GLOBAL 52

EUROPE
43
ASIA

MEMBERSHIP
Afghanistan Malaysia
Albania Kosovo
Bahrain Mongolia
Andorra Latvia
Bangladesh Myanmar
Armenia Lithuania
Bhutan Nepal
Austria Luxembourg
Brunei Oman
Azerbaijan Faroe Islands
Cambodia Pakistan
Belarus North
Macedonia China Palestine
Belgium
Malta Chinese Taipei Philippines
Bosnia &
Herzegovina Republic of Hong Kong Qatar
Bulgaria Moldova India Saudi Arabia
Croatia Monaco Indonesia Singapore
Cyprus Montenegro Iran Sri Lanka
Czech Re- Netherlands Iraq Syria
public Norway Japan Tajikistan

211
World Taekwondo has Denmark
Estonia
Poland
Portugal
Jordan Thailand
Kazakhstan Timor-Leste
211 Member National Associations worldwide. Finland
France
Romania
Russia
Korea Turkmenistan
Kuwait United Arab
The “+1” stands for refugees. Georgia
Germany
San Marino
Serbia
Kyrgyzstan Emirates
Uzbekistan 19
Laos
Great Britain Slovakia Lebanon Vietnam
Greece Slovenia Macao Yemen
Hungary
Iceland
Spain
Sweden
OCEANIA
American New Caledonia
Ireland Switzerland Samoa New Zealand
Isle of Man Turkey Australia Palau
Israel Ukraine Cook Islands Papua New
Italy Vatican Fiji Guinea
French Poly- Samoa

52
nesia Solomon
Guam Islands
Kiribati Tonga

45
Marshall Tuvalu
Islands Vanuatu

AFRICA
Micronesia
Nauru
Algeria Liberia
PAN AMERICA Angola Libya
Antigua & Guatemala Benin Madagascar
Barbuda Guyana Botswana Malawi
Argentina Haiti Burkina Faso Mali
Aruba Honduras Burundi Mauritania
Bahamas Jamaica Cameroon Mauritius
Barbados Martinique Cape Verde Morocco

+1
Belize Central African Mozambique
Members
Mexico Republic
Bermuda Curacao Niger
Bolivia Chad Nigeria
Nicaragua Comoros
Brazil Panama Rwanda
British Virgin Cote d’Ivoire Sao Tome &
Islands Paraguay Congo Principe
Canada Peru Djibouti Senegal
Cayman Puerto Rico D.R. of the Seychelles
Islands St. Lucia Congo Sierra Leone
Chile St. Kitts & Egypt
Nevis Somalia
Colombia Equatorial
Suriname Guinea South Africa
Costa Rica
St. Vincent & Eswatini Sudan
Dominican the Grenadines
Republic Ethiopia South Sudan
Cuba Trinidad and Gabon Tanzania
Tobago
Dominica Gambia Togo
Uruguay
Ecuador Ghana Tunisia
U.S.A.
Refugees El Salvador Guinea Uganda
French Guiana Virgin Islands, Guinea-Bissau Zimbabwe
Grenada US Kenya Zambia
Guadeloupe Venezuela Lesotho
 President’s
Message
From ‘Reset,’ through ‘Rethink,’ to ‘Restart’
Dear Friends,
I hope that 2021 has been positive for you, the global family
‘Innovation in of Taekwondoin, especially in terms of your health and safety.
From World Taekwondo’s perspective, 2021 has seen a
marked improvement in terms of operations over 2020.
Motion’ First and foremost, we celebrated Taekwondo’s sixth con-
secutive Olympic Games in Tokyo. Without a doubt, Taekwon-
do has evolved into one of the fairest, most transparent, and
most innovative sports in the world. Taekwondo’s inclusion in
the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic programme is testament to our
global standing within the Olympic Movement.
In addition, 2021 witnessed the long-awaited debut of Taek-
wondo in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. As testament to our
succcess, Para Taekwondo will expand to 10 medal events in
Paris 2024 - four more than the six we had in Tokyo 2020.
Through Taekwondo, refugees were able to compete in
both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. As part of that ef-
fort, we worked closely with various organisations and gov-
ernments to bring Taekwondo-related individuals out of the
difficult situation in Afghanistan.
Despite the pandemic, World Taekwondo continues to con-
tribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Olympic
Agenda. This year saw the first-ever World Taekwondo Wom-
en’s Open Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, promote
gender equality. Also, our online open poomsae competitions
promoted health and fitness globally.
In terms of global visibility, Taekwondo’s brand was elevated
immensely through the fantastic performances of the World
Taekwondo Demonstration Team on the hit TV show, Ameri-
ca’s Got Talent. Taking Taekwondo to a new audience of mil-
lions, the team reached the season final.
And we continue to expand. We were proud to welcome
our 211th Member National Association: the Athletica Vatica-
na – Vatican Taekwondo. In the process, we became just the
second sport to be recognised by the Vatican.
I also had the honor to be re-elected by you, our Member
National Associations, as your president once more.
From “Reset” in 2020 and “Rethinking” in 2021, we now press
the “Restart” buton in 2022. We have major events lined up,
as we look to organise the World Taekwondo Championships,
World Taekwondo Junior and Cadet Championships, and
World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships this year.
World Taekwondo will continue to inspire innovation and
connect with global Taekwondoin with the launch of Virtual
Taekwondo, which combines physical fitness and gaming. The
promise of this technology could be profound.
Over the coming year, Taekwondo will undergo improve-
ments to become more dynamic, athletic, and exciting. We
will achieve all this as we strive to be one of the best governed
international federations.
There is much to look forward to. Taekwondo is where it is
today because of our 211 Member National Associations. Thank
you for your dedication and passion for our beloved sport.
Stay safe and I wish all Taekwondoin a happy 2022!
Chungwon Choue
President, World Taekwondo
TAEKWONDO
Official Publication of World Taekwondo
ISSUE NO. 109 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS
2 Global Membership
4 President’s Message

PART PART PART SOCIAL

01 COMPETITIONS 02 AROUND WT 03 RESPONSIBILITY
10 Taekwondo 3rd Biggest Sport in Tokyo 2020 Refugee Team 82 Gjessing, Garcia Lopez Rise to the Occasion 144 Vatican Joins WT as 211th Member 186 Crown Prince of Fujairah donates USD100,000 to Taekwondo
Humanitarian Foundation
12 Virtual Referee Training Held Ahead of Tokyo 2020 86 Asia Victorious on Final Day of Para Taekwondo 146 WT Council Proposes Changes to Elevate Governance to Highest Level
188 Refugee Athlete Wael Fawaz Al-Farraj Competes Abroad for First Time
13 Online Coaches’Workshop Held Ahead of Tokyo 2020 90 Gjessing’s Dream Becomes Reality at Long Last 147 Council Meets Prior to Virtual General Assembly
190 Young Refugees from Camps in Jordan Connect via Sports
14 Taekwondo in Tokyo 2020: Where to Aim your Eyes 90 WT, THF Head Congratulates Refugee Star 148 Chungwon Choue Re-Elected World Taekwondo President
192 WT, THF, Reaffirm Commitment During First World Refugee Forum
16 ‘Tech-kwondo’ on Show at Tokyo 2020 91 Choue Meets Afghan Paralympian 149 Elected Council Members
194 THF Official Conquers Kilimanjaro to Raise Money for Refugees
18 Taekwondo vs. COVID-19: Lessons from the Lost Years 92 Tokyo 2020: 5 Lessons Learned 150 New Officials Appointed at First-Ever Council Orientation
195 World's ‘7 Summits’ Eyed in High Altitude Fund-Raising Venture
20 Best Foot Forward 94 Paralympic Games Gallery 152 World Taekwondo Hosts Continental Union and Committee Meeting to
Facilitate Greater Cooperation 196 Tiny Taekwondoin is Youngest Refugee to Tie on a Black Belt
22 Competition Draw, Team Leaders Meeting Takes Place 104 After Tokyo Triumph, Para Taekwondo Expands at Paris 2024
154 2022 World Taekwondo Championships Awarded to Cancun 198 THF Board Meets, Appoints Cito New Member
24 Italy and Thailand Strike Gold On Day 1 106 New-Look Para Taekwondo Takes Stage at 2021 World Championships
156 Meet WT’s Latest Commission, Committee Chairs 200 ADF, Taekwondo Cares, Offer Discipline, Skills, Confidence to
26 Day 1 Afterview: Elite Players, Golden RESULTS 108 Paralympic Revenge for Israel and Mongolia
Vulnerable in 4 Asian Nations
158 Prominent VIPs Address WT Peace Festival
28 USA and Uzbekistan Top Podiums On Day 2 110 Clash of the Super Rivals
202 THF and Italian Taekwondo Charity to Work Together
162 Taekwondo Joins 2021 DMZ Peace Festival
30 Day 2 Afterview: Young Warriors, New Stars 112 Crazy Day:' Double Amputee Kicks His Way to Golden Glory
203 Contest Held for Amateur Taekwondo Videos Produced around the World
164 Ide Honored with Order of Merit of Africa
32 Bach In The Park 118 Youth, Arise! Teens Surge on Day 1 of European Championships
203 Sports Minister Recognizes ADF on Taekwondo Day
165 Srivikorn Honored by Korean Government
34 Croatia And ROC Take First Taekwondo Olympic Golds 120 Great Britain, Russia, Turkey Share Honors on Europeans’ Day 2
204 Taekwondo Accelerates Refugee Inclusion in France
166 Italian Federation Bags Taekwondo Day Award
36 Day 3 Afterview: Personal Loss, Olympic Gain 121 Golds for Great Britain, Russia and Belarus on Day 3 of Euros
167 Russian Taekwondo Awarded after String of Global Successes
38 ROC, Serbia Seize Tokyo's Last Golds 122 Senegal Hosts African Championships for First Time
168 Fouly Posthumously Awarded Medal by Korean Government 206 Event Clendar
40 Day 4 Afterview: Slavic Triumphs 124 Epic Odyssey across Africa
169 World Taekwondo Mourns Singapore's Milan Kwee
42 Sport for All: Medal Spectrum Maxes out at Tokyo 2020 126 Asian Taekwondo Championships Results
170 WT Gender Equity and Women Leadership Forum Charts Path For
44 Best of 2021 127 Pan American Taekwondo Championships Results
Female Participation
48 Olympic Games Gallery 128 Women’s Open Championships: ‘Historic Decision’ for Saudi Arabia
172 Zimbabwe’s Teenage Taekwondo Trainer Natsiraishe Maritsa Wins IOC
66 Taekwondo confirmed for LA 2028 Olympics 130 WT’s First All-Women War Gets Underway in Riyadh Women and Sport Award for Africa
68 Welcome to 2021 Para Taekwondo 132 WT's Women Warriors Battle it out on Day 2 175 WT-FISU University Sports and Peace Forum Held
70 Refugee Para Player is on Track for Tokyo 132 Wide Medal Spread at Inaugural Women’s Open 176 Taekwondo’s Got Talent!
72 ‘We Have Wings’ 2020 Paralympic Games Open 134 Cyber Sparring Takes Taekwondo into Tomorrow 180 Demo Team Win Golden Buzzer on France’s Got Talent
73 Joint Paralympic Workshop Held for Coaches and Officials 136 Goyang , Korea, to Host 2022's World Poomsae Championships 181 Demo Team Take Flight at Aerospace Show
74 Inaugural Paralympic Head of Team Meeting Takes Place 137 Goyang, WT Clasp Hands 182 WT Continental Union Presidents' Messages
76 Afghan Athlete Smashes Odds to Fight at Paralympics 138 Online Poomsae Challenge I : Virtual Poomsae Storms Cyperspace
78 Americas Triumph as Taekwondo Crowns First Paralympians 140 World Taekwondo Poomsae Open Challenge Series: A Spectacular Season Final
 PART 1
COMPETITIONS

8 9
 Taekwondo
Three Taekwondo athletes will compete for the Refugee Olym-
pic Team at Tokyo 2020, it was announced by the IOC on June 8.
3rd Biggest Sport in
Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin (W-57kg), Dina Pouryounes Langer-
oudi (W-49kg) and Abdullah Sediqi (M-68kg) have been select-
ed for the Refugee Olympic Team based on sport performance,
Tokyo 2020
confirmed refugee status and balanced representation across
sports regions and genders.
The full composition of the Refugee Olympic Team was ap-
proved by the IOC Executive Board.
Refugee Team
Their inclusion in the Refugee Team for Tokyo 2020 means
that Taekwondo is the third most represented sport on the
team, after Athletics and Judo.
10
“We are extremely proud that Kimia, Dina and Abdullah have
been selected to compete for the Refugee Olympic Team at To-
kyo 2020,” World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue said.
“We have no doubt that their performances at Tokyo 2020 will
inspire millions of people around the world and help to gen-
erate greater awareness of the refugee crisis our world faces.”
World Taekwondo has demonstrated a long-term commit-
ment to supporting refugees and displaced persons.
Refugee athletes compete at World Taekwondo events and
through the ongoing efforts of the affiliated Taekwondo Hu-
manitarian Foundation (THF), thousands of refugees and dis-
placed persons have received Taekwondo coaching.
11
 SEOUL, Korea (Jun. 9, 2021) SEOUL, Korea (Jul. 8, 2021)

Virtual Referee Training Online Coaches’ Workshop

Held Ahead of Tokyo 2020 Held Ahead of Tokyo 2020
World Taekwondo today hosted an online work-
shop for coaches whose countries have qualified
for Tokyo 2020 in order to brief them on the latest
information and protocols ahead.
Coaches from 61 countries attended the work-
shop which was opened by World Taekwondo
President Chungwon Choue.
Technical Commission Chair Inseon Kim then
provided a tutorial on nine skills of successful
coaches. Medical Chair Dae Hyoun Jeong delivered
an update on medical preparations and COVID-19
protocols for the Games. Referee Chair Songchul
Kim explained the effective use of Instant Video
Replays. Games Chair Mohamed Shaaban gave an
overview of the competition format and schedule.
The workshop concluded with a Tokyo 2020 Or-
ganising Committee representative providing an
information package on the upcoming Olympics.
President Choue said: “I would like to first ac-
knowledge your patience and dedication over the
past year. It has not been easy for everyone but es-
pecially for your athletes who have trained so hard
and waited an extra year to be in the Games.
“I wish to assure you that World Taekwondo
continues to bring fairness and transparency to
our sport. Therefore for the first time ever, the 4D
replay system will be used at the Tokyo Olympic
Games. Even though we suffered financially from
the ongoing pandemic, we decided to invest in
the system at our own cost to ensure the best ath-
letes win in the fairest possible way.
“If there is a winner, there will also be someone
who loses. Whether you are the winner or loser, we
need to accept the results with grace and respect
each other.”
A moment of silence was held for Jin Yung Kim,
coach of the Uzbekistan team, who sadly passed
away on June 15.

World Taekwondo today hosted its Online Ref-
eree Training Course for Tokyo 2020 as it aims
to ensure the highest level of officiating at the
Olympic Games.
The training course was opened by World
Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue. The
30 referees (15 male and 15 female) from 30
NOCs who have been selected for Tokyo 2020
attended the training.
Presentations were given by Technical
Commission Chair Inseon Kim on understand-
ing the role of ethics in sport and competition;
by Medical Chair Dae Hyoun Jeong on COV-
ID-19 protocols, recognizing a medical emer-
gency and medical preparation at Tokyo 2020;
by Referee Chair Songchul Kim on planning
for various scenarios; by Technical Delegate
Phillippe Bouedo on Olympic job descrip-
tions for officials and the Olympic competi-
tion environment; and finally by Games Chair
Mohamed Shaaban on watch-outs during
Olympic live conditions and the procedure for
random weigh-ins and schedules.
There was also a short introduction on the
4D replay system which will be used at an
Olympic Games for the first time in Tokyo.
“At World Taekwondo we pride ourselves
on the integrity, quality and consistency of
our referees and with the introduction of tech-
nological innovations to assist our referees in
past years, we have aimed to remove human
error from our competitions,” said Choue. “But
we still rely on referees to make clear and ob-
jective judgements which allow our athletes
to achieve the results they deserve.”
On June 10, the IOC will host a workshop
on Preventing Manipulation of Competition.
World Taekwondo will be attending the webi-
nar as part of its commitment to following the
best practices for integrity in sport.

12 13
 Taekwondo in
Tokyo 2020:
Where to Aim
your Eyes
CHIBA, Japan (Jul. 21, 2021)
131 of World’s Elite Confirmed for Tokyo 2020.
A total of 131 of the world’s best Taekwondo athletes have been
confirmed to compete at Tokyo 2020. Sixty one countries will
be represented plus the Refugee Olympic Team as a further
endorsement of Taekwondo’s universality. With such strength
across the field, it is expected to be a sensational Olympic Taek-
wondo competition.
But, it will be unpredictable. When the world’s top Taekwon-
do players meet on the Olympic field of play at the Makuhari
Messe Hall in Chiba, a suburb of Tokyo, Japan, on July 24, brace
for surprises.
Last year, the Taekwondo world stopped functioning due to
the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. That near-total clamp-
down on international competition means Tokyo 2020 could
be the most unpredictable Olympic competition ever: Athletes
and their coaches will be unfamiliar with their opponents’ latest
fighting form, fitness and techniques.
Even so, there are some elite fighters Taekwondo fans will
have a special eye on - and some fights they would love to see
take place. Who are these fighters, what are these fights - and
which are the top teams in the game at present?
Eye on History
Two fighters will be looking to write sporting history. Either –
or both – could emerge as the first Taekwondo athlete ever to
earn not two, but three Olympic golds.
In the W-49kg category, Team China’s Jingyu Wu, who struck
gold in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, faces a particularly steep
challenge. After failing to reach the semis in Rio, Wu announced
her retirement and gave birth to a daughter. But then, to the
astonishment of the Taekwondo world, she came back. Defying
age, motherhood and the challenge of fighting back to the top
from low in the rankings, Wu – also known as “Superkicker” – is
about as inspirational as an athlete as you will find in any sport.
But to mount the highest podium, she may have to face Thai-
land’s dominant Panipak Wongpattanakit.
The other player attempting the same feat, though in the
W-57kg category, is Jade Jones. The superstar of Team GB and
one of the best known faces in the women’s division, Jones
took the top medal in London - then repeated that feat in Rio.
Brimming with self-belief, superbly conditioned and coached
to the max, Jones is a very, very serious contender for a third
consecutive gold. But like Wu, she faces serious competition –
particularly in the shape of China’s impressive Lijin Zhou.
14
Olympic Jinx
There is no fighter in the sport more admired than Team Ko-
rea’s Dae-hoon Lee – as proven by the fact that he has lifted
the peer-voted “Player of the Year” award more times than any
other athlete, male or female. Brilliantly conditioned, tactically
sound and highly experienced, this relentless kicking machine
in the M-68kg class has won everything else under the sun. Lee
is a three-time world champ and has won a record 12 Grand
Prix, as well as two Grand Slams. What is missing from his med-
al cabinet is the top medal at the Olympics: He took silver in
London and bronze in Rio. And over the last two years, Lee has
been overshadowed within Team Korea by his junior - the near
unbeatable Jun Jang, in the M-58kgs. This year, can Lee retain
his name as Korea’s top gun and crown his ambitions with gold
– or will his Olympic jinx strike again?
African Fury
Rio 2016 marked the finest-ever Olympic performance for Afri-
can Taekwondo. Blazing that trail in spectacular fashion was the
charismatic Cheick Sallah Cisse of Cote D’Ivoire. Cisse bought
the stadium to its feet when he came from behind to grab gold
in the very last second of the finals of the M-80kg division with a
head kick. In Rio, his Cote D’Ivoire team mate in the women’s di-
vision, Ruth Gbagbi, won a credible bronze, but in recent years,
has been storming through the W-67kg category. Wedding an
indestructible physique to steamroller tactics and spectacular
technique, you may count on Gbagbi to entertain the crowd
- and very possibly delight her country and her continent with
golden glory.
Men’s Dream Match
When it comes to high-kicking, fast-fighting, all-action Taek-
wondo, the fight many fans would pay big money to see may
well transpire in Chiba in the M-80kgs. In addition to Cisse, that
category contains Maksim Khramtcov of the Russian Olympic
Committee (ROC) and Milad Beigi Harchegani of Azerbaijan.
Both are precision engineered for Taekwondo: lean, leggy and
tall. And both are crowd pleasers. The ROC player is one of the
most exciting and joyful men in the game, deploying crafty
and often unorthodox technique. The Azeri is equally spectac-
ular, but showcases a beautiful, almost picture-perfect, style of
textbook Taekwondo. If these two battle their way through to
the finals, they could provide the finest match of Tokyo 2020.
Women’s Grudge Match
Arguably the bitterest rivalry in the game at present is that be-
tween China’s Shuyin Zheng and Great Britain’s Bianca Walk-
den in the W+67kg Zheng is the defending Olympic champ;
Walkden is a three-time world champion. The Brit has won five
Grand Prix and two Grand Slams; the Chinese has taken eight
Grand Prix. The two have fought a see-saw, back-and-forth bat-
tle across the circuit in recent years. If these two do meet in the
final, the outcome could well come down to coaching.
Tale of the Teams
When it comes to national squads, Team Korea remains the
gold standard in the sport, but Team China has, since 2016,
been making leaps and bounds in Taekwondo and could fea-
sibly snatch the top position in the medal table in Chiba. The
ROC currently boasts a high-powered men’s team, while Great
Britain, Turkey and Chinese Taipei have a range of strong con-
tenders across the categories in the women’s division. Long-
time taekwondo powerhouse Iran boasts strong prospects in
the men’s -58kg and -68kg categories, while the little country
that tends to punch above its weight at the Olympics – Serbia
– is fielding Games medalists in both the W-49kg and W+67kg
categories. Other teams to watch include Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia,
Egypt and Mexico.
A Very Special Team
Finally, one team making its Olympic debut is Taekwondo’s
three-person Refugee Team. Wish them luck!
15
 CHIBA, Japan (Jul. 22, 2021)

‘Tech-kwondo’
on Show at Tokyo 2020
The sport gets new technology, a new look -
even a new competitive format - at the Olympic Games

The Taekwondo that will be contested at Tokyo 2020 will not be the same Taekwondo that was
contested at Rio 2016 as the game continues to develop, improve and innovate.
New players are joining the game, new technology is upgrading transparency, a new look is
upgrading sports presentation and a new, high-impact format is being introduced as a showcase.
Moreover, a new regulation is being implemented to ensure athletes’ wellbeing.
Diehard fans, however, should not fret: The changes are evolutionary, not revolutionary. All
these innovations will be on show when the action kicks off at the Makuhari Messe Hall A in
Chiba, a seaside suburb of Tokyo, on July 24.

