© Reuters 2002

STOCKHOLM, March 14 (Reuters) - Sweden goalkeeper Magnus Hedman has taken up the Korean martial art of taekwondo to improve his goalkeeping and inner peace.

"I have become faster, stronger and grown mentally through the taekwondo training," Hedman, who plays for Coventry in the English first division, told Expressen newspaper on Thursday.

The goalkeeper said recently he had given up alcohol with the World Cup approaching and he has been taking taekwondo lessons since November.

Hedman said the training had helped him find a new inner peace. "I have learnt how to control myself, my outbursts on the pitch are fewer now. (But) I will still yell at lazy defenders who are asleep," he added. Hedman said he intended to earn a black belt.

"One of my demands is that I get to continue training taekwondo, otherwise I won't go to another club, and those are not empty words."

Hedman has been granted permission to train by Coventry's Swedish manager Roland Nilsson and Sweden coach Tommy Soderberg.

Sweden are drawn with Argentina, Nigeria and England in group F of the World Cup, starting on May 31. They face Switzerland in a friendly on March 27.