotely. With cameras in strategic locations, the proper technology for the event, and good coordination by the event organizers, this could solve so many issues with accessibility. No need for a plane ride when you can use VR tech, right?

No need for a plane ride when you can use VR tech, right?

Next is viewability. Whether it's intentional or not, it is hard for disabled athletes to get fans or viewers to their events, because few people are motivated to go, or even motivated to watch. The truth is that people simply aren’t interested in watching disabled matches. This is a pity, because I often find the matches very unique and interesting to watch. Unfortunately, with less viewers, there are less competitions. This in turn makes it harder for disabled athletes to become professional athletes.

It is possible that this particular problem could go away with virtual technology. I can imagine disabled sparring competitions being more appealing to viewers when they can have unique changes to the game. Sure, it’s not ideal for disabled athletes (it would be better if athletes were treated with less pity, after all, they are athletes), though it is an incredible opportunity for change!

There are so many opportunities for increasing accessibility to taekwondo competitions that were not possible before. I look forward to seeing these developments and their possibilities. The future is bright for disabled athletes!