Angel Valodia Matos and Leudis Gonzalez, his coach, have been banned from the Olympic Games for life after the Cuba taekwondo fighter kicked the referee square in the face in protest at being disqualified during his bronze-medal match.

The incident capped a series of controversial judging decisions, including the initial failure to award Sarah Stevenson the victory the Briton was due after her +67kg quarter-final against Chen Zhong, of China. As a result, taekwondo is fighting for survival as an Olympic sport.

Yang Jin Suk, secretary general of the World Taekwondo Federation, announced that an official inquiry would be held into the judging of the Stevenson versus Chen bout. There were, he said, “three human factors in judging that we cannot cure: intentional mistakes of referees and judges, accidental mistakes and mistakes from ignorance”. Measures, he said, would be taken against anyone found at fault. Questions about the standard of judging are being asked within the sport itself. Herb Lopez, the United States team leader, said that the number of poor judging decisions had been “alarming”, adding: “If this is what taekwondo is about, then maybe it shouldn't be in the Olympics.”

In Athens four years ago, angry protests over refereeing decisions left a lasting impression of a sport in crisis. Taekwondo has survived one vote by the IOC to trim the number of sports, but it faces another vote next year with cricket, rugby, golf and karate lobbying for inclusion.

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