Steven López
López in 2011
Personal information
Born (1978-11-09) November 9, 1978[1]
New York City, New York, U.S.[2]
Height6 ft 3 in (191 cm)[3]
Weight185 lb (84 kg)[3]
Medal record
Men's Taekwondo
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney – 68 kg
Gold medal – first place 2004 Athens – 80 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Beijing – 80 kg
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2001 JejuLightweight
Gold medal – first place2003 GarmischWelterweight
Gold medal – first place2005 MadridWelterweight
Gold medal – first place2007 BeijingWelterweight
Gold medal – first place2009 CopenhagenWelterweight
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place1996 BarcelonaLightweight
Grand Prix
Silver medal – second place2014 AstanaWelterweight
Bronze medal – third place2015 MoscowWelterweight
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1999 Winnipeg – 68 kg
Gold medal – first place 2003 Santo Domingo – 80 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Toronto – 80 kg
Pan American Championships
Silver medal – second place1994 Heredia– 54kg
Gold medal – first place1996 Havana– 63kg
Gold medal – first place1998 Lima– 63kg
López (right) with his 2000 Olympics gold medal

Steven López (born November 9, 1978) is an American taekwondo competitor, a 2000 and 2004 Olympic gold medalist (in the -68 and -80 kg divisions, respectively) and a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist (again in the -80 kg division) and 4th Dan in taekwondo. In 2001, he won the Lightweight Taekwondo World Championship, and in 2003 he won the Welterweight Taekwondo World Championship which he has since won in 2005, 2007 and 2009 making him the first Taekwondo fighter to win 5 World Championships. With 2 Olympic titles, 5 titles in taekwondo world championships and 1 title in taekwondo world cup he is the most titled champion after Hadi Saei who earns 9 world class titles (two Olympic titles in 2004 and 2008, two world championships titles, four world cup titles and one world Olympic qualification tournament).[4][5]

Biography

López was born on November 9, 1978, in New York City to Nicaraguans parents. His parents, Julio and Ondina, immigrated from Nicaragua to the United States in 1973.[2] His father took odd jobs to support his family but later relocated to Texas.[6] López first learned the sport of Taekwondo in his garage at the age of five from his father and Jean, his older brother.[4] He is a 1997 graduate of Kempner High School in Sugar Land, Texas, where he was voted "most likely to succeed" and was member of the National Honor Society.

López's siblings, Mark, Diana and Jean López (coach), are all USA National Team Members in Taekwondo.[1] His younger siblings, Mark and Diana, also represented the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, marking the first time since 1904 that three siblings have been on the same Olympic team. Both López and siblings, Mark (men's featherweight) and Diana (women's featherweight), made sports history in April 2005 when they all claimed a world championship title at the same event (2005 World Taekwondo Championships) with their oldest brother, Jean, participating in the feat as their coach.[7] Steven Lopez and Diana Lopez both qualified for the 2012 Olympic games in London in July 2012 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.

In January 2006, López tested positive for a banned substance (L-methamphetamine) which he said came from an over-the-counter vapor inhaler he used. López promptly accepted a three-month suspension and participated in an educational anti-doping program.[7]

López has appeared in People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People.[7] In 2012, he participated in Fox's dating game show The Choice.[8]

López is a Roman Catholic who attends St. Theresa Catholic Church in Sugar Land, Texas, and has said his faith has always been a very important part of his life.[9]

Allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual assault

On June 8, 2017, USA Today published a news items stating that López had been accused of sexual assault and drugging of various female athletes.[10][11] The accusations presented a repeated pattern of behavior of abuse allegedly perpetrated by López and his brother, Jean Lopez. López and his brother both received a preliminary suspension in place enacted by USA Taekwondo which effectively barred them from competing in international Taekwondo competitions.[12] A total of six women have come forward claiming to have been sexually assaulted by Lopez.[13]

