Taekwondo Star Avishag Semberg Recalls Brutal Revenge Attack in South Korea

Avishag Semberg, an accomplished Israeli taekwondo athlete and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist, recently shared a harrowing experience from a competition in South Korea several years ago. During the event, she was inexplicably matched against a male opponent. The match ended abruptly after just nine seconds when she was struck with a kick to the head that knocked her unconscious. Semberg described feeling that the organizers deliberately set her up for this attack, calling it a "revenge mission."

Following the incident, she was hospitalized with brain swelling and was unable to train for a month and a half. Despite this serious injury, Semberg demonstrated remarkable resilience by competing in the European Under-21 Championship shortly afterward, where she won a bronze medal after three tough victories.

Semberg recounted this story on the Israeli TV show "Dancing with the Stars," highlighting both the physical dangers of taekwondo and the unusual circumstances surrounding that particular match. Her account sheds light on the challenges athletes can face beyond the sport itself, including potential unfair treatment by event organizers.