New Players
Requiring no equipment beyond the human body, Taek-
wondo has long been one of the world’s most economi-
cal sports, offering developing nations realistic chances at
Olympic glory. And in an initiative to empower the pow-
erless – refugees and displaced persons – Taekwondo has
been deployed in refugee camps in Jordan, Rwanda and
Turkey.
In Chiba, a new Taekwondo team will make its Olympic
debut: The Refugee Olympic Team (EOR) comprises Kim-
ia Alizadeh Zenoorin (W-57kg), Dina Pouryounes (W-49kg)
and Abdullah Sediqi (M-68kg).
“Taekwondo is a sport that prioritizes inclusivity,” said
World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue. “I know
the world Taekwondo Family will embrace these athletes
and cheer them on as they fight in the competition of their
lives in Chiba.”
New Technology
Transparency is a core concept in both audience compre-
hension and sportive fairness. To optimize Taekwondo’s
transparency, replays run over giant LED screens set up over
and around the field of play.
Video replays have two aims. Action replays engage the
audience during the down time between rounds, while in-
match video replays allow review jury to carefully review
contested point calls, using close-ups and slow-motion.
And replays just got better - much better.
In Chiba, a “4D” camera rig, employing 100 cameras, will
make its Olympic debut.
For the audience, this will enable action replays featuring
the kind of visual effects pioneered in the science-fiction
thriller “The Matrix.” For review jury, the rig’s vast array of
cameras means there will be no blind spots hidden from
their eyes as they assess contested points.
New Look
Olympic taekwondo players hone their physiques to a
peak of athletic perfection, but these physical attributes are
largely invisible to the audience - hidden by the baggy tra-
ditional uniform, or dobok, over which is worn blocky head
guards and torso protectors.
To upgrade sport presentation, a new uniform is being
pioneered in Chiba.
In a bow to tradition, it retains the white coloration and
general design of the classic dobok. However, it is cut slim-
mer, to showcase the physiques of the wearers and to pres-
ent a more streamlined silhouette. It also includes national
flag designs on the pant leg for a splash of color.
But it is not just about aesthetics. It is constructed of
high-tech, light-weight, highly breathable materials that
will be less of a drag on the limbs of sweaty athletes as they
do battle under the heat of the spotlights in Chiba.
New Format
A new competitive format will play out as a showcase
alongside the regular matches in Chiba: A Mixed Gender
Team Competition. Five teams – from China, Cote d’Ivoire,
Iran, Japan and ROC – are entered in this non-medal event.
Matches will take place each evening before the official
bronze, silver and gold medal finals are contested.
Each team comprises two male and two female athletes,
weighing up to 135 kg for the women and up to 160kg for
the men. The teams fight two, four-minute rounds.
The first round is a traditional team match, in which fight-
ers compete against their counterpart on the opposing
team. The second round is a high-speed tag-team format,
with coaches flagging replacements.
It is important to note, however, that all combats only
feature male vs male or female vs female: There are no ac-
tual mixed-gender fights.
Taekwondo’s team format generally features harder, fast-
er action that the more tactical and technical individual
game. As such, it should win the sport a whole new swathe
of fans via global TV coverage.
“It was so complex to put this into the Olympic Games,”
said World Taekwondo Technical Delegate Philippe Boue-
do - noting that Taekwondo is the only sport that will in-
clude a showcase event at Tokyo 2020. But the effort will
be worth it.
“It’s important to show the Olympic Family this standout
competition – this exciting game,” Bouedo stressed.
New Procedure
Random weigh-ins are being introduced to the Taekwondo
Olympic competition for the first time. Each weigh in will
be conducted on the morning before the competition be-
gins, in the weight categories being contested on that day.
For each category of 16 or 17 players, six random weigh-
ins will be conducted. Athletes will be selected after choos-
ing from a series of numbered balls.
The random weigh-ins - which supplement regular
weigh-ins – are designed to ensure that athletes do not en-
gage in extreme weight-loss protocols, such as pre-weigh-
in fasts that could endanger their long-term health.
More broadly, the step also encourages athletes to fight
in their most natural weight classes, rather than seeking to
“make the cut” to compete in lighter categories.

16 17

16
 CHIBA, Japan (Jul. 23, 2021)

Taekwondo vs. COVID-19:

Lessons from the Lost Years
Taekwondo has adapted to COVID-19, learned the necessary lessons, and in Chiba on Saturday, its ath-
letes will charge out of the gates kicking with a force that has been pent up since the pandemic began.
That was the message delivered by coaches and officials who attended the Head of Teams Meeting
at the International Conference Hall attached to the Makuhari Messe Hall stadium – the venue for the
Taekwondo competition at Tokyo 2020.
Members of the community recalled the struggles they had endured in 2020, their dismay at the news
that the Olympics was delayed, and how they kept their athletes’ motivation up in those dark months.
Deep appreciation was conveyed toward the IOC, and towards the Japanese government and people,
for holding these Games amid such challenging circumstances.
And a few even saw some upside, in terms of lessons learned from the novel coronavirus pandemic
that turned the world upside down.
of extra budget, planning and, above all, risk management. ternationally or gather in groups. One solution was to take
A whole new range of systems would have to be created, up or increase the use of convenient, cross-border digital
Surviving the Pandemic, Preparing for the Olympics Lost Years implemented and integrated across the platforms of both technologies.
“In 2020, there was nothing – nothing!” recalled Musfata Many – probably all – Taekwondo Olympians were dis- the IOC and the Japanese organizers. Could it be done?: The habits formed will likely outlive the pandemic.
Cam of Turkey. “All the Taekwondo schools were closed - mayed to hear the news that Tokyo 2020 had been delayed It could. When the appropriate authorities green-light- “COVID-19 was a curse, but on the other hand, it was a
training was forbidden.” for a year. ed the Games for this year, the World Taekwondo family blessing,” said WT Secretary General Hoss Rafaty. “It taught
“2020 was a disaster at the sport level, we could not “A lot of people don’t realize the sacrifices in time and en- breathed a long sigh of relief. us to be more efficient, more sustainable, more environ-
travel, nothing went through,” added Karim Dighou, Team ergy made by the athletes,” said Jae Park of Canada. “They “I want to say ‘Thank you’ to the prime minister of Japan,” mentally friendly - so many positives have come out of it.”
Australia coach. “Keeping everyone motivated was a chal- put their lives on hold for three or four years, some for 10-12 said Cam. “He made a difficult decision - but we appreciate it.” Others took a more philosophical view of the COVID-19
lenge.” years, to get here.” At ground zero, the staff deployed at the venues – from challenge.
Central to that challenge were the lockdowns applied in “We lost, basically, two years,” said Moreno, referring to officials to volunteers to Self Defense Force personnel – are
many regions, cities and even countries. the competition schedule that was killed for 2020 and for already winning World Taekwondo’s heart. In a big way. The Fight of our Lives
“During lockdown, we did online training,” Dighou add- most of 2021. “This means that junior athletes missed al- “The volunteers have all left their lives, their jobs, their “Humans are always fighting,” said WT Council Member De-
ed. “But high performance athletes and lockdown do not most all of their junior careers.” families – for us!” said WT Technical Delegate Philippe jun Sun. “But this is a fight we should win together – the
go together!” As COVID-19 continued its 2020 rampage into 2021, fears Bouedo. fight against this virus!”
A core aspect of coaching and athlete preparation is arose that the event would be cancelled outright. “We “I think the Japanese have done a fabulous job so far - Some expressed a near disbelief that the humanity had
intelligence -gathering and drawing up fight plans. That thought Japan would be too afraid to hold the Games,” they are so polite, so helpful, I have never been around a summoned the courage to hurl down the gauntlet to COV-
means reviewing competitors: Their techniques, their tac- said Cam. culture like this,” said Moreno. “This is my eighth Olympics, ID-19 by going ahead with the Games.
tics, their strong points, their weak points. That possibility would have wiped out the blood, sweat but this is another level - 100 percent top level.” “Sport proves that we can beat this virus,” said Coach Faris
Given the lack of recent competitive activity, much of this and tears of years. “’Thank you, Japanese people!’” added Seyed Pouladgar Alassef of Jordan. “It is so good to be here – and so weird.”
pre-planning was impossible. “For four years, we had worked really hard for this Olym- “The Japanese people are very, very good at hospitality.” “It’s amazing to be here,” added Canada’s Park. “It is just
This raises an obvious question: Are the teams ready for pics,” said Seyed Mohammad Pouladgar team head of Iran. amazing that this is actually happening.”
this Olympics? To cancel the Olympics would have been a crushing, Upside in the Downside Though the “global carnival” spirit of the Olympics is in-
“I don’t know if we are 100 percent ready,” admitted Cam. soul-destroying blow to young athletes who - in their short Despite the horrors and inconveniences, there have been evitably absent at Tokyo 2020, a sense is already growing
“But all teams are the same.” careers - may only have three, two or even one single Olym- some positives to the pandemic. The break from an intense that this great international event will become a historic
Sport always has the capacity to surprise: underdogs pic shot. competitive schedule granted many players the chance to landmark in mankind’s struggle against COVID-19.
can defeat customary victors, favorites can be toppled by heal long-term injuries, while working on sustainable fit- For those who have gathered in Tokyo, it will be some-
unknowns. This year there could be more upsets than ever ‘Thank you, Japan’ ness and polishing fight technique. thing to tell children and grandchildren about in the years
before - and that is not necessarily a bad thing. But viewed from the perspective of the IOC and the gov- “I told everyone that it was time to grow and have fun,” and decades ahead.
“Nobody knows what will happen,” said Cam. “But that ernment of Japan, the tasks and risks were enormous. said Moreno. “This down time was unprecedented for the “This situation cannot go on forever and we would all
is the spirit of the Olympics!” “It is going to be challenging,” For any country, hosting an Olympics represents an awe- athletes as there are [usually] so many [competitive] events.” regret it if we did not hold these Olympics,” said Australia’s
added Juan Moreno, a Florida-based coach who is this year some national undertaking. To host an Olympics during an The pandemic also forced sporting officials to find ways Dighou. “We are here! And we are definitely going to have
coaching Mexico. “But everyone is in the same boat.” unprecedented global pandemic added a colossal new layer to overcome restrictions, such as the inability to travel in- a great Games.”

18 19

18 19
 BEST
Fourteen Taekwondo athletes from 13 different National Olympic Com-
mittees (NOCs) had the honour of carrying their country’s flags during the
iconic athletes’ parade.
The Opening Ceremony at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium was held without
spectators due to COVID-19 safety measures, but that did not detract from
the sense of emotion and occasion.
Meanwhile, the strong representation of Taekwondo players among the

FOOT
flag bearers testified to the broad popularity of the sport and how well es-
tablished it is in many countries around the world.
Among Taekwondo’s flag bearers were: China’s Olympic and two-time
World Champion Shuai Zhao, Cote d’Ivoire’s history-making Olympic
Champion Cheick Sallah Cisse, Gabon’s record-breaking Olympic Silver
Medallist Anthony Mylann Obame and Azerbaijan’s former Youth World
Champion Farida Azizova. And of course, it would not be at an Olympic
Games Opening Ceremony without Tonga’s super buff Pita Taufatofua also
marching with the flag.

FORWARD
To promote gender equality, one male and one female athlete from each
NOC were selected as flag bearers.

14 Taekwondoin Bear Banners

at Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony The full list of Taekwondo’s flag bearers:

Female Male
Farida Azizova (Azerbaijan) Farzad Mansouri (Afghanistan)
Nigora Tursunkulova (Uzbekistan) Anthony Mylann Obame (Gabon)
Hedaya Wahba (Egypt) Dejan Georgievski (North Macedonia)
Malia Paseka (Tonga) Cheick Sallah Cisse (Cote d’Ivoire)
Paola Avila Ramirez (Honduras) Shuai Zhao (China)
Julyana Al-Sadeq (Jordan) Pita Taufatofua (Tonga)
Abdoul Razak Issoufou Alfaga (Niger)
Seydou Fofana (Mali)

20 21
 Competition Draw,
Team Leaders Meeting
Takes Place
CHIBA, Japan (Jul. 22, 2021)

Pre-Games tensions are rising.

The eagerly anticipated competition draw
was today held ahead of the Olympic taekwon-
do competition on the 24-27 July as team lead-
ers discovered who their athletes will be facing
in Tokyo.
Ahead of the draw, leaders from the 61 partic-
ipating NOCs, plus the Refugee Team, attended
the Team Leaders Meeting. World Taekwondo
Committee chairs delivered information on mat-
ters such as competition schedule, competition
rules and medical rules and safety procedures.
Addressing the team leaders and coaches, World
Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue said:
“I know you and your athletes have been wait-
ing for five years to participate in these Games.
We expect many great things here in Tokyo. All
of you as team leaders will play a critical role in
the success of these Olympic competitions. You
will help to show to the world that Taekwondo
is one of the most fair and transparent sports.
Of course, it is not possible for everyone to be
a winner, but accepting defeat with grace and
respect is a key part of taekwondo.”
Choue welcomed team leaders from Ethiopia,
Ireland, North Macedonia and Burkina Faso who
will have athletes competing in Olympic Taek-
wondo for the first time in Tokyo.
Team leaders from the five countries who will
be competing in the mixed gender team – Chi-
na, Cote d’Ivoire, Iran, Japan and ROC – remained
after the meeting for a briefing on the showcase.

22 23
 Italy’s Vito Dell’Aquila and Thailand’s Panipak Wong-
pattanakit seized the first two golds in the four-day
Taekwondo Olympic competition at Tokyo 2020, in the
M-58kg and W-49kg categories, respectively.
Both categories’ final matches featured elite, estab-
lished fighters battling newcomers.
The silver in the M-58kg went to Tunisia while the silver
in the W-49kg was taken by Spain. Bronzes went to ROC
and Korea in the M-58kg, and to Serbia and Israel in the
W-49kg. Israel’s bronze was that country’s first-ever medal
in Olympic Taekwondo.
The Day 1 finals were visited by IOC President Thom-
as Bach, IOC Vice President Ser Miang Ng, IOC Member
Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, UNHCR High Commis-
sioner Filippo Grandi, ASOIF President Francesco Ricci Bit-
ti and WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari.
The finals followed a day of action in the Makuhari
Messe Hall in Chiba, a seaside surburb of Tokyo. Given
the lockdown on international competition in 2020, the
results in this Olympic Games were always going to be
unpredictable – and, indeed, the action on the day in-
cluded a pair of shock results.
ITALY AND
Olympic Upsets
THAILAND
Double Olympic gold medalist Jingyu Wu of China, who
had come to Tokyo in quest of a historic third Olympic
win, had been beaten in the semi finals by the unherald-
STRIKE ed, 17-year-old Adriana Cerezo Iglesias of Spain – who
later took silver.
Bach personally consoled Wu. The 34-year-old moth-
GOLD ON er, a legend in the sport, was fighting in her last Olympic
Games.
Another shock defeat had been suffered by Jun Jang
DAY 1 of Korea – the dominant fighter in his category before the
pandemic struck. He was defeated in the semis by the
equally unheralded Muhamed Khalil Jendoubi of Tunisia
CHIBA, JAPAN (JUL. 24, 2021) - who went on to win silver.
Despite the lack of spectators due to the pandemic,
the atmosphere in the stadium was electric. Rock music
Elite stars perform as expected as kept the atmosphere upbeat in the downtime between
rounds and bouts.
long-awaited Games kick off In a showcase event that took place before the med-
al fights, a Mixed Gender Team Competition took place.
In today’s event, China took on Cote d’Ivoire, with Team
China grabbing a hard-fought 65-42 victory. The hall was
animated just prior to the showcase courtesy of a troupe
of Japanese Taiko drummers pounding out martial beats.
24
M-58kg
Vito Dell’Aquila of Italy faced off against Muhamed Khal-
il Jendoubi of Tunisia for gold. On paper, the Italian had
clear superiority: A World Championship and a Grand Prix
gold medal hang in his medal cabinet, while the Tunisian
can boast just three Open and four Continental wins.
But it was Jendoubi who drew first blood with a whip-
lash kick to the head for three points - a move that clear-
ly stunned Dell’Aquila. Then another two points with a
body kick. The Italian managed to grab two points back
with an in-close torso kick and Round 1 ended 5-2 to Jen-
doubi.
Round 2 started with a flurry, and the Italian scored
twice in quick succession. The board rose 6-7 to Jendou-
bi. The Tunisian was looking very dangerous with high
kicks, forcing Dell’Aquila to lean back and keep his head
out of range. But Round 2 ended close: 9-8 to Jendoubi
– meaning that both fighters had everything to battle for
in the final round.
Round 3 started with some close-in work, with the Ital-
ian seemingly unable to reach his opponent’s head with
his round kick. Gamjeoms for Dell’Aquila were successfully
protested by his coach. The score rose to 10-9 to Jendoubi
- but Dell’Aquila equalized, 10-10 with a minute to go.
It would all came down to the final seconds, and
top-quality Taekwondoin have to keep cool and keep
scoring as the clock ticks down.
Dell’Aquila showed that quality amid a furious, down-
to-the-final-buzzer flurry: he found his range and con-
nected exactly when he needed to. Final score? 16-12
and gold for the Italian, and a very well-deserved silver
for the Tunisian.
Bronzes were won by Mikhail Artamonov of ROC and
Jun Jang of Korea.
W-49kg
The near-unknown 17-year-old Adriana Cerezo Iglesias of
Spain took on long-term favorite and widely experienced
Panipak Wongpattanakit of Thailand for the gold.
This looked like a walkover. Cerezo Iglesias has 21
Open victories to her name, but has never won a major.
The dominant Wongpattanakit, on the other hand, has
two World and six Grand Prix wins, as well as an Olympic
bronze, to her name.
The fight started with both athletes probing with long-
range side kicks – but it was the young Spaniard who
connected first. The Thai, who looked to have the advan-
tage in leg length, shot back with a combination of both
head and body kicks, but Cerezo Iglesias took Round 1,
4-2.
In the second, Cerezo Iglesias continued to ply her side
kick. Wongpattanakit put the pressure on and connected
to the head while the Spanish athlete visited the mats.
The second round ended 9-6 to the Thai. Tight stuff, and
the third round would be a see-saw drama.
Cerezo Iglesias started to aim high but it was her jack-
hammer side kick to the body that put her ahead, 10-9.
Yet as the seconds counted down, the Thai showed her
experience and connected to the body, winning the
match by a whisker - 11-10.
When the final buzzer went, a broad grin spread across
Wongpattanakit’s face as she secured the gold while the
youthful Spanish player broke down in tears - so close,
yet so far.
Bronzes were won by Rio Silver Medalist Tijana Bog-
danovic of Serbia, and by Abishag Semberg of Israel.
25
 DAY 1 AFTERVIEW
ELITE PLAYERS,
GOLDEN RESULTS
CHIBA, JAPAN (JUL. 25, 2021)
A
fter the smoke had cleared on Day 1
of the Taekwondo competition at the
Makuhari Messe Hall A in Chiba, athletes
got the chance to wind down and talk to media.
Thailand’s Panipak Wongpattanakit had been
the pundits’ favorite to win the W-49kg category
from the get-go – and, sure enough, she walked
away with a neckful of gold.
But there had been surprises.
“I was calm, I was confident that I could take the
win,” she said - but being so high-profile had its
disadvantages, as her virtually unknown oppo-
nent, Adriana Cerezo Iglesias, knew her, inside out.
“My opponent had studied me a lot, so I had to
change my game plan,” she said. “Lacking experi-
ence made my opponent more hungry - she came
out with fire! - but I was confident in my abilities.”
The Thai came back from behind in the final
round with cool, precise professionalism - taking
the match and the gold with the points she need-
ed, just when she needed them.
That turnaround result caused some angst to
her opponent, a 17-year-old Spaniard, who – hav-
ing never won a major before – came within inches
of Olympic gold.
26
“I am happy - but it is like 50-50,” admitted silver medalist
Cerezo Iglesias. “I have some feeling of being really good,
but on the other hand - I had it! I let her win! I gave her the
chance to win!” She paused and added, “But she is really
good.”
Similarly, in the M-58kg category, Italy’s Vito Dell’Aquila
took gold courtesy of a from-behind victory.
“It was not strange to win, as I am second in the rankings,”
he said to a large (and very, very happy) Italian press corps.
“I had a few problems in the second round, I really had to
focus on the moment, and that helped me to win.”
His Tunisian opponent – like Cerezo Iglesias, a virtual un-
known in the Taekwondo world before yesterday - seemed
dazed but delighted to suddenly find himself in the global
spotlight.
“I tried for three rounds, but in the last 30 seconds, it
changed,” said Muhamed Khalil Jendoubi. “I am so happy
for this medal - the next one will get better! I did my best, I
thank God, I am happy - I give it to Tunisia.”
What is next for this new tranche of Olympian champs? In
the immediate future, there will be relaxation.
“I don’t have to diet or have anxiety, so I will enjoy my
medal,” said Dell’Aquila. “But I will continue to work, as I
love Taekwondo.”
Bronze medalist Mikhail Artamanov of ROC was asked
what he plans to do with the prize money he will receive
when he returns home.
“I have no specific plans,” he said. “But of course, I will
share it with my family.”
Looking further into the future, the Italian champ - de-
spite having reached the pinnacle of sport - is hungry for
more.
“I want to participate in future Olympics – Paris 2024, LA
in 2028 and maybe in 2032 – as the Olympic atmosphere
is fantastic,” said Dell’Aquilla. “But I want to stay down to
earth. Life continues.”
For a man who took up Taekwondo in order to overcome
shyness, the Italian is almost certainly going to find himself
in the public gaze when he steps off the plane back in Rome.
He is ready for it.
“This sport is very demanding, but it is a very nice sport,
and I want to promote it among young people,” he said. “It
is my passion!”
One question about this unique Olympic Games was how
it had felt to compete in a stadium that – due to the global
pandemic – was empty of spectators.
“Some athletes need an audience, but I don’t - I am always
so focused I forget everything around me,” said Dell’Aquila.
“I want the audience to come back - of course, sports needs
an audience! - but this experience was good for me.”
27
 Hail the new heroes of Taekwondo - and the two gold
medalists are both very new heroes for the sport.
Anastasija Zolotic of USA and Ulugbek Rashitov of Uz-
bekistan both made history as they won golds on the sec-
ond day of competition at Tokyo 2020, in the W-57kg and
M-68kg categories, respectively.
Zolotic became the first American woman to win a gold
in Olympic taekwondo ; Rashitov is the first Uzbek to win
an Olympic medal of any colour in the sport.
The silver in the W-57kg went to ROC’s Tatiana Minina
while silver in the M-68kg was taken by Great Britain’s Brad-
ly Sinden. Bronzes went to Chinese Taipei’s Chia-Ling Lo
and Turkey’s Hatice Kubra Ilgun in the W-57kg, and to Tur-
key’s Hakan Recber and China’s Shuai Zhao in the M-68kg.
Shock Exits
The finals capped a second day of shock surprises at
the Makuhari Messe Hall A in Chiba. Earlier, London and
Rio Gold Medalist Jade Jones of Great Britain had been
knocked out of the competition in her first match; so, too,
The ROC player drew first blood, opening the scoring
with a long-range round kind for three points - but the
American swiftly hit back to the trunk. In a flurry, the scores
rose for both players and equalized at 7-7. Then Zolotic
landed another head kick - the slap of impact on the head
protector resounded round the stadium - and the first
round ended 12-10 to the American.
Round 2 got underway with both players firing high, arc-
ing kicks in some very clean, long-range Taekwondo. The
match varied between a war of nerves in the center of the
mats, with some yelling, then fast flurries of action. Round 2
ended 14-13 to Zolotic.
The final round saw the American fighter turn up the
pressure and the scoring; the ref had little to do as the fight-
ing took place at range, as both athletes gave their kicks full
play. As the round proceeded, Zolotic went into top gear
and the shorter ROC athlete looked increasingly frustrated.
There was some ferocious play in the final seconds, but the
winner was clear.
A technically excellent bout ended 25-17 to the American.
in continual action, the score equalized at 19-19 The drama
rose a notch as the Uzbek coach called an IVR. Rejected.
As action recommenced, Sinden landed twice to the
body, drawing ahead, 23-19. Rashitov fired back, with head
kicks and a flurry of strikes, taking the board to 26-25. But
as the final seconds counted down, it was Sinden who
drew ahead just when he needed to. It looked like gold for
GB - but with just 10 seconds on the clock, Rashitov land-
ed a spinning back kick and that was the decisive blow. The
match ended 34-29.
A superb win for Rashitov and shear agony for Sinden –
who, like his team mate Lutalo Muhammad at Rio 2016, lost
the game in the final moment.
Bronzes went to Hakan Recber of Turkey – who is coached
by Turkish Taekwondo legend and London 2012 Gold
Medalist Servet Tazegul - and Rio 2016 Gold Medalist Shuai
Zhao of China.