In December 2022, the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) lifted the lifetime ban for sexual abuse against Steven Lopez, his brother and his coach.[14][15] The CAS found that the charge by the Taekwondo World Federation was based on its 2011 Code of Ethics. However, since the incidents the brothers are accused of allegedly took place before 2011, the code should not have been used, according to CAS.[16]

Career highlights

  • 2015 Grand Prix: BRONZE
  • 2015 Pan American Games: BRONZE
  • 2014 Grand Prix: SILVER
  • 2014 USA Open: GOLD
  • 2013 Argentina Open: GOLD
  • 2009 World Taekwondo Championships (Welter): GOLD
  • 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics: BRONZE
  • 2007 World Taekwondo Championships (Welter): GOLD
  • 2007 Sr. National Team Trials (Welter): 1st
  • 2005 U.S. Olympic Committee Male Athlete of the Month (April)
  • 2004 Athens Summer Olympics: GOLD
  • 2004 US Olympic Team Trials: GOLD
  • 2004 Sullivan Award Finalist
  • 2003 World Taekwondo Championships: GOLD
  • 2003 World Taekwondo Qualification Tournament: BRONZE
  • 2003 Pan American Games: GOLD
  • 2003 Sullivan Award Finalist
  • 2002 World Cup Taekwondo Championships: BRONZE
  • 2002 Pan American Games: GOLD
  • 2001 World Taekwondo Championships: GOLD
  • 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics: GOLD
  • 1999 Pan American Games: GOLD
  • 1999 Pan American Regional Olympic Qualifier: GOLD
  • 1998 World Cup Taekwondo Championships: BRONZE
  • 1998 Pan American Taekwondo Championships: GOLD
  • 1997 World Cup Taekwondo Championships: GOLD
  • 1996 Pan American Taekwondo Championships: GOLD
  • 1996 World Junior Taekwondo Championships: GOLD
  • 1995 Pan American Taekwondo Championships: SILVER
  • 1994 World Cup Taekwondo Championships: BRONZE
  • 1993 Jr. Olympic: BRONZE

See also

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 "Steven Lopez". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  2. 1 2 Steven López profile at Olympic Games official website
  3. 1 2 "Steven Lopez". teamusa.org. United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Steven López Prepares to Defend Gold Medal at 2004 Olympic Games in Athens". HispanicBusiness.com. Archived from the original on 2008-08-02. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  5. ↑ "TaekwondoData". TaekwondoData.
  6. ↑ Times, Washington (2004-07-02). "Lopez and family get their kicks". Washington Times. Retrieved 2011-12-21.
  7. 1 2 3 "NBC Olympics profile". nbcolympics.com. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  8. ↑ Hibberd, James (May 8, 2012). "Fox's 'The Choice' cast revealed! Joe Jonas, Dean Cain, The Situation, many more -- EXCLUSIVE". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  9. ↑ Ramos, James (August 8, 2016). "Taekwondo fighter and immigrants' son fueled by faith at Olympics". Crux. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  10. ↑ Axon, Nancy Armour, and Rachel. "Lopez brothers, Olympic taekwondo royalty, hit with sex abuse allegations". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2021-07-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ Starr, Alexandra (2020-02-16). "These Women Are Fighting to Expose Olympic Taekwondo Legends as Predators". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  12. ↑ Axon, Nancy Armour and Rachel. "Report: Sixth woman says she was sexually abused by Olympic taekwondo champ Steven Lopez". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2021-07-23.
  13. ↑ Axon, Nancy Armour and Rachel. "Report: Sixth woman says she was sexually abused by Olympic taekwondo champ Steven Lopez". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  14. ↑ https://www.tas-cas.org/en/media/media-releases/article/cas-issues-its-decision-in-the-appeal-filed-by-steven-lopez-and-jean-lopez-against-world-taekwondo/
  15. ↑ https://www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/CAS_Media_Release_8981.pdf
  16. ↑ "CAS overturns World Taekwondo sanctions against Steven Lopez and brother Jean". www.insidethegames.biz. 2022-12-07. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
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