Taekwondo rules are constantly being reworked to keep spectators entertained.

Since the predominantly kicking sport's official debut at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, a series of adapted rules were introduced for both athletes and referees to encourage more aggressive play.

With measures now in place to safeguard the athlete's health, many coaches are now advocating a more combative, who-dares-wins fighting technique.

For the 2008 Beijing Games, the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) announced a new 15-second rule in March aimed at encouraging passive fighters to be bolder instead of shying away from sparring.

It's all for the drama of the game, China's Zhao Lei told China Daily. Zhao will become the first taekwondo referee to have judged three Olympics this summer.

In 2005, taekwondo survived a vote by the International Olympic Committee to retain its spot on the program for the 2012 London Games. United States' sports baseball and softball were voted out, and BMX and the men's and women's swimming marathon were introduced to broaden the Games' appeal among younger people. But there is growing concern that taekwondo, a Korean sport with a 2,000-year history, may be next on the cut list.

The WTF, the sport's governing body, quickly realized that spreading the sport's global appeal was the key to safeguarding its Olympic future.

The rules were changed to encourage reverse kicks to the head (athletes always wear a head guard), which is arguably the most visually impressive move in combat.

The WFT is also testing touch-smart electronic jackets for athletes, so that athletes do not need to worry about their winning hits being ruled out by referees. Though WFT officials ruled out the use of these devices during the Beijing Games, similar devices will be tested at the Asian Championships later this month in China. They are also expected to officially debut at next year's World Championships in Copenhagen.

The good news for the sport is that it is not dominated by a handful of countries but has a more open field.

The US, Cuba, South Korea, China, Iran and France are all hot favorites to medal in Beijing, as are new stars from Chinese Taipei, Turkey and Greece.

During a recent visit to Beijing for a pre-Olympic event, WTF President Chungwon Choue said taekwondo will stay on the Olympic roster.

"I am sure that taekwondo will remain in the Olympic program, as it is very much a sport that is loved worldwide," he said.

A total of 63 countries and regions will compete for taekwondo honors this summer, an increase from both the 2004 Athens and 2000 Sydney Games. Wild cards will be reserved for countries that are new to the sport in an attempt to further broaden participation. The IOC has also agreed to honor those who win their repechage matches by adding eight more bronze medals in Beijing.