USA AND
had widely fancied Korean superfighter Dae-hoon Lee. Bronzes went to Chia-ling Lo of Chinese Taipei and Hatice
Just prior to the medal matches, a showcase was held: Kubra Ilgun of Turkey.
The second day of the Mixed-Gender Team Competition.

UZBEKI-
In this rollicking format, China took on ROC, winning a
close battle, 39-36.
IOC President Thomas Bach visited the Taekwondo com- M-68kg

STAN
petition for the second consecutive day; no doubt to cheer
for Refugee Taekwondo Athlete Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin In the last match of the day, Great Britain’s World Champi-
the first EOR athlete to compete in the medal rounds at on and two seed Bradly Sinden came out looking serious,

TOP
Tokyo 2020. while Uzbekistan’s 17th seed Ulugbek Rashitov – who had
Alizadeh Zenoorin had won coverage in major global been delighting the crowd all day with his high and spin-
media as she delivered a series of superb performances ning kicks, but whose biggest win prior to today was gold

PODIUMS during a tough series of matches earlier the day - including at the 2019 World Military Games – looked fresh
taking out defending champion Jones. However, she final- and relaxed.
ly lost in her bronze match. The Uzbek opened the scoring with a punch

ON DAY 2
CHIBA, JAPAN (JUL. 25, 2021)
After a day of upsets that saw two of
the game’s biggest names stopped in
the prelims, new stars lit up the medal
podium
Remarkably, out of the four fighters who strode onto the
field of play for the gold medal matches, only one was an
established player on the elite circuit; the other three are all
relatively new faces.
W-57kg
The final pitted seventh-seed Zolotic of Team USA – whose
biggest achievement in the senior division prior to today
was two Grand Prix bronzes - against fifth-seed Tatiana
Minina of ROC, a silver medalist at the 2017 World Cham-
pionships.
as Sinden tried to land to the head from the
clinch – but the Brit returned fire with trunk kicks,
going four up, while the Uzbek landed another
punch. Action heated up: Sinden’s kicks were hitting –
then suddenly, in the best play of the game so far, Rashitov
landed two head shots within seconds of each other and
Round 1 ended 13-8 to the Uzbek.
The second round saw continued intensity. Sinden ran
Rashitov off the area, but the Uzbek was highly accurate
with his kicks, moving his score north. Sinden lost a gam-
jeom for grabbing, and his technique was starting to look
ragged – then he landed a head kick from the clinch, put-
ting him back in the game. Round 2 ended 18-14 to Rashitov.
The match could go either way in the third – and indeed,

28 29
 DAY 2 AFTERVIEW
YOUNG WARRIORS,
NEW STARS
CHIBA, JAPAN (JUL. 26, 2021)
“I
came here to take what was mine,” declared Ana-
stasija Zolotic, after winning Team USA’s first ever
women’s gold in Taekwondo. “My warm-ups were
flawless - all the stars were aligned.”
That’s a very American show of confidence. And the win
was an awesome feat of both athleticism and confidence
for Zolotic - who has barely exited the juniors.
The newly minted medalist hopes that her gold will put
wheels under the sport in her home country, where it has
been largely absent from the medal podiums in recent
years.
“This gold medal will hopefully bring US Taekwondo to
a whole new level, and give Taekwondo the attention it
deserves,” in her home country, Zolotic said. “Hopefully,
we will have some more girls and guys than just me and
[fellow US player Paige McPherson].”
But when she gets back home, this wise-beyond-her-
years 18-year-old is not looking for adulation.
“I am just looking forward to seeing my family,” she said.
“I am not needy for attention.”
Her opponent in the gold-medal match seemed quietly
satisfied with silver.
30
“Things were changing rapidly, I could not take the lead
and win,” said Tatiana Minina of ROC. “But looking back an
hour later, I am happy to have the silver medal.”
The winner in the male category on the same day was
another youngster not long out of the junior divisioon -
19-year-old Ulugbek Rashitov of Uzbekistan, who had
hacked his way through to the final wielding a spectacular
armory of crowd-pleasing spin kicks.
“I am feeling the best emotion I ever felt,” he told report-
ers. “I believed in gold and I trained only for gold.”
Given that no Uzbek had ever won any Olympic medal
in Taekwondo before, there was an air of unreality around
his victory.
“To be honest, I still cannot believe it,” Rashitov said. “Be-
cause no Uzbek has ever had an Olympic medal in this
sport, it is like a dream, a miracle - words fail me, I am over-
whelmed.”
The superb win for Rashitov represented agony for his
opponent, Bradly Sinden of Team GB – who, like his team-
mate Lutalo Muhammad at Rio in 2016 – had been ahead
as the countdown ticked to the final buzzer, only to lose
in the final moment.
“I am gutted, losing right at the end, but it happens in
this sport,” Sinden said. “And I have won in the final sec-
onds - it is swings and roundabouts.”
Still, Sinden’s appearance in the final made up, at least
in part, for the shock defeat suffering by his teammate, the
widely heralded Jade Jones, who was pursuing a historic
third Olympic gold, but who was ejected in her first match.
“I am gutted now, but after a while I will get over it and
realize what I have done,” he said.
Sinden’s eyes are now aimed at a not-too-distant Paris
2024. “Everything is a learning curve and that is what I will
take forward,” he said.
Given the calls from some corners for this year’s Olym-
pics to be cancelled due to the risks posed by COVID-19,
Rashitov had some words about the harsh life athletes en-
dure beyond the spotlight of the Games.
“Few people see how much we train, and what we have
to go through just to get here to the Games,” he said. “It is
not easy, let me tell you.”
31
 BACH
IN THE
PARK
32 33

IOC President Thomas Bach joined World Taekwondo President Chungwon
Choue for two days in a row at the Makuhari Messe Hall A in Chiba to enjoy
what has so far been a thrilling Olympic Taekwondo competition.
On Day 1, President Bach was joined at the finals by IOC Vice President Ser Miang Ng, IOC Mem-
ber Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi, ASOIF President
Francesco Ricci Bitti and WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. Bach and Choue watched as Italy’s Vito
Dell’Aquila and Thailand’s Panipak Wongpattanakit seized the first two golds of the competition.
On Day 2, Bach returned for his second stint of Taekwondo on the day of upsets and surprise
defeats. Among all the excellent talent on show, Bach was no doubt keen to cheer for Refugee
Taekwondo Athlete Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin, the first EOR athlete to compete in the medal rounds
at Tokyo 2020. While Kimia fell just short of winning a historic medal, her performances, including
knocking two-time Olympic champion Jade Jones out of the round of 16, were an inspiration.
 Matea Jelic of Croatia and Maksim Khramtcov of ROC
captured the two golds on offer on Day 3 of the Taek-
wondo competition, in the W-67kg and M-80kg cate-
gories, respectively.
Both athletes wrote history as the first players from
their countries to win Olympic Taekwondo’s most pre-
cious metal.
The silver in the W-67kg went to Great Britain’s
Lauren Williams while silver in the M-80kg was won
by Jordan’s Saleh Elsharabaty. Bronzes went to Cote
d’Ivoire’s Ruth Gbagbi and Egypt’s Hedaya Wahba in
the W-67kg, and to Croatia’s Toni Kanaet and Egypt’s
Seif Eissa in the M-80kg.
Some stability returned to the competition at the
Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba after the shock surprises
of Day 2. Yesterday, both golds were won by teenag-
ers who were both new entrants to the senior division,
Today, all fighters in the finals were established names
on the circuit.
Even so, there had been some shock exits in the ear-
lier rounds.
Defending Olympic Gold Medalist in the M-80kg
category, Cheick Sallah Cisse of Cote d’Ivoire, went out
in his first fight. His team mate, Rio Bronze Medalist
CROATIA
Ruth Gbagbi - a favorite for gold in Tokyo - lost her
chance for a place in the final after losing a scorching
semi-final match against Team GB’s Williams, but went
AND ROC through to the bronzes.
TAKE FIRST W-67kg
TAEKWONDO
The final pitted Croatia’s Jelic against GB’s Williams.
This would be a clash of styles: the tactical craft of
OLYMPIC
Jelic against the all-out assault of Williams, one of the
fiercest fighters on the planet.
Round 1 started with the Croatian clearly working
GOLDS to a game plan: fighting forward against the always
offensive Williams, putting her on the back foot and
picking up the first point courtesy of a fall from the
Brit. But Williams returned fire to the head, and the
CHIBA, JAPAN (JUL. 26, 2021) score seesawed. Round 1 ended 5-4 to Williams.
As the second round got going, both landed head
kicks in swift succession, and an IVR from Croatia was
After the surprises of Day 2, Day 3 of rejected. Jelic landed an out-of-nowhere head kick to
Tokyo 2020’s Taekwondo competition take the lead 10-9, but Williams equalized almost im-
saw established players mount the mediately with a punch. Round 2 ended 10-10.
podiums The final rounded stared messily as both athletes, fight-
34
ing hard, charged into each other and clinched; the score
rose to 13-13. It was rough stuff: Jelic visited the mats on
the business end of a Williams side kick. An IVR request
from the British coach was rejected. Thirteen seconds
remained on the clock, but Williams was three points
ahead as play resumed.
Jelic timed her last-second offensive to perfection. The
Croat landed a head kick - then another - that dropped
Williams to the mats. An unbelieving Williams surged for-
ward in the last three seconds in a desperate counterat-
tack - but it was too late.
The match ended 25-22, with the gold for Jelic, and silver
– the second consecutive silver for GB in this competi-
tion – for Williams.
Bronzes were won by Cote d’Ivoire’s Gbagbi and Hedaya
Wahba of Egypt. Coincidentally, both fighters had previ-
ously won bronzes in Rio (albeit, the Egyptian had been
fighting in a different weight category).
M-80kg
Jordan’s Saleh Elsharabaty faced ROC’s Maksim Khramtcov
in the final of this popular category. This, too, would be a
clash of styles: the technically brilliant Jordanian against
the unorthodox and highly dexterous man from ROC.
As Round 1 got underway, both looked well matched in
physique and height. Battle commenced with both fight-
ers duelling with long-range head kicks in the center of the
mats – good, clean Taekwondo. The ROC fighter landed
the first kick to the trunk for two, then switched up to the
head to go five points up. The Jordanian enjoyed some
very vocal support from the considerable contingent of
Arab athletes and officials in the venue, but the first round
ended 5-0 to Khramtcov.
In the second round, the ROC player pressed his attack,
putting Elsharabaty on the back leg. As the round counted
down, the Jordanian, despite his high work rate, had not
put a point on the board, and looked frustrated. Khramtcov
kept the pressure on, keeping the Jordanian off balance;
only a fall from the ROC fighter granted Elsharabaty his first
point. Round 2 ended 7-1.
In Round 3, Khramtcov kept his legs flying – then the Jor-
danian finally found the range, landing a spinning heel kick
to the head and the score was closer – 6-8. Suddenly, there
was everything to play for, but the move only thrust Khramt-
cov into yet higher gear. He landed his close-range head kick
and then lifted the board higher and higher, his radar fully
locked on and his weaponry striking from every angle.
Even as he raised his score to 14, then 16, and onward,
the ROC fighter did not relax the pressure until the very
final seconds when a grin split Khramtcov’s face –
and the battle ended 20-9.
Both fighters laughed and embraced
at the conclusion of play - clearly there
was no ill will.
And indeed, Elsharabaty had
much to laugh about. He had given
Jordan only its second-ever Olym-
pic medal in any discipline, after
his trailblazing predecessor Ah-
mad Abughaush had broken the
ice with Taekwondo gold in Rio.
Bronzes in the category were
won by Croatia’s Toni Kanaet and
Egypt’s Seif Eissa.
35
 DAY 3 AFTERVIEW “It is many years in the making,” Elsharabaty said. “It does
not matter if there is COVID-19 or problems or difficulties,

PERSONAL LOSS,
we all train day and night.”
Matea Jelic, who had just delivered Croatia its first-ever
Taekwondo gold medal with her win in the W-67kg, was
ecstatic.

OLYMPIC GAIN
“It is unreal - just unreal!” she said. “I am so proud to
make history for my country.”
It had been a dramatic victory in a ferocious fight.
When it came to her war against Great Britain’s Lauren
Williams – arguably the most offensive fighter in the wom-
en’s division – Jelic had a simple game plan.
CHIBA, JAPAN (JUL. 27 2021)
“The plan was to fight,” she said. “Nothing else - just
fight, non-stop.”

M
The match was classic: a high-octane combat that saw
aksim Khramtcov of ROC, gold medalist in the
the scores go back and forth, and that could have gone
men’s M-80kg, was struck by tragedy pre-Olym-
either way.
pics when his mother passed away.
In the third and final round, both fighters had a brief
Questions hung over whether the creative, crowd-pleas-
moment to catch their breaths and recalibrate their games
ing and always-upbeat favorite in the M-80kg category
at the end of the third round, when an IVR was called.
would make it to Tokyo. But there were no questions in
Jelic was behind on the board. 13 seconds remained on
Khramtcov’s mind.
the clock. Action resumed – and the Croatian attacked in
“I did not think of giving up,” he told reporters after the
sensational fashion, scoring two head shots and a knock-
smoke of battle had cleared. “My mother wanted to see a
down in the last 13 seconds.
gold medal in my hands - maybe more than myself. I had
“I turned off my head: you don’t do what your head tells
to come.”
you; you have to trust your instincts,” she said. “I can’t ex-
He came, he saw, he conquered. Confidence played a
plain it, it was the perfect moment. It was just beautiful.”
major part in his gold-medal win – the first for his country
Williams had – like her teammate and fellow silver
in Taekwondo.
medalist Bradly Sinden on Day 2 – been ahead on the
“Every time when I started fighting, I knew I was strong
board, only to lose in the final seconds.
enough - I had no doubts,” he said. “I came to the Games
“I made a mistake, I paid for that mistake, and I will regret
and what was the purpose of coming? I came to win the
it for the rest of my life,” Williams said. “None of us want to
gold!”
lose, it is just what happens in the moment, you want to
His coach also came in for praise.
hold on to your lead and you hope and pray.”
“He is a great part of my victory,” Khramtcov said. “I don’t
Williams, like Elsharabaty, emphasized the tough life led
see my family, he does not see his family - we are family!”
by Olympians.
When he gets home, he expects his gold will grant
“I never thought that I would be alongside some of the
Taekwondo more publicity across Russia – and with his
best British athletes in the world,” she said. “I missed out
prize money he plans to buy his father a car.
on a lot in my teenage years, but I would not change any-
His opponent, silver medalist Saleh Elsharabaty, had de-
thing, I have worked all my life for this medal.”
livered Jordan its second ever Olympic medal in any sport,
Having won Olympic silver, her feelings were conflicted.
following in the footsteps of Ahmad Abughaush, who
“I am very happy, but this is not what I wanted,” she said.
won gold in Rio in 2016.
“This medal is going to be kept safe - I just wish it was the
How has the country built its impresssive Taekwondo
other color.”
medal machine?
“We have a good base in Taekwondo, and our coach
and our federation are always going forward,” Elsharabaty
said. “We are taking it up to the next level.”
While the global public sees Olympians on their peak
form once every four years, the Jordanian made clear the
endless hours of blood, sweat and tears athletes endure,
far, far from the glare of the TV cameras.

36 37
 ROC,
M+80kg W+67kg

Serbia
This final pitted ROC’s top-seeded 2019 World Champion
Larin against North Macedonia’s 14th seed Dejan Geor-
gievski - a relative unknown who has never won a major
tournament.
Then the finest blow of the evening - a textbook round kick The final pitted London 2012 gold medalist and third seed
to the head from Larin - caught Georgievski by surprise. Milica Mandic of Serbia against fifth-seeded 2019 World
Larin had now acquired his target, and landed to the Champion Da-bin Lee of South Korea. Lee had earlier
body. As the match counted down, Georgievski started fought a semi-final against Team GB’s Bianca Walkden. In

Seize
Larin was chasing ROC’s second gold, after his team
mate Maksim Khramtcov’s victory on Day 3.
As the game got underway, after a fast start, both play-
ers settled down and the first point went to Larin as his
spinning, going for the big point kicks, but Larin was too what was possibly the most dramatic match of the Tokyo
canny to lose at this late stage. The final buzzer went with 2020 competition, she won that bout by a single point in
the game at 15-9. the last three seconds.
The ROC player exulted with an arms-outstretched vic- For the first time at an Olympics, formerly dominant

Tokyo's
opponent was penalized for grabbing. The ROC fighter
doubled his points with a punch, and Round 1 ended 2-0.
As the second round got underway, Georgievski reached
out with an almost lazy looking kick to the torso for two
tory scream - before being wrestled to the mats by his de- Team Korea had not bagged a single gold - perhaps piling
lighted coach. pressure on Lee.
Bronzes were won by Kyo-don In of South Korea and Cu- As battle commenced, Mandic looked stronger, Lee live-
ba’s Rafael Yunier Alba Castillo. lier. The Serb opened the scoring with a head kick, then

Last
points - and suddenly it was game on. In a flurry, Larin scored added two more points with a body kick, ending Round 1
to the head and body going to seven, but the Macedonian on five points to Lee’s nil.
returned fire to the body, raising his tally to four. Larin started In Round 2, a fall by the Serb – protested by IVR, to no

Golds
to take advantage of his long leg length, but his opponent avail – gave Lee one point by gam-jeom. Lee raised her
was not overawed. Round 2 ended 9-7 to Larin. work rate, started attacking forward and landed to the
Round 3 would be the decider. At close quarters, both trunk - but fell. A Korean IVR failed. Score: 6-3. Lee attacked
fighters tried to drop the ax in the clinch. Neither landed. forward with a round-side kick combination but failed to
connect. The board ended Round 2 at 6-3 to Mandic.
As the final round kicked off, a punch by Lee lifted her
points to four, then she landed body kick. It was 6-6 with
CHIBA, JAPAN (JUL. 27 2021) 40 seconds left on the clock: the tension was almost tan-
gible.
Mandic now showed her professionalism. A punch
by the Serb put her one point up - then she sealed the
Vladislav Larin of ROC and Milica Mandic of Serbia deal with a body kick, and a tumble by Lee. Lee went into
captured the last two gold medals on offer in the Tokyo last-second fight mode - a mode which had succeeded
2020 Taekwondo competition, winning the M+80kg and spectacularly against Walkden earlier. But it failed against
W+67kg categories, respectively. Mandic, and the scoreboard ended 10-7.
The silver in the M+80kg went to Dejan Georgievski of Mandic was joined by her coach, Dragan Jovic, on the
North Macedonia – the country’s first-ever Olympic silver field of play, and the two ran around the mats, flag in hand.
medal – while silver in the W+67kg was won by South Ko- Nine years after London, Mandic had garnered gold once
rea’s Da-bin Lee. Bronzes went to South Korea’s Kyo-don In again.
and Cuba’s Rafael Yunier Alba Castillo in the M+80, and to Bronzes were won by a delighted-looking Althea Lau-
France’s Althea Laurin and Great Britain’s Bianca Walk- rin of France and Walkden of Great Britain. Those results
den in the W+67kg. brought the curtain down on Taekwondo at Tokyo 2020.
Mandic’s medal was especially remarkable: Her
win at Tokyo 2020 mirrored her feat nine years previ-
ously, when she had grabbed gold at London 2012.
Just before the medal matches, the day’s showcase,
a Mixed Gender Team competition, pitted Iran against Chi-
na. The winner - after a battle of the nations – was China,
with a score of 41 to Iran’s 22.

38 39
 DAY 4 AFTERVIEW Making that feat more remarkable, she won them over a
span of three, not two, Games.

SLAVIC
“I really feel amazing,” she said. “This is the same, but a dif-
ferent feeling: In London, I was 20!”
Between her duo of wins had been Rio 2016 - when she
had gone home empty handed.

TRIUMPHS
“Rio was very hard for me, I had wanted it so much, but I
did not get a result,” she said. “I was sad and disappointed.”
Tokyo proved to be “third time lucky.”
“I tried step-by-step to do better [through the preliminar-
ies] and my dream came true,” she said. Referring to her team
CHIBA, JAPAN (JUL. 28, 2021) mates and her master coach - Dragan Jovic of Belgrade’s
famous Galeb Taekwondo gym - she said, “I think we are a
dream team.”
Serbia probably agrees.

