2004 OLYMPIC GAMES - Athens, Greece Aug. 13 - 29

[BOREALIS]

Taekwondo athlete released from hospital

Associated Press
Aug. 28, 2004
Posted: 19 minutes ago


ATHENS, Greece (AP) - An athlete from the Central African Republic was released from the hospital Saturday, one day after he was briefly being knocked unconscious in an Olympic taekwondo bout.

Bertrand Gbongou Liango was hospitalized for precautionary tests after he was kicked in the left side of the head by Tuncay Caliskan of Austria during their 150-pound (68 kg) preliminary bout Friday. His head snapped back and he fell face-down to the mat.

He lay motionless while being counted out and was carried off on a stretcher.

Liango was released from Kat hospital in Athens on Saturday afternoon, the Greek health ministry said. He sustained a concussion.

Liango, 22, was unconscious but breathing as he was carried off and after a couple minutes he started moving his hands and regained consciousness, according to a doctor at the site.

Liango was leading 4-1 in the third and final round of his bout when a roundhouse kick from Caliskan knocked him unconscious.

Caliskan's kick was legal. In taekwondo, competitors score points by kicking or punching their opponents. They are allowed to punch only the body, but can kick their opponent's head.

Blows to the head count for two points, and a blow to the body is worth one point. Competitors wear padded headgear and chest and abdomen protectors.

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