G
iven the ROC’s position at the top of the medal
table in the Tokyo 2020 Taekwondo Competition,
the sport may be poised for an explosion in the
country, reckons gold medalist Vladislav Larin.
“Taekwondo is becoming more and more popular in my
country, the team is very good - strong members! Strong ath-
letes!” said the newly minted gold medalist in the M+80kg
category. “My preparation for the Olympic Games was crys-
tal clear: All the athletes understood why we came here, for
what objective and what purpose.”
Moreover, the sport has got what it takes to take to both
catch the spectator’s eye and to engage the practitioner’s
body, Larin reckons.
“It is a beautiful sport, with beautiful movements -
everything that fans love, we have in this sport,” Larin said.
Moreover, “people who are interested in fighting can learn
a lot from Taekwondo - for self development and self reali-
zation.”
Needless to say, Larin was delighted to have reached the
summit of global sport.
“It is a really amazing feeling to get this gold medal, it took
all my life to get to this competition,” he said. “The Games is a
celebration of sport in general and I am really pleased.”
So will he return to the field of battle in Paris in 2024?
“If my physical condition allows me to do that, I will do it
with pleasure,” the 29-year-old said. “But this is a sport for
young people, the average age in my category is 26 or 27.”
Perhaps – but there is also a premium on experience.
Another 29-year old - Serbia’s Milica Mandic – shared Lar-
in’s victory on the day, bagging gold in the W+67kg category.
And it was not the first time an Olympic gold medal had
been hung around her neck: Mandic had previously won in
London in 2012, making her part of a tiny super-elite who
have won two golds.

40 41
 Sport for All:
Medal Spectrum
Maxes out at
Tokyo 2020
ROC comes out overall winner in Taekwondo -
but the real victor was the sport's universality
CHIBA, Japan (Jul. 28, 2021)
A gony and ecstasy, tension and release, strategy and spectacle - all
were on display at the Taekwondo competition at Tokyo 2020.
The event saw exciting and dramatic matches. It saw stars fall in shock
losses, and new stars rise in surprise wins.
But above all, it showcased Taekwondo’s universality in terms of the
sport’s medal spectrum.
21 separate NOCs won Thirty two medals were on offer, and players from 21
medals at 2020's National Olympic Committees – more than one third of the
Taekwondo countries competing in Taekwondo in Tokyo – went home
competition with Olympic medals round their necks.
Though ROC, with two golds, came out at the top
of the medal table, no single nation dominated. Of the eight golds
available, seven were won by different countries. They included Cro-
atia, ROC, Thailand and Uzbekistan - none of which had ever won
Olympic gold in Taekwondo before.
North Macedonia claimed a silver medal - the country’s first Olym-
pic silver medal in any sport. Israel also secured a historic first medal
in Taekwondo at the Olympic Games with a bronze. Refugee athlete
Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin very nearly became the first ever medallist from
the Olympic Refugee Team after an exceptional run to the bronze medal
matches, but just fell short.
The Tokyo bouts will also be remembered for the emergence of a new
generation of champions. The sport’s talent pipeline is clearly flowing: Five
Olympic medalists had medalled either at the World Taekwondo Junior
Championships or the Youth Olympic Games, both held in 2018.
42
Speaking following the conclusion of the Olympic taekwon-
do competitions, World Taekwondo President Choue said:
“The Olympic taekwondo at Tokyo 2020 was great. Our ath-
letes reminded us all why taekwondo is such a well loved sport
around the world. There was last-second drama, shock defeats
and breath-taking athleticism all set against the sport’s values
of friendship and respect.
“We saw that Taekwondo is a sport which is universal and
provides opportunities for all countries, big and small, and we
saw teenagers emerge and challenge the established stars of
our sport,” said World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue.
“This led to very exciting matches and some surprising results -
and it showed us what a bright future Taekwondo has with so
much talent coming through.”
Choue also touched on the unique challenges that has been
surmounted to hold the Olympics amid the global COVID-19
pandemic - and the new communications formats that have
now become mainstream among sports enthusiasts.
“Of course, we missed having our fans in the stadium but
we felt their support from all around the world,” he said. “We
only had to look on social media to see how much love there
was for Taekwondo - and not just from existing fans, but lots of
new ones who got swept up in the buzz around the sport. “
43
 THE BEST OF 2021 WINNERS ARE

Italy

Serbia

Brazil

Peru
Best Olympic Best Olympic Best Paralympic Best Paralympic
Male Athlete Female Athlete Male Athlete Female Athlete

Vito Milica Nathan Leonor

Dell’Aquila
won gold at his Olympic debut in Tokyo in the M-58kg
and caused an upset along the way as he overcame
World Number One Jun Jang of Korea, in the semi-final.
Mandic
made history at Tokyo 2020 as she became the first
athlete from Serbia to win two individual Olympic gold
medals having previously won the country’s first ever
gold medal nine years prior at London 2012.
Torquato Espinoza
won gold in the M-61kg event at Tokyo 2020 - as per won gold in the W-49kg event with a dominant dis-
his confrident predictions before the Games began. play becoming the first Peruvian to win Paralympic
gold in 21 years .

Best of
On Jan. 7, 2022, World Taekwondo announced the winners of its “Best “There were so many wonderful Olympians, Paralympians, referees

2021
of 2021.” Thousands of online votes were cast in record time for the and coaches in 2021 that I do not know how the public decided who
awards, which recognise the outstanding Olympic and Paralympic to vote for. Congratulations to all the winners of the Best of 2021 but
athletes, referees and coaches of the past year. also congratulations to all those who received votes and contribut-
ed to a hugely successful year for Taekwondo. 2021 was a year we
The voting was opened to the public on Jan. 4 and was set to remain
will never forget. It was a year that showcased the very best of our
open for ten days. However, it took just two days for the maximum
sport not just in terms of medals and sporting excellence but also in
number of votes to be submitted. It was the first time that members
terms of the power of Taekwondo to unite and celebrate the best of
of the public could vote for their favourite Paralympians after Para
humanity.”
Taekwondo made its Paralympic debut in Tokyo.

Speaking following the announcement, World Taekwondo President

Chungwon Choue said:

44 45
 Slovenia Ukraine Serbia Russia Bosnia Brazil

Best Olympic Female Referee Best Olympic Male Referee Best Olympic Coach Best Paralympic Female Referee Best Paralympic Male Referee Best Paralympic Coach

Jasna Andriy Dragan Elizaveta Belmir Rodrigo

Golubic Starkov Jovic Tarasevich Berberovic Ferla

THE BEST OF 2021 WINNERS ARE

46 47
 Olympic Games
Gallery

48 49
50 51
52 53
54 55
56 57
58 59
60 61
62 63
64 65
 Taekwondo
confirmed for
LA 2028 Olympics
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session confirmed Taekwondo’s place on the
Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 initial sports programme, marking the eighth consecu-
tive time the sport has been part of the world’s greatest sporting event
Taekwondo was confirmed alongside 27 other sports
on the programme during the IOC Session in Beijing.
Speaking following the announcement, World Taek-
wondo President Chungwon Choue said:
“We are delighted and honoured that once again
we will have the pleasure of watching the world’s best
Taekwondo athletes compete at the Olympic Games in
LA. Taekwondo has come a long way since its Olympic
debut at Sydney 2000 and it is now one of the most in-
clusive and exciting sports on the programme. We will
continue to work hard together for a well-governed
World Taekwondo and deliver fair and exciting com-
petitions. At World Taekwondo we are committed to
ensuring that Taekwondo is not just the most dynamic
and appealing sport possible, but that it also continues
to promote and instill values that contribute to a better
society.”
Following Taekwondo’s debut at Sydney 2000,
World Taekwondo has implemented a number of re-
forms and innovations to make the sport fairer, more
transparent and more exciting. From London 2012, the
game-changing Protector and Scoring System (PSS)
was introduced which ushered in a new era for Taek-
wondo, providing athletes with greater protection and
greater certainty and transparency in officiating. World
Taekwondo has also made a series of changes to the
rules and scoring system to encourage more exciting
techniques and embraced the latest technological
advances, such as the use of instant 4D replays, to en-
hance the viewer experience.
World Taekwondo has grown around the world with
211 member national associations, including most re-
cently Vatican City, making it one of the world’s largest
International Federations in terms of global representa-
tion. It has also dramatically developed Para Taekwon-
66
do which made its Paralympic Games debut at Tokyo
2020. Following the success of the sport’s debut, the
International Paralympic Committee (IPC), recently an-
nounced an increase in the number of Para Taekwon-
do events at Paris 2024 from 6 to 10.
As an inclusive and accessible sport, with minimal
equipment required, Taekwondo has proven to be a
sport which provides medal opportunities for smaller
nations.
Chinese Taipei, Cote d’Ivoire and Jordan have all
won their first ever Olympic gold medals in any sport
through Taekwondo. Afghanistan, Gabon, and Viet-
nam all won their first ever Olympic medals of any col-
our through Taekwondo.
The accessibility of the sport and the values it instils
in its practitioners, has been a key driver in its success
within refugee communities. World Taekwondo has
had a long-term commitment to using Taekwondo
to contribute to humanitarian causes and created
the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) to
empower refugees and displaced people around the
world through Taekwondo. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic
Games, Taekwondo had the third highest number of
refugee athletes and also had a refugee athlete at the
Paralympic Games.
World Taekwondo is committed to matching the ex-
cellence of its athletes off the mat and has undertaken
a comprehensive process of governance reform over
the last four years. Its progress has been recognised
in the ASOIF Review of International Federation Gov-
ernance which has seen it move from group C to B to
A2 – the second highest ranking. World Taekwondo is
aiming to become a leading International Federation
in good governance and sustainability and move into
the A1 group.
67
 2021
Para
Welcome to
Taekwondo
By IPC Volunteer Writer Lee Reaney
With 2020 having been unforgettable for all the wrong reasons,
2021 should be unforgettable for all the right ones. The biggest
year in Para Taekwondo history would see the sport’s Paralympic
debut, as well as its biggest-ever World Championships.
Legends to Be Made at Tokyo 2020
Para Taekwondo is finally set to make its Paralympic debut this sum-
mer at the rescheduled Paralympic Games in 2021. The addition of
the first full-contact sport to the Paralympic program gives Para
Taekwondo athletes the chance to dazzle on the world stage. The
sport’s biggest names – Denmark’s Lisa Gjessing, Iran’s Mehdi Pour-
rahnama, Mongolia’s Bolor-Erdene Ganbat, and Great Britain’s Amy
Truesdale – are on course. But so too are Para Taekwondo’s newest
generation of stars, led by Mexico’s Juan Diego Garcia Lopez, Bra-
zil’s Nathan Torquato, and China’s Yujie Li.
Dreams Will Be Realised – and Crushed – at Paralympic
Qualification Tournaments
When the COVID-19 pandemic upended the sports world’s cal-
endar last year, Para Taekwondo had only completed three of five
Paralympic qualification events. This meant that athletes from
across Europe and Asia were forced to wait patiently – and train
incessantly – in preparation for when their own qualification events
would be held.
Para Taekwondo Enters Grand-Prix and
Grand Slam Events
Another sign that Para Taekwondo is one of the Para movement’s
fastest-growing sports is the introduction of new, high-level events.
In 2021 - COVID-permitting - Para Taekwondo athletes will join their
Olympic counterparts at lucrative events like the World Taekwon-
do Grand Prix and World Taekwondo Grand Slam Champions se-
68
ries. Para Taekwondo has been approved for up to four
Grand Prix events each year, including the annual Grand
Prix final. Para Taekwondo’s Grand Prix debut was slated
for late 2020 in Cancun, Mexico before COVID-19 forced
its postponement. Para Taekwondo may also be includ-
ed in the prestigious Grand Slam Champions Series – a
season-ending event featuring the year’s most success-
ful fighters. World Taekwondo says the inclusion of Para
athletes at these events “reflects the significant growth
of the sport.”
Para Poomsae Expands to Include
all Impairment Types
As Para Taekwondo attracts more and more athletes, the
sport continues to grow at a rapid pace – and perhaps
nowhere is that more evident than in Para Poomsae.
Recognizing this, World Taekwondo was, in 2021, set to
expand classification groups to include Para Poomsae
athletes with any impairment types, adding divisions
for deaf athletes, visually impaired athletes, those with
neurological or intellectual impairments, short-stature
athletes, and athletes in wheelchairs.
An ad-hoc Para Taekwondo Poomsae Committee
was formed in 2020 and will work to adapt poomsae
rules to the different impairment types, and develop
a method for ranking Para Poomsae. It will also study
new competition formats, including pairs, team, and
freestyle. Ultimately, the goal is to see poomsae athletes
join their kyorugi colleagues by participating at the
Paralympic Games.
69

Refugee Para Player
is on Track for Tokyo
Burundian teaches Taekwondo in camp
in Rwanda, inspires displaced youth
(Jul. 1, 2021)
Para Taekwondo star Parfait Hakizimana, a Burundian refu-
gee living in Rwanda, was named to the Paralympic Refu-
gee Team this afternoon.
Living in a camp for internally displaced people in 1996
because of the Burundian Civil War, he lost his mother and
suffered an injury that left his arm permanently debilitat-
ed when he was just eight. Fearing for his life, he later left
the country permanently when unrest in Burundi flared up
again in 2015.
He has since been living at the Mahama Refugee Camp
– where day-to-day life can be difficult – in Rwanda ever
since.
“Refugees don’t have a lot,” he told the UN refugee agen-
cy UNHCR. “But sport helps them forget their troubles.”
70
The Refugee Paralympic Team represents more than 82
million people worldwide that have been forced to flee
war, persecution, and human rights abuses – 12 million of
whom live with a disability.
Parfait joins a team of six refugees for the Paralympics. It
also includes:
•Ibrahim Al Hussein – Syrian refugee living in Greece –
Para Swimming
•Alia Issa – Syrian refugee living in Greece – Para Athletics
•Abbas Karimi – Afghan refugee living in the USA – Para
Swimming
•Anas Al Kahlifa – Syrian refugee living in Germany – Para
Canoe
•Shahrad Nasajpour – Iranian refugee living in the USA
– Para Athletics
The athletes were introduced by famous celebrities in a
special video announcement. Hakizimana was introduced
by opera singer Barbara Hendricks.
“Parfait – you are a wonderful role model for refugees,”
she said in the announcement video. “We are so happy to
see that you will be competing in Tokyo for the Refugee
Paralympic Team. Good luck!”
WT President ‘Thrilled’
Hendricks’ sentiment was shared by World Taekwondo
President Chungwon Choue.
“We are thrilled with the announcement that Burundian
refugee Parfait Hakizimana will be representing the Refu-
gee Team at the Tokyo Paralympic Games this summer,”
Choue said. “Few athletes have had to overcome the con-
ditions of Hakizimana, who until recently lived, taught, and
trained in Rwanda’s Mahama Refugee Camp.”
Choue noted that the Taekwondo Humanitarian Founda-
tion (THF), created by World Taekwondo in 2016, has sup-
ported Hakizimana, who is now a THF coach.
“World Taekwondo remains committed to empowering
refugees through Taekwondo, which is why we started the
Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation in the first place,”
he said. “Many refugees around the world, including those
based in refugee camps like Hakizimana, have benefitted
from its support.”
Choue also thanked the different groups that helped
Hakizimana along the way.
“We congratulate Parfait on his achievement and would
like to acknowledge the work put in by the IPC, World Taek-
wondo, the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation, and the
Rwandan Taekwondo Federation,” Choue said.
Meet Parfait Hakizimana
Until a few months ago, Hakizimana was based in the Ma-
hama Refugee Camp – the biggest in Rwanda with over
50,000 refugees. More recently, he has been training in the
Rwandan capital of Kigali.
At the camp, Hakizimana organized a Taekwondo school
and has trained over 1,000 refugee children.
He has also prepared himself for elite competitions.
He competed in the 2017 African Open Championships
in Kigali, Rwanda, where he won his first match before
losing to No. 1-seeded, 3-time World Champion Aythami
Santana Santana of Spain 18-12 in the -61kg K44 division
quarterfinal.
Hakizimana’s participation in Tokyo is contingent on his
reclassification by Aug. 1. As a refugee, it has been hard to
receive the necessary visas to travel to tournaments, mak-
ing classification challenging. World Taekwondo confirmed
that he will be reclassified before the deadline.
The Refugee Paralympic Team
“The athletes exemplify how change starts with sport: they
have suffered life-changing injuries, fled for their safety and
undertaken dangerous journeys, but despite the many bar-
riers put in their way, they have become elite athletes ready
to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games,” Andrew
Parsons, IPC president, said in a statement:
The Refugee Paralympic Team will compete under the
IPC flag and will be the first team to enter Japan National
Stadium during the Opening Ceremony.
The Refugee Paralympic Team honors the legacy of
Paralympic Games founder Sir Ludwig Guttman, who was
himself a refugee forced to flee Germany during the 1930s.
Welcomed in his new home in Britain, he founded one of
the world’s great movements – Paralympic sports.
71
‘We Have
Wings’
2020 Paralympic
Games Open
TOKYO, Japan (Aug. 24, 2021)
Athletes from more than 160 countries filled Japan’s Olympic Stadium for the moving and vibrant
opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, entitled,“We Have Wings.”
The Games mark the long-awaited arrival of Para Taekwondo on the premier global stage for
Para sports.
Para Taekwondo is the only full contact sport on the programme, featuring 73 athletes from 37
countries fighting across six weight categories (three male and three female) over three days of
competition, Sept. 2-4, at the Makuhari Messe Hall B in Chiba, a Tokyo suburb.
Para Taekwondo athletes who carried their country’s flag in the athletes’ parade included Den-
mark’s fourtime World Champion Lisa Gjessing, Mexico’s teenage reigning World Champ Juan Die-
go Garcia Lopez, Peru’s 2019 Para Pan Am Champ Angelica Espinoza, Aruba’s always entertaining
Elliot Loonstra, Kazakhstan’s two time reigning World Champion Nurlan Dombayev, and one of
the Solomon Islands’ Solomon Jagiri or Jeminah Otoa – the only two athletes representing their
nation in Tokyo.
72
Joint Paralympic Workshop
Held for Coaches and Officials
SEOUL, Korea (Aug. 17, 2021)
World Taekwondo on Aug. 17 hosted a Joint Paralympic Workshop
for approximately 60 coaches and international technical officials
ahead of the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Para Taekwondo will make its historic Paralympic Games debut in
Tokyo and the workshop was an opportunity to run through impor-
tant rules and procedures. A total of 30 referees (15 male and 15 fe-
male) from 30 countries will officiate the competitions in Tokyo. Just
as at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, World Taekwon-
do is sending an equal number of male and female referees to ad-
vance gender equality in the Olympic and Paralympic movements.
The workshop began with opening remarks from World Taek-
wondo President Chungwon Choue.
“Today, I wish to congratulate the 73 athletes from 37 countries
who have qualified, including our first ever refugee Paralympic ath-
lete from Rwanda.
“World Taekwondo is recognised as one of the fairest internation-
al federations in the world because of our innovative technology to
deliver fair competitions. We also have some of the best technical
officials who have passed strict requirements and education to be
selected as a Paralympic referee. It is a huge honor for you, your
family, and also for your country.
“Your mission as referees is simple – make the most objective
judgment and do your best to eliminate human error. You must
study as many case studies as you can and prepare yourselves men-
tally, physically, and emotionally. For the coaches, good luck as you
prepare your athletes with the best possible preparations for the
Games.”
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Technical Delegate Chakir Chelbat
followed Choue in providing some opening remarks before an over-
view was given of the COVID-19 procedures at the Games. Other im-
portant subjects covered were Roles, Responsibilities and Ethics and
Competition Rules by Chakir Chelbat; Games Procedures by Usman
Dildar, vice chair of the Para Taekwondo Committee; and Medical
Procedures by Dr. Dae Hyoun Jeong, chair of the Medical Committee.
The second half of the workshop was a discussion and Q&A.
World Taekwondo’s participation in the Paralympic Games has
been a dream 12 years in the making, since the first Para Taekwondo
World Championships were held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in June 2009.
73
 Inaugural Paralympic
Head of Team Meeting
Takes Place
CHIBA, Japan (Aug. 31, 2021)

R
epresentatives of Para Taekwondo’s finest athletes
were on hand at Chiba’s Makuhari Messe on Aug. 31 to
get the final details ahead of the sport’s long-awaited
debut at the Paralympic Games on Thursday.
World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue provided wel-
come remarks at the Head of Team Meeting before personally
greeting each delegate of the 37 teams individually.
“I am so happy to be here,” he told the room, “and to see so
many of you here – especially representatives from our Refugee
and Afghan teams.”
Then it was down to business and a run down of the learn pro-
cedures, technical rules, and other relevant details
Hiroaki Onohara, Sport Manager at Tokyo 2020, provided wel-
come remarks before Technical Delegate Chakir Chelbat provided
a detailed account of competition rules. Other speakers included
Para Taekwondo Committee Vice Chair and Games Chair Usman
Dildar and World Taekwondo Medical Chair Dr. Dae Hyoun Jeong.
The random draw to assign seeds to the unseeded athletes
came at the end of the meeting.

74 75
 Afghan Athlete
Smashes Odds
to Fight at
Paralympics
Global sporting world helps Khudadadi to escapes chaos
and compete in Tokyo

World Taekwondo today praised the collective efforts of the International

Aug. 29, 2021 Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Centre for Sports and Human Rights,
and multiple governments in working with the federation to ensure Af-
ghanistan Para Taekwondo athlete Zakia Khudadadi can compete at the
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
World Taekwondo was one of the several parties involved in ensur-
ing that members of the Afghanistan delegation, whose home country is
embroiled in political turmoil, were able to travel to Tokyo.
Khudadadi was joined by Para Athlete Hossain Rasouli and Chef de Mis-
sion Arian Sadiqi. Khudadadi and Rasouli will compete under the Afghan
flag; Kuhdadadi will become the first female Para athlete to represent her
country when she competes in the K44 W-49kg competition on Sept. 2.
“Thanks to the outstanding efforts of several governments, the Centre
for Sport and Human Rights, Human Rights for All, the French Paralympic
Committee, the British Paralympic Association, World Taekwondo, Zakia
and Hossain are now in Tokyo to fulfil their dreams, sending out a strong
message of hope to many others around the world,” said International
Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons.
Due to the high risks and safety of the athletes and officials, the whole
operation was kept a secret until the delegation safely arrived in Tokyo.
“World Taekwondo is delighted to have been able to play a part in
ensuring Zakia and Hossain can come to Tokyo and be a part of these
historic Paralympic Games,” said World Taekwondo President Chungwon
Choue. “At World Taekwondo, we believe strongly that everyone should
have access to sport irrespective of their gender, nationality or ability. Za-
kia and Hossain’s determination to overcome adversity is an inspiration
to all of us.”
He added: “We thank the IPC and the Centre for Sports and Human
Rights, and the countless others for their meaningful collaboration. We
are proud to have been part of this partnership. Working together, sport
Captured image on IPC website can play a powerful role in promoting peace and inspiring hope.”
76 77
 Tokyo Paralympics Day 1

Americas Triumph as The 23-year-old Espinosa was dominant in

Taekwondo Crowns
her three-win route to victory, outscoring her
opponents 135-49, including Turkey’s reigning
European Champion Meryem Cavdar 34-21 in
the final, to leave no doubt who is on top of the

First Paralympians
W-49kg division.
“I came here to win gold,” she said after re-
ceiving that medal. “I’m delighted to have been
able to do this for Peru.”
Espinosa becomes Peru’s first medalist at
Tokyo 2020 and also won the country’s first
Paralympic medal since Athens 2004 and its
first gold medal since Sydney 2000.
“I only started five years ago,” she said. “It’s
CHIBA, Japan (Sept. 2, 2021 )
been a lot of training, but the training has paid
off.”

H
ere are your answers for the trivia question: It’s been a superb run of form for the 2019
“Who were Para Taekwondo’s first Paralympic Para Pan Am champ, who has lost just once
champions?” over the last three years – to Cavdar, in the 2019
Peru’s Leonor Angelica Espinosa and Brazil’s Nathan European Championship final.
Torquato rose to the occasion to become the first-ever
Paralympic gold medalists on a day that saw emotions
range from pure joy to agonising anguish.

78 79
 Tokyo Paralympics Day 1
For Brazil’s Torquato,
Tokyo is Just the Start
The talented 20-year-old emerged at the top of
a stacked M-61kg group that included Mongo-
lia’s four-time reigning champion Bolor-Erdene
Ganbat and Turkey’s reigning European Cham-
pion Mahmut Bozteke to claim the category’s
inaugural Paralympic title.
“I told you so!” a beaming Torquato said right
after collecting his gold medal. “Pure joy is what
I feel right now. I think I’m not at my best yet –
and that makes me really, really excited.”
The young champ was clearly confident.
“It’s just a matter of time before I dominate the
weight class and become one of the undisput-
ed fighters, like Mehdi [Pourrahnama, Iran’s four-
time M-75kg world champion].”
Afghan and Refugee Fighters
Inspire the World
A throng of international media were on hand at
Makuhari Messe to witness the remarkable ac-
complishments of both Zakia Khudadadi, whose
harrowing journey to Tokyo made international
headlines last week, and Refugee Paralympic
Team Athlete Parfait Hakizimana, who became
the first athlete to compete at the Paralympic
Games to come directly from a refugee camp.
Hakizimana was reflective after losing his first
match.
“To come here a lot of people helped me,”
he said. “I would like to thank the children that
I teach back in Rwanda – they helped me. And
80
I want to thank the refugees around the world
– I hope that people love each other through
sport.”
Khudadadi impressed in her two fights. She
was leading six-time World Champion Vika
Marchuk by 12 points before a disastrous third
round saw the veteran Ukrainian advance.
“Of course, I have concerns and I worry about
the situation in Afghanistan right now,” Marchuk
said when asked about fighting Khudadadi. “I’m
so happy that my opponent was able to make it
here to compete with me.”
Both Marchuk and France’s Bopha Kong
shone on Para Taekwondo’s first day of Paralym-
pic action, as both fighters won two fights on
their way to the bronze medal matches.
Marchuk fell to RPC’s Anna Poddubskaia for
one of the W-49 kg bronzes, while Kong hung
with RPC’s No. 4-ranked Daniil Sidorov, before
falling 33-23 to miss out on bronze.
The veteran Kong admitted that age had tak-
en its toll.
“I started in 2000 and now I’m 40. I’ve been
doing this for over 20 years.” he said. “My body
hurts everywhere. Every day I have to ice
everything, everyday for a few hours.”
Kong has already starred in Paris 2024 adver-
tisements for the French Paralympic Commit-
tee. Asked whether he had it in him to compete
for three more years, the Para Taekwondo leg-
end has a plan.
“This is my goal. And this is my challenge”, he
said, before adding, “But after that – I stop!”
81
 Tokyo Paralympics Day 2

Gjessing,
Garcia Lopez
Rise to the
Occasion
CHIBA, Japan (Sept. 3, 2021)

T
here were surprises on Day 2 of the Paralympic Games but at the end, it was two of the
sport’s biggest stars that ended up as Paralympic champions.
Both of today’s categories featured highly anticipated matchups between the di-
vision’s strongest fighters, allowing Denmark’s Lisa Gjessing and Mexico’s Juan Diego Garcia
Lopez to settle any debate as to who is the top fighter in their division.
Gjessing came into the event with something to prove after seeing her seven-year winning
streak snapped by Brazilian star Silvana Cardoso.
In a chess match of strategic taekwondo, Gjessing managed to edge past her talented rival
8-6 in a semi-final that will be studied for years to come. The tense encounter saw neither
fighter put together a lead of more than three points.

The new Paralympic champ said that
Cardoso’s billing as “the hottest fighter in
Para Taekwondo right now,” fueled her de-
sire to win.
“I wanted to say – it’s gonna be not true,”
she said with a laugh.
She would put an exclamation point on
her sterling career with a 32-14 win over
British newcomer Beth Munro to complete
her quest for Paralympic gold.
“I can’t describe having this goal for so
many years and now standing here with
the gold medal – it’s crazy,” she said.
Likewise, the M-75kg final featured a
masterclass of strategy and skill between
the two fighters that have claimed every
world championship in the division for the
last decade.
The long-awaited matchup was the
first time reigning World Champion Gar-
cia Lopez had faced Iran’s four-time World
Champion Mehdi Pourrahnama.
“It was a hard game, very strategic,” the
teenage Paralympic champ said after-
wards. “I knew that it was complicated but
not impossible. I had to focus – I couldn’t
lose my mind because then he’d attack … I
don’t have words to describe all the happi-
ness I have right now.”
It was a stinging defeat for the “Irani-
an Hurricane,” who hasn’t missed a world
championship since competing at Para
Taekwondo’s first worlds as a 13-year-old in
2009. Brazilian Paralympic champ Nathan
Torquato mentioned the night before that
he dreamed of matching the success of
Pourrahnama.
“Now this division has a new No. 1,” Pour-
rahnama admitted afterwards. “But I fig-
ured out a few things for next time.”
In the biggest surprise of the day, Great
Britain’s Beth Munro – competing in just her
second international competition – upend-
ed Turkey’s No. 4-ranked Gamze Gurdal and
China’s No. 2-ranked reigning World Cham-
pion Yujie Li on the way to her historic silver.
“Originally, I never competed in any mar-
tial arts at all. Until the end of 2019, I’d nev-
er punched or kicked a person in my life,
honestly!” she said.

82 83
 Tokyo Paralympics Day 2

Joo Wins Bronze for Para Taekwondo's Homeland

Korea, the birthplace of Taekwondo, didn’t go home emptyhanded after an im-
pressive display by Jeong-hun Joo.
After losing his first match against RPC’s No. 3-ranked Magomedzagir
Isaldibirov, Joo marched through the repechage round to earn a rematch with
former World Champion Isaldibirov, who had been relegated to the bronze med-
al match by a last-second strike in the semi-final by Garcia Lopez.

“I never cried at a competition,” Joo said

after winning his bronze medal. “But this
time, after the game ended and all the
pressure was off, I cried.”
Last-second strikes became the theme
of the day. Moments later, Argentina’s Juan
Samorano secured bronze with a stunning
last-second score against Kazakhstan flag-
bearer Nurlan Dombayev, denying Dom-
bayev the chance to become the first K43
athlete to win a Paralympic medal.
With Paralympic champions from Bra-
zil, Mexico, and Peru, Samorano’s bronze
makes Argentina the fourth country from
the Americas to medal at the Paralympics.
“It was a hard game – same as last time.
Very hard and very close. He beat me by
one point,” the newly minted Paralympian
said afterwards, “But now, when I saw the
clock at three seconds – I
did everything, threw
all my kicks.”
China’s reigning world
champion Yujie Li sal-
vaged a bronze after fall-
ing to Munro by edging out
Nepal’s Palesha Goverdhan 12-9 in
the bronze medal match. Goverdhan was
aiming to win Nepal’s first-ever medal at
the Paralympic Games.
“It’s kind of sad, but I did my best,” Gov-
erdhan said afterwards. “To beat a world
champion takes a lot of guts, but I think I
did really good but unfortunately missed
the last kick.”
In the other bronze medal match, Silvana
Cardoso secured Brazil’s second medal by
beating Turkey’s No. 2-ranked Gamze Gurdal.
“I was aiming for gold, definitely, but I
knew it’d be a tough fight [with Gjessing],”
she said. “Whatever the results, we wanted
a medal. We reset our mindset and aimed
for [bronze].”

84 85
 Tokyo Paralympics Day 3

Asia
Victorious on
Final Day of
Para Taekwondo
CHIBA, Japan (Sept. 4, 2021)

T
he international medal party continued in Para Taekwondo as
medals went to four new nations to bring the total to 17 sepa-
rate countries holding Paralympic medals - including Paralympic
champions from six different nations.
Iran’s Asghar Aziziaghdam became the first Paralympic champion from
Iran after topping many of the best fighters in the M+75kg category on his
way to the gold medal.
In a beautiful display of talent in the final against Croatia’s Ivan Mikulic,
the 2013 and 2014 world champion was forced to battle back from an early
deficit. He then had to turn back a furious rally from the 2015 world champ
and scored a late kick to capture a dramatic Paralympic title 12-10.
“I’m so happy right now – I think I could fly!” he said after winning. “I
never give up. I compete to the last second. I was just lucky to connect
on him.”
Guljonoy Naimova, too, had to overcome the W+58kg category’s top
fighters on her way to becoming the first Paralympic champion from Uz-
bekistan.
She romped through the first three rounds, which included wins over
Great Britain’s 2017 World Champion Amy Truesdale and 2019 World
Championship Bronze Medalist and hometown favourite Shoko Ota of
Japan, to set up a gold medal match against Brazil’s Debora Menezes.
A strategic affair in the final saw Naimova capture her first international
title in style by beating the reigning world champion 8-4 to become the
+58 g category’s first Paralympic champion.
“Recently we celebrated the Independence Day of Uzbekistan and
I wanted to congratulate my country by winning Paralympic gold,” she
said. “I am so happy right now.”

Australia’s Watson, USA’s Medell Highlight Bronze Medal Winners

Top-seeded players in both divisions fell at the semi-final stage, with
Truesdale losing 60-14 to Naimova and the USA’s Evan Medell dropping a
28-9 decision to Mikulic.
Both fighters rebounded to make sure they didn’t leave Tokyo empty-
handed.

86 87
 Tokyo Paralympics Day 3

Truesdale beat Iran’s Rayehe Shahab

41-31 to capture W+58 g bronze, while
Medell edged out Costa Rica’s Alfred Mo-
lina 13-11 for M+75kg bronze.
Medell became the fifth athlete from
the Americas medal in Tokyo, following
athletes from Peru, Brazil, Mexico, and
Argentina.
“I’m disappointed for sure,” the No.
1-ranked Medell said after collecting his
medal. “But I finished with a win, so I’m
happy – I’m in a good mood.”
Australia’s Janine Watson, already
aworld champion in poomsae, captured
a memorable Paralympic bronze in her
final international tournament by beating
Ukraine’s Yuliya Lypetska.
“It’s very, very rare to have both a a
world championship in poomsae and
a Paralympic [medal],” she said. “I don’t
think many Olympic champions also have
a poomsae world championship - I’d like
to see some Olympic champions try to do
some poomsae patterns.”
Zainutdin Ataev of RPC beat Mexico’s
Francisco Pedroza to capture the other
M+75kg bronze. The 2013 world champi-
on gave the team its third bronze medal
of the tournament.

Broad Medal Spectrum

Showcasing the sport’s global appeal, ath-
letes from 17 different countries represent-
ing every continental union won a medal
at Para Taekwondo’s Paralympic debut.
Led by Paralympic Champion Nathan
Torquato, Brazil led the way with a med-
al of every colour. Remarkably, Brazil did
not have a dedicated Para Taekwondo
programme until 2017. The sport demon-
strated that athletes from anywhere in
the world can compete at this elite level,
with memorable appearances from the
Refugee Team’s Parfait Hakizimana and
Afghanistan’s Zakia Khudadadi.
The sport’s first ever Paralympic cham-
pions - Peru’s Leonor Angelica Espinosa,
Brazil’s Nathan Torquato, Denmark’s Lisa
Gjessing, Mexico’s Juan Diego Garcia
Lopez, Uzbekistan’s Guljonoy Naimova,
and Iran’s Asghar Aziziaghdam - have en-
shrined their names in Taekwondo history.

88 89
 Gjessing’s Dream
Becomes Reality
at Long Last
CHIBA, Japan (Sept. 4, 2021)
Danish Para Taekwondo legend Lisa Gjessing added to
her impressive medal collection at the Paralympic Games
Tokyo 2020 when she claimed the ultimate prize - Paralym-
pic gold.
The Dane won the women’s K44 -58kg title, adding to
her four World Championship and three European Cham-
pion titles.
Following her historic victory, World Taekwondo Presi-
dent Chungwon Choue met with Gjessing in Tokyo. Choue
congratulated her and discussed her plans for the future
now she has won it all.
Gjessing competed for Denmark in the 2001 and 2003
World Taekwondo Championships. However, in 2007 she
was diagnosed with chondrosarcoma, a form of bone
cancer, and underwent different treatments before, in 2012,
her lower left arm was amputated.
She entered the World Para Taekwondo Championships
in Switzerland in 2013 where she won gold - and has not
looked back since, making her one of Para Taekwondo’s
brightest stars.
90
90
Choue Meets
Afghan Paralympian
CHIBA, Japan (Sept. 2, 2021)
World Taekwondo President Choue met with Para
Taekwondo athlete Zakia Khudadadi on the first day
of Para Taekwondo competition at the Tokyo 2020
Paralympic Games.
During the meeting he presented her with a spe-
cially customised black belt. Choue congratulated
Zakia on her perseverance and performance, and
encouraged her to aim for Paris 2024.
WT, THF Head
World Taekwondo President and Taekwondo Humanitarian Foun-
dation Chairman Chungwon Choue made a point of meeting with
Congratulates
Para Taekwondo athlete Parfait Hakizimana, a Burundian refugee
living in Rwanda, during the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Choue praised Hakizimana for all he has achieved and present-
Refugee Star
ed him with a black belt in Chiba on the last day of competition at
Tokyo 2020.
Though Hakizimana had lost his first match at Tokyo 2020 in the
M-61kg on Sept. 2 , he reflected positively on his experience.
Just competing in Tokyo was a “To come here, a lot of people helped me,” he said. “I would
victory for Burundian refugee like to thank the children that I teach at my refugee camp back
in Rwanda – they helped me. And I want to thank the refugees
and camp coach around the world – I hope that people love each other through
sport.”
Hakizimana lived in a camp for internally displaced people from
CHIBA, Japan (Sept. 4, 2021) 1996 because of the Burundian Civil War. He lost his mother and
suffered an injury to his arm when he eight years old. Fearing for
his life, he later left the country permanently when unrest in Burun-
di flared up again in 2015.
He has since been living at the Mahama Refugee Camp in Rwan-
da. The Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation has supported
Hakizimana and he is now a THF coach. At the camp he organised
a taekwondo school and has trained over 1,000 refugee children.
9191
 Tokyo 2020:
5
Lessons
CHIBA, Japan (Sept. 4, 2021)
Learned
S
tunning shows of strategy and
skill, inspiring examples of power
and grit, last-second comebacks
and legend-making performances – the
world was wowed by Para Taekwondo’s
dizzying spin kicks and nail-biting finish-
es at Tokyo 2020. Besides becoming the
Para sport movement’s newest must-see
event. here’s what else we learned from
the sport’s Paralympic debut.
Anyone Can Win
A quick look at the Paralympic medal table
shows just how global Para Taekwondo
has become.
With 24 medals on offer, athletes from
17 nations won honors – with every con-
tinental union seeing at least one athlete
step onto the Tokyo 2020 medal podium.
Moreover, athletes from non-traditional
Paralympic nations thrived in Para Taek-
92
92
wondo’s Paralympic debut.
Peru’s Para Pan Am champion Leonor
Angelica Espinoza won her nation its first
medal since Athens 2004 and its first gold
medal since Sydney 2000.
Croatia’s 2017 World Champion Ivan
Mikulic nearly claimed Croatia’s sole gold
medal at the Paralympics. A late scoring
kick by Iran’s two-time World Champion
Asghar Aziziaghdam denied him M+75kg
gold, but Mikulic’s silver was Croatia’s best
result and he carried the country’s flag into
the closing ceremony.
Nepal’s Palesha Goverdhan nearly
claimed her nation’s first-ever Paralympic
medal, falling to China’s reigning World
Champion Yujie Li on a late score to miss
out on a W-58kg bronze.
Our K43 stars proved that they can com-
pete with their K44 counterparts.
Four K43 athletes fought for medals,
with none coming closer than Kazakh-
stan’s two-time World Champion Nurlan
Dombayev, who lost bronze on a last-sec-
ond kick by Argentina’s Juan Samorano.
Everyone is Invited
The sport showed you can compete at a
high level regardless of where you train.
Elliot Loonstra famously prepared on
Aruba’s sandy beaches ahead of his ap-
pearance as his country’s only Paralympic
athlete.
Burundian refugee Parfait Hakizima-
na became the first to compete at the
Paralympic Games to come directly from
a refugee camp when he arrived from the
Mahama Refugee Camp in Rwanda.
Afghanistan’s Zakia Khudadadi’s dra-
matic journey to Tokyo captured inter-
national headlines as she became one of
Tokyo 2020’s biggest stories. She nearly
toppled Ukraine’s six-time World Cham-
pion Vika Marchuk, before squandering a
third-round lead.
Some athletes showed that sheer talent
can take you to the sport’s highest levels.
Great Britain’s Beth Munro took up the
sport just months before the European
Paralympic Qualification tournament was
scheduled in Spring 2020. She joined the
national team weeks ahead of the re-
scheduled tournament in Spring 2021 and
then beat two of the division’s top 3 fight-
ers, including reigning World Champion
Li, on her way to a silver in just her second
international tournament.
Australia’s Janine Watson, already a
poomsae world champion, added a
Paralympic bronze in kyorugi to become
the first athlete to medal at the highest
stage of both Para Taekwondo disciplines.
Anyone Can Lose
In a surprise to many, just one 2019 world
champion was able to replicate their suc-
cess at Tokyo 2020.
Mexico’s teenage superstar Diego Gar-
cia Lopez became Para Taekwondo’s only
reigning world and Paralympic champion
by beating Iran’s four-time legend Mehdi
Pourrahnama 26-20 in an entertaining
M-75kg final.
And even he looked vulnerable in To-
kyo!
Were it not for a champion-defining
last-second strike against RPC’s 2013 World
Champion Magomedzagir Isaldibirov in
the semi-final, Para Taekwondo wouldn’t
have had its first dual champion.
The agonies suffered by several star ath-
letes stand as testament to the quality on
display at Tokyo 2020.
Mongolia’s four-time World Champion
Bolor-Erdene Ganbat – who had never
lost a fight at the worlds – failed to secure
a medal at his first Paralympic Games af-
ter being stung by a late strike by Turkey’s
Mahmut Bozteke in a M-61kg bronze
semi-final.
Ganbat’s 2017 world champion team-
mate – the No. 1-ranked Enkhtuya Khurel-
baatar – also failed to medal after falling
to Thailand’s reigning World Champion
Khwansuda Phuangkitcha in a W-49 kg
bronze semi-final.
Great Britain’s No. 1-ranked 2017 World
Champion Amy Truesdale fell to Uzbeki-
stan’s Guljonoy Naimova 60-14 in a star-
tling W+58kg semi-final result.
It was no easier for China’s Yujie Li. The
reigning world champion was stunned in
the W-58 kg semi-final by British newcom-
er Munro and needed a late score against
Nepal’s No. 28-ranked Goverdhan to se-
cure a bronze medal.
There is simply very, very little room
between the sport’s top fighters on any
given day.
Classic Battles Dazzle
Some of the finest fights the sport has
ever seen took place at Tokyo’s Makuhari
Messe.
From strategic chess matches, to diz-
zying displays of athleticism, to dramatic
last-second wins – the sport delivered
some of the 2020 Paralympic Games’ most
exciting moments.
Teams will be poring over the tapes of
the Garcia Lopez-Pourrahnama M-75kg fi-
nal, the Mikulic-Aziziaghdam M+75kg final,
and the W-58kg semi-final between Den-
mark’s Paralympic Champion Lisa Gjessing
and Brazil’s rising star Silvana Cardoso as
fine displays of the strategy involved in
Para Taekwondo.
Some fights featured stunning flashes
of technique and skill that will be featured
in Para Taekwondo highlight videos for
years to come.
If you didn’t get to see the Ganbat-Boz-
teke fight, the high-octane M-61kg semi-fi-
nal between Italy’s Antonino Bossolo and
Brazil’s Paralympic Champion Nathan
Torquato, or the bruising W+58 gold med-
al match between Brazil’s World Champi-
on Debora Menezes and Uzbekistan’s new
Paralympic Champion Guljonoy Naimova,
be sure to.
It wouldn’t be Para Taekwondo if there
weren’t heart-in-your-throat, nail-biting
finishes – and Tokyo 2020 had more than
its fair share.
Among the most memorable were Gar-
cia Lopez booking his ticket to the M-75kg
final with a late strike on Isaldibirov, Samo-
rano’s medal-winning kick in the M-75kg
bronze medal match, and Bozteke’s
last-second strike to stop Ganbat from
fighting for bronze.
Hats off to all the athletes who made
sure that Para Taekwondo dazzled during
its Paralympic debut.
Para Taekwondo is
Here to Stay
History was made at Tokyo 2020 as Para
Taekwondo crowned its first six Paralym-
pic champions. But just as quickly as ques-
tions were answered at Tokyo 2020, many
more were raised.
Was the M-75kg final between Garcia
Lopez and Pourrahnama the beginning
of what could become the sport’s most
competitive and compelling rivalry?
Will Gjessing stick around to try to de-
fend her Paralympic title in front of her
family at Paris 2024? If she does, will she be
able to stay ahead of talented young chal-
lengers like Cardoso and Munro?
Who will emerge as the cream of the
W+58kg category – Paralympic Champion
Naimova, World Champion Menezes, or
No. 1-ranked Truesdale – or will someone
else join that elite group?
What will happen when Great Britain’s
reigning World Champion Matt Bush re-
turns to the topsy-turvy M+75 g catego-
ry that just crowned Aziziaghdam its first
Paralympic champion?
Can Ganbat reclaim his spot at the top
of the M-61kg category? Or will Torquato
hold him and his other challengers at bay
at the top of the sport’s most competitive
division?
Can anyone catch Peru’s Paralympic
and Para Pan Am champ Leonor Angelica
Espinoza, who has owned the W-49 g cat-
egory for the last two years?
Gjessing has credited watching the
London 2012 Paralympic Games for help-
ing her get through her amputation and
leading her along the journey to winning
a Paralympic medal.
How many athletes around the world
have been inspired by the fantastic perfor-
mances of our Paralympians this summer
and might follow that same, life-changing
journey?
One thing’s for certain – Para Taekwon-
do left an unforgettable impression on au-
diences around the world at Tokyo 2020.
Stand by for Paris 2024.
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 Paralympic
Games Gallery

94 95
96 97
98 99
100 101
101
102 103
 After Tokyo
Triumph,
Para Taekwondo Talk
about an excellent result: The The men’s categories are: K44-58kg, K44-63kg, K44-
International Paralympic Com- 70kg, K44-80kg, K44+80kg.
mittee (IPC) Governing Board The women’s categories are: K44-47kg, K44-52kg,
(Nov. 19, 2021)
announced on Nov. 19 that Para Taekwondo’s medal K44-57kg, K44-65kg and K44+65kg.
events will be increased from six to 10, and the ath- “We are delighted that Para Taekwondo’s medal

Expands at Paris 2024

lete quota increased from 72 to 120 for the Paris 2024 events and athlete quota has been increased for Paris
Paralympic Games. 2024,” said a very happy World Taekwondo President
The announcement came as the IPC Governing Board Chungwon Choue. “This decision is a tribute to all the
approved the complete medal events programme and Paralympians who made Para Taekwondo such a great
athlete quotas for Paris 2024, following consultation success at our Paralympic debut in Tokyo.”
with the IOC and the Paris 2024 Organising Committee.
At Paris 2024, there will be five men’s and five wom-
en’s weight categories with a quota of 12 athletes per
category.

PARA TAEKWONDO MEDAL EVENTS

6
10
ATHLETE QUOTA

72
120
104 105
104 105
 New-Look
W
orld Para Taekwondo’s biggest event returns as New Look for Para Taekwondo The New Paralympic Categories:
over 250 athletes from 40+1 countries step onto the Proving Para Taekwondo’s growing global appeal, several nations be- Women: -47kg, -52kg, -57kg, -65kg, +65kg

Para Taekwondo
long, hard path to Paris 2024 in earnest at the 2021 sides host Turkey will be sending record-sized teams. Men: -58kg, -63kg, -70kg, -80kg, +80kg
World Para Taekwondo Championships. Russia (30), Brazil (17), India (11), Kazakhstan (10), Serbia (10), Kenya (9),

Takes Stage at
The 2021 Worlds feature Para Taekwondo’s new look – more Niger (9), Georgia (6), Poland (3), Romania (1), and the World Taekwondo What to Expect
weight categories, different classifications, and updated rules. Refugee Team (one) all set records for numbers of athletes registered With just three years before Paris 2024, the 2021 World Champi-

2021 World
The G-14 event in Istanbul, Turkey, on Dec. 11-12 will offer ath- at the event. onships have attracted the vast majority of current and former
letes major rankings points in their bids to qualify for Paris 2024. Since Tokyo 2020, Para Taekwondo has updated its classifica- world champions, Paralympians, and top fighters.
One of Para Taekwondo’s traditional powers, Turkey, was the tion and weight categories. Even so, there are also a lot of empty name slots. The big-

Championships
ISTANBUL, Turkey (Dec. 10, 2021)
only country to qualify six athletes to Tokyo 2020. The host na-
tion will send a record-breaking 58 athletes to the 2021 World
Most athletes previously classified as K43 (impairments on
both arms below the elbow) and K42 (impairment on one arm
gest names missing from Istanbul 2021 are four-time world
champion and Paralympic champion Lisa Gjessing of Denmark,
Championships. above the elbow) will join their K44 (impairment on one arm be- Paralympic champion Leonor Angelica Espinoza of Peru, reign-
It is the third time Turkey is hosting Para Taekwondo’s biggest low the elbow) rivals in a single, new “super” K44 classification. ing world champions Matt Bush of Great Britain and Yujie Li of
event, following Samsun 2015 and Antalya 2019. Any athlete that has not been classified since the conclusion China, Paralympic bronze medalist Juan Samorano of Argentina
Istanbul 2021 is set to become the second-biggest Para Taek- of Tokyo 2020 must undergo classification before competing at and Paralympian Andres Molina of Costa Rica.
wondo event of all-time. The 2019 World Championships fea- the 2021 World Championships. That leaves up-and-comers with the opporuntity to earn big
tured 333 athletes `– which will not be included at Istanbul 2021. The three weight categories per gender seen at Tokyo 2020 ranking points to shoot to the top of the seedings in the new
With new poomsae rules passed just last week, the next have been replaced by five weight categories per gender that weight divisions.
Poomsae World Championships will be held in 2022. will feature at Paris 2024.
For the first time, a refugee will be competing under the
World Taekwondo flag. Newcomer Ahmad Rafiq Aladaji, from
Syria but based in Turkey, will compete for the World Taekwon-
do Refugee Team.
On the downside, the pandemic continues to plague the
sport. Due to travel restrictions related to COVID-19. and the
newly identified Omicron variant, at least four teams had to
withdraw before travelling – Afghanistan, Ghana, Japan, and
Morocco.

106 107
106 107

2021 World Para Taekwondo
Championships in Istanbul
Paralympic Revenge for
Israel and Mongolia
ISTANBUL, Turkey (Dec. 12, 2021)
T
here might have been no bigger surprise at Tokyo 2020 than
Mongolia’s four-time World Champion Bolor-Erdene Ganbat
crashing out without a medal.
He left no surprises at in Istanbul.
Ganbat had something to prove - and showed why he is one of the
most feared fighters in the sport after a dominant run to his fifth straight
world title.
After getting the day started with a 15-0 opening match win, Ganbat
used heavy kicks and dazzling technique to leave his next three oppo-
nents on the mat and unable to continue, including Paralympic Champi-
on Nathan Torquato of Brazil.
“I may not have won a medal at the Paralympic Games,” said an ex-
cited Ganbat after the match. “But I won my fifth world championship!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who trusted and
supported me and happy 30th anniversary, Mongolian Taekwondo!”
Brazil’s Silvana Cardoso announced her arrival at the top of the wom-
en’s game with a dominant run to the W-57kg world title, outscoring her
opponents 52-1 before edging out hometown favourite Gamze Gurdal
15-12 in a nervy final.
Thailand’s Khwansuda Phuangkitcha won her second straight world
title, announcing that she could be the top threat to challenge Paralym-
pic Champion Leonor Angelica Espinoza of Peru – who did not compete
in Istanbul – in the Paris 2024 qualification cycle.
Phuangkitcha bested some of the W-47kg division’s top fighters along
the way, including European Champion Dzetsun-Sholbana Kara-Ool of
Russia and 2017 World Champion Enkhtuya Khurelbaatar of Mongolia.
Israel became the latest country to join the list of Para Taekwondo
world champions after Asaf Yasur bested all comers in the competitive
M-58kg category.
Yasur, who trains with Israel’s Olympic Taekwondo team, outlasted
2019 World Championship Bronze Medalist Ali Can Ozcan 57-42 in the
day’s most entertaining and highest-scoring match. Within a single kick
108
108
Day-1
for much of the match until a break in the final 45 seconds, Yasur pulled
away at the end to win by 15. Some inspirational coaching helped.
“Coach asked me, ‘Who wants it more?’” he said after the match.
“You’re faster than anyone, you’re stronger than anyone. Don’t stop at-
tacking … if he kicks you, you kick more!”
It’s a remarkable achievement for Yasur who failed to qualify for the
Paralympic Games and lost to Ozcan by 20 points in their previous fight.
The win was a testament of the effectiveness of the new “Super” K44
classification that combines athletes formerly classified as K44, K43, and
K42 into the same division. Yasur, formerly K43, becomes the first athlete
not under the former K44 class to win a world title.
“I think it’s a great idea. I’m happy that it’s mixed,” he said after receiv-
ing his gold medal. “You need to win with what you got.”
Taekwondo’s profile has never been higher in Israel, after Avishag
Semberg won the nation’s first Olympic medal in the sport at Tokyo
2020.
Turkish Paralympic silver medalist Meryem Cavdar continued her fine
run, becoming the inaugural world champion in the W-52 g category.
Cavdar bested Paralympic Bronze Medalist Anna Poddubskaia of Rus-
sia 14-7 to win her first world title. Paralympic champion Angelica Espi-
noza of Peru did not compete.
In addition to Cavdar’s gold, Turkey took home nine medals on day
one, adding six silver and three bronzes.
Paralympian Gamze Gurdal gave World Champion Silvana Cardoso of
Brazil fits before falling in the W-57 kg final.
“My strategy was sound. I was determined to not lose to her for a third
time,” she said. “This is home. I left everything on the court.”
Turkey’s Paralympic Bronze Medalist Mahmut Bozteke won his second
straight world championship bronze medal, falling to Antonino Bossolo
of Italy, 8-5, in the semi-final.
“In Tokyo, every match was like a final,” he said. “You want to win at
home. I was really disappointed [to not win gold].”
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2021 World Para Taekwondo
Championships in Istanbul
Clash of the
Super Rivals
ISTANBUL, Turkey (Dec. 12, 2021)
H
ighly anticipated rivalry matches punctuated a day where
the speed, strategy, and power of Para Taekwondo took
centre stage at the 2021 World Para Taekwondo Cham-
pionships.
In a grudge match that had the entire arena buzzing, the two
men who have, combined, captured every major tournament
since 2014 met in the M-70 g final in a repeat of the Tokyo 2020
category final.
This time, Iran’s Mehdi Pourrahanama was able to turn the ta-
bles in a tense 3-0 fight to hand Paralympic Champion Juan Diego
Garcia Lopez of Mexico his second loss in three years.
Up 1-0 with less than five seconds remaining in the fight, Pour-
rahnama landed the only scoring kick before the buzzer to cap a
demonstration of Para Taekwondo at its most strategic.
“I’m satisfied I got my revenge – the ‘Prince of Persia’ is back!” a
buzzing Pourrahnama said afterwards. “All the other athletes think
that he’s the best. I showed everyone that I may not be the best –
but I’m not bad.”
Naimova Adds World Title to Paralympic Crown
In another hotly anticipated rematch, Paralympic Champion
Guljonoy Naimova of Uzbekistan once again got the best of 2017
World Champion Amy Truesdale of Great Britain – although this
time it was far closer.
Naimova bested Truesdale in dominant fashion at the Paralym-
pic Games to announce her arrival among the elite in the division.
The W+65kg final at the 2021 World Championships confirmed
this as a rivalry worth watching.
Truesdale was able to get past 2019 World Champion Debora
Menezes of Brazil in a captivating semi-final to set-up the salivating
rematch.
110
110
In a back-and-forth encounter that showcased the athleticism
of the division’s elite, Naimova was able to pull ahead in the final
minute to become Para Taekwondo’s only reigning World and
Paralympic champion.
“I’m in shock,” she said after her win. “The excitement is higher
at the Worlds than at the Paralympic Games because of the pres-
sure. No one expected me to win at Tokyo 2020, but here I was
the target.”
The expansion from three to five weight categories meant
there were more opportunities for more athletes to become world
champions. It also meant a shake up. This was perhaps no more ev-
ident than in the W-65kg category, which featured just one former
world champion - Seyma Emeksiz Bacaksiz of Turkey.
Paralympic Silver Medalist Beth Munro was the favourite com-
ing into the weekend, but her unexpected withdrawal left the di-
vision wide open.
Turkey’s Secil Er took advantage and vaulted herself to near the
top of the new division’s world rankings with a decisive 12-1 vic-
tory over Leylianne Ramos dos Santos of Brazil to capture her first
world title.
Paralympic runner-up and 2015 World Champion Ivan Mikulic of
Croatia came up just short at his second straight tournament – and
for the second straight time, he fell to an Iranian opponent.
Mikulic just missed out on Paralympic gold by falling to Asghar
Aziziaghdam 12-10 at Tokyo 2020. He was even closer in Istanbul,
losing by Superiority after fighting to a draw with Hamed Hagh-
shenas.
A perpetual also ran, Russian Magomedzagir Isaldibirov finally
did the business by winning his first world championship.
Runner-up at the 2014, 2017, and 2019 World Championships
Day-2
– and missing out on the Tokyo 2020 final by succumbing to a
last-second strike in the semi-final – Isaldibirov can at last add a
world championship medal to his impressive trophy case.
Isaldibirov got past a gallant effort by Joseph Lane of Great Brit-
ain by pulling away late to win 10-2. It is also the first worlds medal
for Lane.
For Kazakhstan’s Malik Mukashev’s, the world title has been a
long time coming.
Competing for years in the old K42 class against opponents
with a significant limb advantage, he was reclassed to K41 in 2019.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for seven years,” a beaming
Mukashev said. “K42 fighters always had an easier time blocking.
Today, I just went into the final thinking ‘I must win.’”
Other K41 champions include Seyedeh Nabavi of Iran in W-57
g, Dejana Backo of Serbia in W-47kg, Rinat Iakupov of Russia in
M-58kg, Vladislav Krichfalushiy of Russia in M-63kg, and Victor Al-
exandrov of Russia in M+80kg.
Host Turkey Tops Medal Table
With a record 58 athletes competing, it’s no surprise that host
Turkey topped the 2021 World Para Taekwondo Championships
medal table.
The hosts won two golds, six silvers and six bronzes to take the
overall title with 14 medals.
Russia finished in second place with 10 medals, including four
golds. Brazil finished in third with seven medals, highlighted by
Silvana Cardoso’s gold in -57kg.
Pourrahnama was named Male MVP, while Secil Er of Turkey
won Female MVP.
Team Niger was awarded the Active Participation Award after
sending a record six athletes to Istanbul.
A highlight of the weekend was the appearance of Syrian ref-
ugee Ahmad Rafiq Aldaji, who competed in his first internation-
al tournament. In a competitive fight. He fell 8-4 to Paralympian
Abulfaz Abuzarli of Azerbaijan in the Round of 32.
The 2021 World Para Taekwondo Championships are a G-14 event,
meaning champions receive 140 points for the world rankings.
111
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 'Crazy Day:'
Double Amputee Kicks
His Way to Golden Glory
At just 13 years’ old, Assaf Yasur’s arms were amputated at
the elbow.
Fast-forward six years and the Israeli kicked his way to the
gold medal at the World Para Taekwondo Championships in
Istanbul, Turkey - defeating the European champion along
the way.
Yasur, 19, beat Turkish rival Ali Can Ozcan, 57-42, to win
gold in the M-58 weight category.
“I still haven’t absorbed it,” Yasur said after his victory, not-
ing he had faced five different competitors in bouts during
the day to win the final.
“I am happy, and I am the happiest person for the path I
chose, for the medal, and for this crazy day,” Yasur said.
Though Yasur did not qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Paralym-
pic Games, his win in Istanbul sets him on the path for the
Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
He overcame great adversity to get himself into this po-
sition. When he was 13 years old and playing soccer with
112
‘I am happy, for the path
I chose, for the medal,
for this crazy day!’
his friends, their ball was kicked into an electric company
installation near his home in northern Israel.
Yasur climbed inside to retrieve the ball, but lost his bal-
ance as he was coming out. He grabbed a high-voltage
cable to steady himself - and resulting jolt caused injuries
which required both hia lower arms to be amputated.
In the years that followed, he was determined to embrace
a sport that required only the use of his legs. He decided on
Taekwondo because of its focus on bootwork.
After his story was covered by the media, he received do-
nations in order to be fitted with two prosthetic bionic arms
that he controls through brain signals.
Since he became a successful and famous athlete in Is-
rael, Yasur has become an object of admiration among the
disabled in his country, and a symbol for Paralympic sports.
113
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 Youth,
Teens Surge on Day 1 of European
Championships

SOFIA, Bulgaria (Apr. 10, 2021)

The opening day of the European Taekwondo

Championships saw the rise of youthful Taek-
wondo stars with all four gold medallists be-
ing under 20 years of age.
Spain’s Adriana Cerezo, just 17, overcame

Arise!
Romania’s Liana Musteata 6-3 in the final of
the W-49kg.
In the other women’s event of the day, the
W-46kg, Croatia’s 19-year-old Lena Stojković
beat Larisa Medvedeva from Russia 18-10 in
the final.
In the M-58kg, France’s 18-year-old Cyrian
Ravet denied Spain a second gold medal as
he beat Adrián Vicente 21-10 in the final.
Meanwhile in the M-54kg, 17 year-old Omar
Gergely Salim of Hungary beat Greece’s Di-
onysios Rapsomanikis in a dominant final
which saw him win 31-9.

118 119
 Great Britain, Russia,
Turkey Share Honors
on Europeans’ Day 2
Apr. 11, 2021
Great Britain’s double Olympic Champion Jade Jones, Russia’s
Tatiana Kudashova and Sarmat Tcakoev and Hakan Reçber, both
of Turkey, all grabbed golds on the second day of the European
Taekwondo Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Jones beat Turkey’s Hatice Kübra Ilgün convincingly - 20-5 - in
the W-57kg final. Raheleh Asemani of Belgium and Latvia’s Inese
Tarvida took bronzes.
In the W-53kg, Kudashova won her third European title as she
overcame former World Champion Zeliha Ağrıs of Turkey, 24-17.
Host nation Bulgaria’s Ilina Ivanova and Hungary’s Luca Patak-
falvy won bronzes.
The M-68kg saw Tcakoev cause a dramatic upset by beating
Great Britain’s former World Champion Bradley Sinden, 35-26 in
the final. Greece’s Konstantinos Chamalidis and Javier Pérez of
Spain took bronzes. In the M-63kg, Reçber won Turkey’s first gold
medal of the competition as he crowned an excellent run to the
final by beating Spain’s Joan Jorquera 18-12. Belgium’s Jaouad
Achab and Italy’s Simone Crescenzi won bronzes.
120
Golds for Great Britain,
Russia and Belarus on
Day 3 of Euros
Apr. 12, 2021
On the final day, Great Britain finished the European Taekwondo
Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria with two gold medals while Bela-
rus secured one and Russia won their fourth of the tournament to
finish top of the overall medal table.
It was the women’s categories in which Great Britain dominated
on the final day of competition. Three-time World Champion Bi-
anca Walkden won gold yet again in the W+73kg as she overcame
Poland’s defending champion, Aleksandra Kowalczuk who had to
withdraw due to injury. Austria’s Marlene Jahl and Belén Moran of
Spain won the bronze medals.
Walkden’s compatriot Rebecca McGowan won gold in the
W-73kg as she beat Serbia’s double Olympic Gold Medalist Milica
Mandić, 20-14. Polina Khan of Russia and Doris Pole of Croatia con-
tinued their countries’ impressive performances at the champion-
ships as they won bronze.
In the M-87kg, Russia’s Yury Kirichenko ensured his country’s po-
sition on top of the medal table as he won gold, overcoming Ser-
bia’s Mahdi Khodabakhshi who had to withdraw due to injury. Italy’s
Roberto Botta and Croatia’s Ivan Šapina took the bronze medals.
The M+87kg, saw Belarus’ Arman-Marshall Silla win gold in a dra-
matic fashion as he secured a golden point after his final against
Vladislav Larin of Russia finished 9-9 after three rounds. Iván García of
Spain and Andrei Garbar of Ukraine won the bronze medals on offer.
With Russia top of the medal table, second place went to Great
Britain and Croatia finished third.
121
 African Taekwondo Championships

As well as crowning its winners as African champions, the

2021 African Taekwondo Championships in Dakar, Sene-
gal, provided Africa’s best athletes with highly competitive

enegal
matches ahead of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Tunisia claimed the most golds, winning four over the
course of the competition. Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi took
the top spot in the M-58kg as he beat Morocco’s Omar Lake-

Hosts African
hal. Chaima Toumi won the W-53kg, beating Egypt’s Menna-
talla Medhat in the final. Fares Boujemai won the M-63kg as
he overcame Egypt’s Ahmed Nassar. And Firas Katousi won
the fourth medal for his country as he beat Egypt’s Abdel-
rahman Elsayed in the M-74kg.

Championships
One athlete who will be hoping to replicate the success
he enjoyed at Rio 2016 in Tokyo 2020, is Cote d’Ivoire’s Che-
ick Sallah Cissé. He grabbed gold in Dakar by beating Ah-
mad Rawy of Egypt in M-87kg.

for First Time

Cissé was joined by two fellow Cote d’Ivorians in winning
gold: Ruth Gbagbi beat Nigeria’s Elizabeth Anyanacho in the
W-67kg, and Aminata Traoré overcame Sabah Koutbi of Mo-
rocco in the W+73kg.
Egypt and Morocco matched Cote d’Ivoire’s success in
winning three gold medals of their own in Dakar. For Egypt,
Abdelrahman Wael won the M-68kg, Seif Eissa won the
DAKAR, Senegal (Jun. 5-6, 2021)
M-80kg and Shahd Samy Elhosseiny finished first in the
W-46kg. While for Morocco, Oumaina El Bouchti took gold
in the W-46kg, Khoulal Merime claimed the W-62kg final
and Hamza El Hacham won the M-54kg.
Niger won two golds with Abdoul Razak Issoufou winning
the M+78kg and Tekiath Ben Yessouf winning the W-57kg.
Gabon won the remaining gold on offer, as Urgence
Mouega won the W-73kg.

122 123
 African Taekwondo Championships
Epic Odyssey
across Africa
Lacking air fares, two athletes embarked
upon a 6-country, overland trip to Dakar
124
Lack of cash could not stop two Nigerian Taekwondo
athletes from competing at the 2021 African Taekwon-
do Championships. Though the Nigerian Taekwondo
Federation could not afford their travel expenses to the
championships in Dakar, Senegal, the two female fight-
ers were undaunted - and set off overland.
2015 All African Games Gold Medallist Uzoamaka Otu-
adinma teamed up with 2015 All African Games Bronze
Medalist Ifeoma Dennis Juliet to travel over 4,000 km
across six countries in order to compete.
The journey took seven days as they travelled from
their homes in Nigeria, which are more than 200km
from the capital of Abuja. The pair met in Lagos on June
25 before travelling through Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso
and Mali to get to Senegal, during which time they had
to change buses numerous times in each country.
They encountered many challenges along the way
and faced a hard time passing check points, but re-
mained committed to reaching Dakar.
Difficult moments were interspersed with enjoyable
ones as they were able to cross the beautiful continent
and see wild animals in their natural habitats.
Upon arriving in Dakar, the two were tired and foot-
sore but on time: They arrived just in time for the com-
petition weigh-in.
While the athletes did not win any medals at the
championships, their dedication to Taekwondo caught
the attention of World Taekwondo President Chungwon
Choue who was so impressed that World Taekwondo
paid for the athletes’ flights back to Nigeria for a safer
and more comfortable return journey.
Choue also arranged to speak with the pair once they
had returned to Nigeria. During the video call, Choue
praised the two women for their spirit in overcoming
challenges. He also encouraged them to use Taekwon-
do to promote social development.
Choue reiterated that World Taekwondo has support
funds available for financially challenged federations,
and can assist in providing assistance if athletes make
a request.
125
Asian Taekwondo Championships Pan American Taekwondo Championships
Medalists by Weight Category Medalists by Weight Category
DATE EVENT MEDAL NAME NOC DATE EVENT MEDAL NAME NOC

JUNE 16, 2021 M-54kg Gold BAE Jun-seo KOR JUNE 03, 2021 Men -54kg Gold ALVAREZ Melvy USA
Siver LOTFI Hossen IRI Siver RODRIGUEZ Cesar MEX
Bronze TEMIRKHAN Samat KAZ Bronze SANTOS Victor BRA
Bronze KHALIFE Mark LIB Bronze MELO Paulo BRA
Men -68kg Gold HUANG Yu-jen TPE Men -58kg Gold PLAZA Brandon MEX
Siver JIN Ho-jun KOR Siver OCHOA Jefferson COL
Bronze KAREEM Zaid JOR Bronze KIM David USA
Bronze JAYSUNOV Jasurbek UZB Bronze RAMOS Jorge CHI
Men -87kg Gold SEUNG HWAN Lee KOR Men -87kg Gold MARTINS Icaro Miguel BRA
Siver DUISEBAY Smalyi KAZ Siver SALAZAR Bryan MEX
Bronze MOHAMMAD Abdullah SYR Bronze STEWART Jordan CAN
Bronze SALAEV Shukhrat UZB Bronze PARKER Dallas USA
Women -46kg Gold ESMAEILI Negar IRI Men 87kg Gold ALBA Rafael CUB
Siver KANG Mi-reu KOR Siver HEALY Jonathan USA
Bronze KHAZAEI KOUHPAR Fereshteh IRI Bronze SANSORES Carlos MEX
Bronze AZAMOVA Shokhsanam UZB Bronze DO Robson Henrique BRA
Women -53kg Gold KAYUMOVA Charos UZB Women -46kg Gold RAMIREZ Andrea COL
Siver SU Po-Ya TPE Siver COSTA Brenda MEX
Bronze SOLTANI Ghazal IRI Bronze YONG Yvette Hui Hua CAN
Bronze KAYANI Ghazal k.f PLE Bronze SANCHO Laura CRC
Women -57kg Gold KIM Yu-Jin KOR Women -49kg Gold SOUZA Daniela Paola MEX
Siver TRAN Thi anh tuyet VIE Siver RODRIGUEZ Camila COL
Bronze KIYANICHANDEH Nahid IRI Bronze BARROS Nivea BRA
Bronze CHEN Yu-chuang TPE Bronze GONZALEZ Jackeline Ana Daniella GUA
Women -73kg Gold MYEONG Mi-na KOR Women -73kg Gold GORMAN-SHORE Madelynn USA
Siver DENIZ Cansel KAZ Siver ESPINOZA Maria MEX
Bronze ESMAEILI Zeinab IRI Bronze PEREIRA Raiany BRA
Bronze MA Ting-Hsia TPE Bronze GALACHO Raphaella BRA
JUNE 17, 2021 Men -58kg Gold REZAEE Mohsen AFG Women 73kg Gold SIQUEIRA Gabriele BRA
Siver KIM Young-hwan KOR Siver ACOSTA Briseida MEX
Bronze HADIPOUR SEIGHALANI Armin IRI Bronze RODRIGUEZ Katherine DOM
Bronze KHAN Haroon PAK Bronze GLORIA Mosquera COL
Men -74kg Gold KIM Seokbae KOR JUNE 04, 2021 Men -63kg Gold NAVARRO Carlos MEX
Siver BAKHSHI Amir mohammad IRI Siver CHANG Alejandro USA
Bronze JALALI Mahdi IRI Bronze OLIVERO Cristian Felipe CHI
Bronze TUSMTOV Shakhboz UZB Bronze SOUZA João Victor BRA
Men +87kg Gold MARDANI Sajjad IRI Men -68kg Gold PAZ David Felipe COL
Siver BEA Yoon min KOR Siver CASAS Iker MEX
Bronze RAHY Ray LIB Bronze NKOGHO Hervan CAN
Bronze RADJABOV Shokhrukh UZB Bronze MORALES Ignacio CHI
Women -49kg Gold TRUONG Thi kim tuyen VIE Men -74kg Gold LIZARRAGA Rene MEX
Siver MANNOPOVA Madinabonu UZB Siver COLON Luis PUR
Bronze KANG Bora KOR Bronze NAVA Ruben MEX
Bronze HADDAD Anna LIB Bronze CHURCHILLMARTINEZ Joaquin Andres CHI
Women -62kg Gold SADIKOVA Feruza UZB Men -80kg Gold NICKOLASJR Carl USA
Siver JEON Chae-eun KOR Siver TREJOS Miguel COL
Bronze JAVADI KOUCHAKSARAEI Parisa IRI Bronze HERNANDEZ Moises DOM
Bronze LIN Ting-ru TPE Bronze OSTAPIV Lucas BRA
Women +73kg Gold YOON Do hee KOR Women -53kg Gold GREENWOOD Makayla USA
Siver ALORA Kirstie elaine PHI Siver DIAS Leonor BRA
Bronze POURESMAEILKARANI Zahra IRI Bronze PEDROZA Yuliena GUA
Bronze YERKASSIMOVA Axaule KAZ Bronze GARCIA Renata MEX
JUNE 18, 2021 Men -63kg Gold PULATOV Niyaz UZB Women -57kg Gold PARK Skylar CAN
Siver ALHALAWANI Zaid JOR Siver LEITE Sandy Camila BRA
Bronze ZAIN Hikmatullah AFG Bronze AGUIRRE Fernanda CHI
Bronze DASHDAVAA Chinzorig MGL Bronze DILLON Faith USA
Men -80kg Gold ELSHARABATY Saleh JOR Women -62kg Gold SANTOS Caroline BRA
Siver LIU Wei-ting TPE Siver ZOLOTIC Anastasija USA
Bronze PARK Woo hyeok KOR Bronze FELIX PEREZ Anel Vaitiare MEX
Bronze RAFALOVICH Nikita UZB Bronze KRAAYEVELD Ashley CAN
Women -67kg Gold AL-SADEQ Julyana JOR Women -67kg Gold TITONELI Milena BRA
Siver MIRHOSSEINI VAKILI Melika IRI Siver TAMEZ Victoria MEX
Bronze FATNASSI Maram QAT Bronze PAGNOTTA Melissa CAN
Bronze MOKHRU Khalimova TJK Bronze SOLTERO Leslie Xcaret MEX
 Women’s Open Championships:
‘Historic Decision’
for Saudi Arabia
(Nov. 19, 2021)
T
he first-ever World Taekwondo Women’s Open
Championships, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
from November 25, has been hailed as “histor-
ic” for sport in the kingdom.
The three-day, G-4 event, the first global Taekwondo
event hosted in Saudi Arabia, aimed to lure 171 athletes
from 36 NOCs as well as a refugee team. As many as
20 Olympians from Tokyo 2020 were ready for Riyadh,
including Silver Medallists Lauren Williams from Great
Britain and Tatiana Minina from the ROC, and Bronze
Medallists Tijana Bogdanovic from Serbia, Ruth Gbagbi
from Cote d’Ivoire and Great Britain’s Bianca Walkden.
Other notable athletes include two-time World Champi-
on Jae-young Sim of Korea and Olympic Refugee Team
athletes Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin and Dina Pouryounes
Langeroudi.
Eight weight categories are to be contested -46kg,
-49kg, -53kg, -57kg, -62kg, -67kg, -73kg and open weight.
The championship is a single-elimination system with
the first two days of competition dedicated to prelimi-
naries and semi-finals. On November 27, the last of the
preliminaries and semi-finals will take place before finals
in all eight weight categories.
Winning athletes will secure 40.0 ranking points with
second and third places taking 24 and 14.4 ranking
128
points respectively.
“Taekwondo is a global sport which is open to all and
we pride ourselves on being gender equal,” said World
Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue. “We know we
can develop Taekwondo further, and by hosting the
Women’s Open Championships in Riyadh, we will help
promote gender equality in the Middle East and around
the world.”
Ten Saudi athletes will be amongst the 171 players and
85 officials from 36 countries.
The ten pioneering players representing the kingdom
will be Tayba Al Sharif, Lara Kazim, Rahaf Al Shammari,
Nuha Al Maymani, Ethar Hayyan, Sara Al Shaer, Abrar
Bukhari, Mays Al Shammari, Dunya Abu Talib and Turtila
Al Taweel. The team will be led by Nujood Al Imam in
addition to coach Fatimah Hayat and physiotherapists
Amna Al Assaf and Raghad Al Ghamdi.
President of the Saudi Taekwondo Federation Shadd-
ad Al Amri described the inauguration of the World Taek-
wondo Women’s Open Championships as, “a historic de-
cision for sport in Saudi Arabia.”
“We are fully prepared from all technical and organi-
sational aspects and the Saudi female players are raring
to go in what will be the largest Saudi team to compete
in a global competition like this,” he said.
129
 WT’s First
All-Women War
Gets Underway
in Riyadh
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Nov. 25, 2021)

The first ever World Taekwondo Women’s Open Champion-

ship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia got underway with athletes from
Russia, Korea, Brazil, Czech Republic and Great Britain making
it through to the finals.
A total of 62 athletes were in action on Day 1 of the competi-
tion, which saw some of the world’s best athletes in the female
-46kg, -62kg and +73kg classes kicking off the competition.
The -46kg category saw Russia’s Anastasiia Artamonova and
Korea’s Mi-reu Kang both advance to the final. Artamonova
came through a fierce semi-final against Portugal’s Michal Zr-
ihen, winning 2-0 via Golden Point. Meanwhile, Mi-reu Kang
overcame Morocco’s Soukaina Sahib 41-25 in a high-scoring
contest.
In the -62kg, Brazil’s Caroline Santos beat Germany’s An-
na-lena Froemming 20-3 to set up a final against the Czech
Republic’s Petra Stolbova who overcame Iran’s Kosar Asaseh
7-6 in the other semi-final.
In the +73kg, Great Britain’s Bianca Walkden overcame
Spain’s Tania Castineira 13-0 in the semi-final. Walkden will face
Russia’s Kristina Adebaio in Saturday’s final after Adebaio came
through a close contest to beat Germany’s Lorena Brandl 8-6.
Following the semi-finals, the Opening Ceremony took
place. It included an incredible performance from the World
Taekwondo Demonstration Team.

130 131
 WT's Women
Warriors Battle
it out on Day 2
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - (Nov. 26, 2021)
The second day of action at the first ever World Taek-
wondo Women’s Open Championships in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia delivered more Taekwondo action with athletes
from Russia, Iran and France making it through to the
finals on November 27.
Today’s competition saw 65 female athletes com-
peting across three weight categories: -49kg, -57kg and
-73kg.
In the -49kg, Anna Kazarnovskaia and Galina Medve-
deva both advanced through their semi-final contests
to set up an all-Russian final. Kazarnovskaia bested
Great Britain’s Maddison Moore 20-13 while Medvedeva
overcame Mexico’s Daniela Paola Souza with a final
score of 21-18.
Meanwhile, in the -57kg, Iran’s Zahra Sheidaei over-
came Great Britain’s Aaliyah Powell 17-9. She will face
Russia’s Margarita Blizniakova who advanced to the final
having convincingly beaten Poland’s Patrycja Adamkie-
wicz 20-5.
The -73kg saw both Russia’s Polina Khan and France’s
Althea Laurin advance to the final. Laurin beat fellow
French athlete Marie Paule Blé 3-0 to earn her spot in
the final. Khan, meanwhile, overcame a close contest
against Iran’s Melika Mirhosseini with a 2-0 Golden
Round victory.
132
Wide Medal
Spread at
Inaugural
Women’s Open
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - (Nov. 27, 2021)
Russia finished on top of the first-ever World Taekwondo
Women’s Open Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
with two golds, while Great Britain, Iran, Korea, Brazil, Tur-
key and Côte d’Ivoire all secured one gold medal each.
The final day of competition saw finals action across all
eight weight categories contested, with Russia securing
the top spot at the first Taekwondo event hosted in Saudi
Arabia. The Russians grabbed two gold medals, four silvers
and two bronzes to bring their final medal tally to eigh
It caps a vintage year for Team Russia, which earlier this
year won the Taekwondo competiton at Tokyo 2020.
It was Galina Medvedeva who took home Russia’s first
gold of the event after she won by superiority against fel-
low Russian Anna Kazarnovskaia in the -49kg. Daniela Paola
Souza of Mexico and Maddison Moore of Great Britain won
the bronze medals on offer.
Russia’s second gold came in the -73kg, with Polina Khan
also winning by superiority in her matchup against Althea
Laurin of France. Iran’s Melika Mirhosseini and France’s
Marie Paule Blé took the bronze medals.
In the -46kg, Korea’s Mi-reu Kang bested Russia’s Anastasiia
Artamonova 29-28 in a fiercely close contest. Soukaina Sahib
of Morocco and Michal Zrihen of Portugal won bronzes.
Brazil’s Caroline Santos overcame the Czech Republic’s Petra
Stolbova 11-5 to claim gold in the -62kg. Meanwhile, Germa-
ny’s Anna-Lena Froemming and Iran’s Kosar Asaseh secured
bronzes.
Three-time World Champion Bianca Walkden of Great
Britain won gold in the +73kg as she overcame Russia’s Kristina
Adebaio 10-3 in the final. Tania Castineira of Spain and Lorena
Brandl of Germany took bronzes.
The final of the -57kg saw Iran’s Zahra Sheidaei come
through a close, low-scoring contest to beat Russia’s Margarita
Blizniakova 2-0. Aaliyah Po well of Great Britain and Patrycja
Adamkiewicz of Poland took the bronze medals.
Merve Dincel of Turkey took gold in the -53kg after over-
coming Spain’s Alma Maria Perez Parrado with a 3-0 Golden
Point Round victory. Russia’s Tatiana Minina and Margarita
Alieva won bronzes.
In the -67kg, Olympic Bronze Medallist Ruth Gbagbi from
Cote d’Ivoire bested France’s Magda Wiet Henin, 11-5. Germa-
ny’s Vanessa Koerndl and Great Britain’s Lauren Williams won
the bronze medals.
With Russia topping the medal table in Riyadh, second place
went to Great Britain and Iran finished third overall.
Following her victory, Team GB’s Walkden - who has massive
experience at the sport’s elite level, spanning Grand Prixes,
Grand Slams, Olympics and Worlds - was full of praise for the
event and its organizers.
“It’s good that I’ve come back with a gold medal. I’m very
proud of that, but to do it here in the first women’s champi-
onships in Saudi Arabia, it’s history,” she said. “It’s starting the
next generation off, the future off.”
She added, “The venue is unreal, they have definitely taken
care of us and looked after us. Saudi Arabia has put on the
best competition I’ve seen and I’m thankful and grateful to be
here.”
133
 SEOUL, Korea (Jun. 23, 2021)
Cyber Sparring
Takes Taekwondo
into Tomorrow
Technology enables
cross-border,
cross-category,
cross-weight bouts
Soon, Taekwondo fighters won’t have to be in the same
weight category, the same gender category - or even on the
same continent - to compete with each other.
In a boundary-smashing move that has widespread impli-
cations for the future, World Taekwondo announced virtual
sparring as the latest outcome of its pioneering partnership
with high-tech firm Refract Technologies.
Coinciding with Olympic Day, World Taekwondo pre-
viewed the future with Virtual Taekwondo – an immersive,
non-contact virtual sport which uses highly accurate, re-
al-time motion tracking of a player’s full body movements to
turn Taekwondo skill into virtual competition. Players’ bod-
ies are transformed into gaming controllers as they kick and
punch the avatar of their real-life, real-time opponent in a
one-on-one format.
134
Not only does the virtual sport remove physical barriers. It
levels multiple playing fields, creating new opportunities for
players to compete across genders, weight classes and abili-
ties, as well as geographies.
World Taekwondo is planning virtual Taekwondo compe-
titions as early as 2022 - a move that is in synch with IOC in-
itiatives.
“World Taekwondo has been at the forefront of innova-
tive technology adoption and have long been committed
to aligning with the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020 and now
2020+5 vision in growing digital engagement,” said World
Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue. “Through this, we
can nurture a new generation of virtual athletes united by the
Olympic values of respect, friendship and excellence.”
“We are excited to support World Taekwondo and have our
system tested at the highest levels by professional athletes,”
added Michael Chng, CEO of Refract Technologies, which
aims to launch a Kickstarter campaign for the game controller
this August. “With advances in 5G, artificial intelligence, and
edge-cloud processing, usage of extended reality devices
will become a way of life in the near future.”
World Taekwondo entered into an agreement with Re-
fract Technologies in 2018 to develop its virtual sport pro-
grams and enable the federation to promote physical activity
through technological innovation.
One of the key projects was Virtual Taekwondo, which uti-
lizes AXIS. Built with gaming in mind, AXIS is a full-body mo-
tion tracking system which allows players maximum freedom
of movement to use their bodies as game controllers.
In 2019, two virtual concepts were showcased to IOC Presi-
dent Thomas Bach during the 2019 World Taekwondo Cham-
pionships.
In 2020, the need for virtual sport was magnified around
the world by COVID-19.
Partly in response to the challenges posed by the unprec-
edented pandemic, World Taekwondo organized the Online
World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships to allow people
to keep active from the safety of their own homes. The feder-
ation now organizes these online events every quarter; they
are also open to refugees and persons with disabilities.
As part of the virtual Taekwondo ecosystem, World Taek-
wondo also launched a poomsae education textbook app to
teach official poomsae in a convenient, accessible, and high-
tech format.
135

Goyang , Korea, to Host 2022's
World Poomsae Championships
With the world still struggling against the COVID-19 pandem-
ic, major sports events have been suspended. But against the
odds, the World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships are on
scheduled to go ahead in Korea’s Goyang City in April 2022.
The Goyang 2022 World Taekwondo Poomsae Champion-
ships, from April 21-24, is expected to welcome around 2,000
athletes and officials from some 70 countries.
“The online poomsae championships we have held during
the pandemic have been a great success and demonstrated
that Taekwondo can be practised anywhere, any time,” said
World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue. “However,
nothing quite compares to having all the athletes together in
person and being able to watch them compete against other
in real time.”
The World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships started in
2006; at the 2018 championships held in Taipei, some 1,200 ath-
letes from 59 countries participated. The 2020 championships,
136
which had been scheduled to take place in Denmark, were can-
celled due to the pandemic, and they were instead held later
on a virtual platform in order to comply with social distancing
regulations.
Fans of the format are thus excitedly waiting for this year’s
championships, which will be the first with a big crowd in four
years. It will also be the first one to be held in Korea since the
2007 event in Incheon.
World Taekwondo also plans to relocate its headquarters to
the city, which is a north-western suburb of Seoul.
“This is the first major international sports event held in Go-
yang in 13 years, since the 2009 World Weightlifting Champion-
ships,” Goyang Mayor Jae-joon Lee said. "We will execute it with
precision to enhance the status of Taekwondo and the brand
value of Goyang.”
The city's world-class exhibition space, KINTEX, wil be the
location.
Goyang,
WT Clasp Hands
GOYANG, Korea (Sept. 14, 2021)
A signing ceremony of the host city contract for the 2022 World Taekwondo
Poomsae Championships was held at Goyang City Hall on Sept. 14.
The ceremony was attended by World Taekwondo President Chungwon
Choue, Mayor of Goyang Jae-joon Lee and President of the Korea Taekwondo
Association Jin-bang Yang. The city was selected by the World Taekwondo
Council in May 2020.
“Next year’s poomsae competition will be an opportunity to leap forward
internationally as a city of Taekwondo,” said Mayor Lee.
“I am confident that next year’s poomsae competition will be the most
successful poomsae competition ever,’ Choue vowed.
Yang promised maximum efforts for the success of the championships.
The first World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships was held in 2006 and
attracted 590 athletes from 59 athletes. The discipline has grown significantly
in popularity over the last 15 years as it provides a non-combat alternative to
kyorugi, ensuring Taekwondo is truly a sport for all.
Last year’s world championships were held online for the first time as COV-
ID-19 prevented the event from being held physically. More than 1,500 ath-
letes from nearly 100 countries took part in the event.
137
 The first Online World Taekwondo Poomsae Open Challenge
concluded today with a spectacular final, which saw athletes
from six different countries claim the golds on offer.
Online Poomsae Challenge I :
A total of 99 teams with 159 athletes from 26 countries com-
peted in the final across nine different categories.
Korean athletes won the two gold medals in the National
Virtual Poomsae
Team Individual Male and Individual Freestyle Male Competi-
tions while Iran took a clean sweep of the Individual Female
and Individual Freestyle Female competitions.
In the Open competition, gold medals were shared be-
Storms Cyperspace
tween Thailand, Korea, USA, Iran, Spain and Italy demonstrat-
ing the universality and accessibility of the sport.
The final was streamed on pre-recorded video on the World
SEOUL, Korea (Apr. 28, 2021)
138
Taekwondo YouTube channel. Those who progressed from the
semi-finals held on April 18-21 were joined in the final by 12
teams who won medals at the Online 2020 World Taekwondo
Poomsae Championships last year.
The Open Challenge series will be held throughout the year
in June, September and December, and aims to provide Taek-
wondoin with access to the sport, wherever they are.
The Open Challenge II in June will comprise Family (Pairs
and Team), Cadet, Refugee categories. The Open Challenge
III in September will comprise Family (Pairs and Team), Senior,
Para Taekwondo categories. The Open Challenge Grand Final
in December will see invitations for the top eight participants
in each of the previous editions.
139

World Taekwondo Poomsae
Open Challenge Series:
A Spectacular
Season Finale
SEOUL, Korea (Dec. 27, 2021)
140
The spectacular Online 2021 World Taekwondo Poomsae
Challenge Final brought to a close the first ever virtual
poomsae series to run throughout 2021m and delivered
Taekwondo competition to thousands of people around the
world.
The final, on December 1-23, drew the top eight finishing
athletes from each category of the previous three Open Chal-
lenges from 2021. A total of 459 athletes from 43 countries
competed across 54 categories in the event, split into two The Open division was split across 32 categories:
divisions: National Team category and Open category. · Individual (Recognized Poomsae)
The full results from the final can be found on the WT · Children (Under 8, Under 10, Under 12), Cadet (12-14)& Junior (15-17)
website. · Senior (Under 30, Under 40, Under 50, Under 60, Under 65, Under 70
World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue said: and Over 70)
“The 2021 World Taekwondo Poomsae Challenge has been · Pair & Team (Recognized Poomsae)
a great success and allowed Taekwondoin of all ages and abil- · Family Pair (6 divisions): Sibling/Couple/Father + Daughter/Father
ities to practice the sport competitively, wherever they are. +Son/Mother + Daughter/Mother + Son
This month’s grand final brought together the best perform- · Family Team A (3 Family members, 2 Generations)
ers from throughout the series. Across both the National and · Family Team B (3 Family members, 3 Generations)
Open divisions, they showed just how much Taekwondo tal-
ent there is globally. However, the Poomsae Open Challenge
is not just about the best; it is about everyone coming to-
The National Team division was split across 22 categories in the Final:
gether practicing Taekwondo and having fun.”
· Individual (Recognized Poomsae / Freestyle Poomsae)
The Open Challenge series began in March with an official
· Recognized Poomsae–Cadet (12-14) & Junior (15-17)
category for Junior National Team athletes (15-17 years old)
· Recognized Poomsae –Senior (Under 30, Under 40, Under 50, Under
and an Open Category for Juniors, to an individual catego- 60, Under 65, and Over 65)
ry and families to participate in pairs and teams. In June, the · Freestyle Poomsae –Cadet (12-14) & Junior(15-17)
Open Challenge II was open to families in pairs and teams as · Freestyle Poomsae–Senior (Over 17)
well as to cadets and refugees. The Open Challenge III again
included categories for families in pairs and teams.
A total of 1,746 athletes from 67 nations competed during
the Open Challenge series I, II, III and the Final.
The series was launched to build on the great success of
the first-ever Online World Taekwondo Poomsae Champion-
ships November 2020.
141
Part 2
AROUND WT
 Vatican Joins WT
as 211th Member
SEOUL, Korea (Nov. 23, 2021)
A
thletica Vaticana – Vatican Taekwondo was to-
day recognized as the 211th Member National
Association of World Taekwondo.
The city state was approved as the latest member of
the world Taekwondo family via an electronic vote of the
World Taekwondo General Assembly.
That makes World Taekwondo one of only two inter-
national federations with a Vatican sport entity among
its MNAs.
Taekwondo has been taught in the Vatican after Fed-
erazione Italiana Taekwondo (FITA) partnered with the
Saint Pius X Institute to organize a course for the stu-
dents of the seminary at the end of 2020. The course saw
20 boys aged between 13-17 practice Taekwondo three
144
times a week as part of their curriculum.
World Taekwondo has developed a close relationship
with the Vatican in recent years through a shared com-
mitment to promoting peace.
The World Taekwondo Demonstration Team per-
formed in Vatican City in 2016 during the 1st Global Con-
ference on Faith & Sport.
In 2017, World Taekwondo President Chungwon
Choue and President of FITA Angelo Cito were received
by Pope Francis in Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City,
where Choue presented His Holiness with an honorary
10th dan black belt.
The following year, World Taekwondo performed an
historic demonstration in St Peter’s Square in front of
Pope Francis and thousands of people gathered from all
over the world for the Pope’s General Audience.
“Taekwondo is a universal language, it does not matter
what your religion or beliefs are; where you are from, or
who you are; we are all united through Taekwondo,” said
Choue. “With the Vatican, World Taekwondo shares many
common values and we believe strongly in the power of
sport to promote respect, friendship and peace. I am sure
the creation of this new MNA will help further strengthen
Taekwondo and its values around the world.”
“By introducing Athletica Vaticana into the greater fam-
ily of World Taekwondo, I hope we will be able to help
others to connect the high ethical values of Taekwon-
do to a robust spiritual life, and strengthen the bridge
between eastern and western cultural traditions,” said
Undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture Msgr.
Melchor Sanchez de Toca. “Together we can contribute
to the common good of society, by spreading moral and
physical strength, self-discipline, overcoming one’s limits,
respect for others and joy of life, which are characteristics
of Taekwondo.”
Giampaolo Mattei, President of Athletica Vaticana –
Vatican Taekwondo added: “Such recognition aims at en-
couraging the practice of Taekwondo as a sport among
children and adults with a strong focus on inclusion of
people with impairments and solidarity.”
145
 WT Council Proposes Changes
to Elevate Governance to
Highest Level
SEOUL, Korea (April 20, 2021)
In a virtual Extraordinary Council Meeting on April 20, the World
Taekwondo Council approved proposals to revise its statutes,
as part of its commitment to upholding the very highest stand-
ards of good governance.
The proposed revisions will be put to an electronic vote of
the WT General Assembly before being applied.
The revised statutes were developed based on a review of
ASOIF-survey indicators and ASOIF-recommended best prac-
tices. WT’s Juridical and Integrity Committees were closely
involved in all proposed revisons. The result is key changes to
term limits, age limits, gender balance targets, Council struc-
ture, and intellectual property guidance.
“The proposed changes to the statutes, which we have ap-
proved today, are critical in supporting our efforts to ensure
that World Taekwondo becomes one of the most sustainable
and innovative International Federations (IFs),” said WT Presi-
dent Chungwon Choue. “Today, we gave a clear signal that we
want to proactively change and be a model IF for others to fol-
low, instead of following others.”
The Council approved the following amendments:
Term Limits
Elected officials will only be able to serve a maximum of three
consecutive terms in any role before a break of at least four
years. Elected officials can also only accumulatively serve a
maximum of three terms in any one role.
Age Limits
For new candidates to apply for elected positions, they must
be less than 70 years old on the day of the election. Current
sitting members must be less than 80 years old on the day of
the election.
Gender Balance
As part of World Taekwondo’s commitment to supporting ac-
tive participation of women at all levels of Taekwondo, the fed-
eration will seek to achieve gender equal representation within
its council, commissions and committees by 2029.
146
Council Structure
The total number of Council members will remain the same,
at 37. However, the number of appointed members will be
reduced and the number of elected officials will be increased
by four. With this step, World Taekwondo strengthens its de-
mocracy and improves its gender balance. At least one elected
member per continent will be female. And the female with the
highest number of votes will be elevated to the position of WT
vice president.
Continental Unions
To mirror World Taekwondo, a minimum of two thirds of the
Continental Union Council members should be elected by their
General Assembly. Model statutes will be provided by World
Taekwondo with the unions obliged to adopt the statutes at
the latest by July 9, to apply new rules to the upcoming Octo-
ber election.
Intellectual Property
World Taekwondo will issue new guidance on the use of its
name and logo to its members.
The revised rules will be submitted for approval by the General
Assembly via an electronic vote. Pending their approval, they
will be applied at the president and council elections to be held
on October 11, 2021.
An ad-hoc Election Committee has been formed and will
be chaired by Vice President Aicha Garad Ali. Jean-Marie Ayer,
chair of the Member Relations and Development Committee,
and Jung-heon Kim, chair of the Poomsae Committee, will also
serve on the Election Committee.
The election guidelines will be distributed by no later than
May 11 and the deadline for receiving candidatures will be July
11. The elections will go ahead virtually.
A minute’s silence paid respects to departed Council Mem-
bers Ahmed Fouly and Milan Kwee.
Council Meets Prior to
Virtual General Assembly
SEOUL, Korea (Oct. 11, 2021)
The World Taekwondo Council met virtually today ahead of the
General Assembly on Oct. 12, which will see the elections of the
president, council members and auditor.
World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue opened the
meeting by congratulating those elected and re-elected to their
respective continental union councils. They are:
Issaka Ide (Niger) – African Taekwondo Union President
Kyu-seok Lee (Republic of Korea) – Asian Taekwondo Union
President
Sakis Pragalos (Greece) – European Taekwondo Union Presi-
dent
John Kotsifas (Australia) – Oceania Taekwondo President
Juan Manuel Lopez (Mexico) – Pan American Taekwondo Un-
ion President
The elected presidents of the Continental Unions are ex-of-
ficio vice presidents of World Taekwondo. President Choue also
thanked the Continental Unions for working closely with World
Taekwondo to support the collective aim of becoming one of
the best and most respected international sports federations.
Choue summed up the recent Olympic and Paralympic events,
held amid the trying circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The high was obviously the very successful completion of the
Taekwondo competitions at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. We
also had a fantastic debut at the Paralympic Games,” he said. “We
managed to showcase a lot of good things about Taekwondo
– fair competitions, high standards of refereeing, respect from
everyone, and a new generation of champions who will be the
names to watch out for in years to come.”
While the competitions were a great success, World Taekwon-
do is constantly striving to improve and has created an ad-hoc
committee to look at how to further refine competition rules to
make Taekwondo more exciting and dynamic.
The Council also received an update from Honorary Vice Pres-
ident and Chair of the Interim Management Committee of the
Pan American Taekwondo Union (PATU) Ivan Dibos on the steps
taken to bring the organisation into compliance with good gov-
ernance and best practice.
The agenda for the General Assembly was approved and a re-
port on the World Taekwondo Election Committee for the 2021
World Taekwondo elections was also delivered.
The elections will see a record number of female candidates
standing, reflecting the federation’s ongoing commitment to in-
creasing women’s representation in the sport.
World Taekwondo Secretary General Hoss Rafaty delivered the
operations report and there was also approval of the financial
report.
147
 Chungwon Choue Re-Elected
World Taekwondo President Elected Council Members
SEOUL, Korea (Oct. 11, 2021)

AFRICA

Driss EL HILALI Margaret Elizabeth Mohamed

(Morocco) BINGA SHAABAN
(Nigeria) (Egypt)

ASIA

Ahmed Hamdan Jin-bang YANG Kook-hyun JUNG Nadin DAWANI

ALZEYOUDI (Korea) (Korea) (Jordan)
(UAE)

EUROPE

Anatoly TEREKHOV Angelo CITO Anna VASSALLO Metin SAHIN Auditor: Ali SA-
Chungwon Choue was today re-elected as World World Taekwondo as we aim to become one of the (Russia) (Italy) (Malta) (Turkey)
GIRKAYA
Taekwondo President for the term 2021-2025 by best and most respected international sports federa- (Turkey)
electronic vote during the virtual World Taekwondo tions by our 50th founding anniversary in 2023.”
General Assembly 2021. Choue’s vision for World Taekwondo over the next
Choue was the sole presidential candidate and four years also includes launching new and exciting
OCEANIA PAN AMERICA
received 129 of the 131 votes. He has served as WT properties, increasing women’s representation in the
president since 2004 and has overseen a transfor- federation, and advancing the significant progress
mational period in the sport’s history with a focus made in virtual Taekwondo.
on making Taekwondo fairer, more transparent and A total of 17 World Taekwondo Council members
more inclusive. were also elected during the General Assembly
“It is a great honour to have been re-elected as from a pool of 33 candidates. Among the 17 elected
president of World Taekwondo and to lead our great Council members are one female member per Con-
sport forward,” Choue said after the vote. “Over the tinental Union to ensure greater gender equality. Hassan ISKANDAR Jamie Lee CARPEN- Inseon KIM Maria Rosario Mario MANDEL Richard Jay WAR-
past year and a half, we used the time we had to reset Maria Rosario Borello from Guatemala, who re- (Australia) TER (USA) BORELLO (Chile) WICK
(New Zealand) (Guatemala) (USA)
our operations. Now, it is time to restart and elevate ceived the highest vote of the female candidates,
“Elevated to Vice
World Taekwondo to the top. Now more than ever, was elevated to WT vice president.
President”
we need to stand united and have harmony. There- During the elections Ali Sagirkaya was voted in as
fore, I sincerely wish for the CUs to work closely with auditor.
148 149
 New Officials Appointed
at First-Ever Council
Orientation As Council Members, President Choue appointed:
SEOUL, Korea (Nov. 4, 2021)

Samira Asghari Her Highness Jean-Marie Ayer Maher Magableh Anna Panka Pimol Srivikorn
Sheikha Jameela

“We are delighted to announce our newly appointed vice
presidents and council members who will bring vast experience
and contribute significantly to World Taekwondo,” Choue said.
“We have a very strong and diverse membership in the Council
and I am looking forward to working closely with them in the
weeks and years ahead. Over the past 18 months, we at World
Taekwondo have been preparing ourselves for this moment. In
a sense, it will be a new world but we will emerge better and
stronger, together.”
Choue also announced that he has created an ad-hoc com-
mittee for the 50th anniversary of World Taekwondo which will
be celebrated in 2023.
For the orientation of Council members, the World Taekwon-
do secretariat covered the federation’s vision, mission, values
and strategic priorities, history and structure; its support for
stakeholders, education and social responsibilities; the status of
World Taekwondo; external relations and partnerships; World
Taekwondo events; communications; Para Taekwondo; and
GMS. There were also presentations on the mandates of Council
members.

Vice President Yangwoo Park

World Taekwondo today hosted its first-ever orientation

meeting for the recently elected members of the World
Taekwondo Council and also appointed its remaining
Council members and vice presidents.
World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue, as per
the World Taekwondo Statutes, has the authority to appoint
two vice presidents and six Council members. During the
orientation meeting, President Choue appointed IOC Mem-
ber Aicha Garad Ali and Korea’s former Minister of Culture,
Sport and Tourism Yang-woo Park as vice presidents.
The one remaining appointed Council member will be
announced in due course. Pimol Srivikorn will continue as
treasurer. There are currently 10 female members represent-
ing 31% of the Council. World Taekwondo is committed to
achieving gender parity on the body by 2030, at the latest.
Vice President Aicha Garad Ali

150 151
 World Taekwondo Hosts
Continental Union and
Committee Meeting to
Facilitate Greater Cooperation
SEOUL, Korea (Jan. 4, 2022)
World Taekwondo began the new year with a meeting
of Continental Union heads and WT Committee chairs
to emphasise the importance of everyone working to-
gether, and to reveal a headquarters restructuring.
“The reason we are meeting today is because 2022
is going to be a very important year for us: After a dif-
ficult two years in 2020 and 2021, this is the year when
World Taekwondo will restart our operations,” WT Pres-
ident Chungwon Choue said. “We have used these
two years to reset and rethink: how can we become
stronger during and after the pandemic? That is why I
want all of us to work together - to have better harmo-
ny and cooperation, and to be of service to our MNAs.”
In order to streamline operational efficiency, Choue
also announced the restructuring of the federation’s
headquarters into five key departments: Planning and
Finance (including the President’s Office); Sport and
Event Management; Member Relations and Develop-
ment; Education; and Administration and Communi-
cations.
Jeongkang Seo was appointed Director General. He
will also serve as WT’s Acting Secretary General until a
new secretary general is appointed. Previous Secretary
General Hoss Rafaty’s term has expired.
Continental Union presidents and Committee chairs
provided updates. One of the major items was the
World Taekwondo-promoted championships which
will take place this year, including the World Taekwon-
do Poomsae Championships, World Taekwondo Jun-
ior and Cadet Championships and many other recog-
nised events.
152
Due to the ongoing pandemic and for the health
and wellbeing of all attendees, the World Taekwondo
Championships are expected to take place in the final
quarter of 2022. Wuxi will not be hosting this year’s
World Championships, so a new host city will be an-
nounced in the coming weeks.
Ten MNAs have expressed their interest in hosting
the rescheduled Worlds, which are expected to take
place in November of this year. Once the bid process is
completed and the host is selected by the Council, the
exact dates and location will be announced.
It was acknowledged that given the ongoing uncer-
tainties around the pandemic, great flexibility will be
required this year. Protecting the health and wellbeing
of the World Taekwondo family will remain the priority.
Choue reiterated the federation’s commitment to
implementing the highest standards of good gov-
ernance and thanked everyone for their cooperation
and support in order to set best practice examples for
MNAs to follow.
Work will continue this year to prepare for the fed-
eration’s Golden Jubilee next year, and the activities
which will celebrate World Taekwondo’s 50th found-
ing anniversary.
Finally, it was agreed that the first Council Workshop
will take place in Bangkok, should COVID-19 and travel
restrictions allow. Otherwise, the Council will meet vir-
tually for its first meeting of 2022, on January 28.
153
 2022 World The decision was taken in a vote during today’s online extraordinary Council meeting

Taekwondo Championships
which focused on restarting World Taekwondo Competitions. The Council considered bids
from Baku (Azerbaijan), Beirut (Lebanon), and Cancun (Mexico) for the World Championships

Awarded to Cancun
with representatives from each of the three cities delivering presentations during the meet-
ing. Following the presentation an electronic vote was held and Cancun was awarded the
Championships with 52% of the vote.
For the 2023 World Taekwondo Cadet Championships, Queretaro (Mexico) and Sarajevo
SEOUL, Korea (Jan. 28, 2022) (Bosnia and Herzegovina) presented their candidacies to the Council. Sarajevo was awarded
the event with 92% of the vote.

World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue said:

“We are delighted to announce Cancun and Sarajevo as the hosts of the 2022 World Taek-
wondo Championships and 2023 World Taekwondo Cadet Championships respectively. Both
cities presented very strong bids and we have no doubt they will deliver wonderful compe-
The World Taekwondo Council awarded the 2022 World
titions. Mexico has a proud history in hosting excellent World Taekwondo events including
Taekwondo Championships to Cancun and the 2023 World
World Championships and Grand Prixes and we are sure Cancun will build on this heritage. For
Taekwondo Cadet Championships to Sarajevo
Bosnia and Herzegovina, it will be the first time they have hosted a World Taekwondo event
and we believe this will act as a catalyst for the further growth of the sport in the country.
Today’s meeting showed how much interest there is in hosting World Taekwondo events and
we are committed to restarting our competitions this year in a safe and successful manner.”
The World Championships had been scheduled to take place in Wuxi, China in April 2022
following the postponement of last year’s Championships due to COVID-19. However, Wuxi
withdrew from hosting the event this year due to the ongoing pandemic and to protect the
health and wellbeing of all athletes, officials and organizers.
On April 21-24, World Taekwondo will also host the World Taekwondo Poomsae Champion-
ships in Goyang, Korea. During the pandemic over the last two years, World Taekwondo has
hosted the online Poomsae challenge series which has allowed grassroots athletes all over the
world to engage in the sport.
During the Council meeting, President Choue announced the World Taekwondo Children’s
Championships will be launched to engage young people in the sport. The Council also
passed amendments to the competition rules for more dynamic and exciting competitions.
It was also explained that Kukkiwon has nominated Mr. Chunjae Park as their representa-
tive in the World Taekwondo Council as per the Statutes and he will be invited to the next
meeting.
The next Extraordinary Council meeting will take place in Goyang in a hybrid format during
the World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships.

154 155
 World Taekwondo announced the chairs of the World There is 34 percent female representation - well short

Meet WT’s Latest Commission,

Taekwondo Committees and Commissions for the peri- of World Taekwondo’s drive to achieving gender parity in
od 2021-2023 with a series of re-appointments and new the committees within this decade. Still, one commission
appointments, including the first ever female chair of and four influential committees are chaired by women –

Committee Chairs
the Referee Committee.Amely Moras from the USA is
among the newly appointed chairs and is not only the
first female to lead the Referee Committee but at 35. is
SEOUL, Korea (Dec. 10, 2021) the youngest of the Committee and Commission chairs.
Moras previously served as vice-chair of the committee
and has extensive refereeing experience including at the
recent Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Member Relations and Development Commission, Referee
Committee, Juridical Committee, Para Taekwondo Classifi-
cation Committee, and Taekwondo for All Committee.
The chairs will play an important role in ensuring that
the committees and commissions continue to identify
ways to improve World Taekwondo and deliver the very
best sport for its athletes and all stakeholders.

List of Chairs (in alphabetical order of the Commissions first then Committees):

Chair of the Member Relations and Chair of the Chair of the Chair of the Chair of the Medical & Chair of the Para Taekwondo Com-
Development Commission Technical Commission Education Committee Juridical Committee Anti-Doping Committee mittee
Chair of the Development Committee

Maria Rosario BORELLO CASTILLO Songchul KIM Hassane SADOK Lorenza MEL Dae Hyoun JEONG Chakir CHELBAT
Guatemala Canada France Italy Korea Sweden
newly appointed newly appointed newly appointed re-appointed re-appointed re-appointed
BORELLO CASTILLO serves as a World Taek- KIM was former Chair of the World Taekwon- SADOK is President of the French Taekwondo
wondo Vice President do Referee Committee Federation and President at the University of
Littoral, France

Chair of the Chair of the Chair of the Integrity & Ethics Com- Chair of the Para Taekwondo Classifi- Chair of the Chair of the
Finance Committee Games Committee mittee cation Committee Poomsae Committee Referee Committee

Pimol SRIVIKORN Mohamed SHAABAN Jean-Marie AYER Hadwah MOAWAD Jungheon KIM Amely MORAS
Thailand Egypt Switzerland Saudi Arabia Korea USA
re-appointed re-appointed newly appointed newly appointed re-appointed newly appointed
SRIVIKORN is World Taekwondo Treasurer SHAABAN serves on the World Taekwondo AYER is a World Taekwondo Council member MORAS is the first female referee chair in
Council and former secretary general World Taekwondo’s history

Chair of the Taekwondo For All Chair of the Athletes Committee – To be elected
Committee New members will be elected during the World Taekwondo Championships,
after which the co-chairs will be elected amongst the members
Hadwah MOAWAD
Chair of the Sustainability Committee – To be appointed
Chair of the Coaches Committee – To be elected

156 157

Prominent VIPs Address
WT Peace Festival
SEOUL, Korea (Nov. 22, 2021)
158
The World Taekwondo Peace Festival was held
in Seoul, Korea, on Nov. 22 to celebrate the 20th
anniversary of Olympic Taekwondo and the 40th
anniversary of the UN International Day of Peace.
The event, which took place at the Seosomun
Shrine History Museum in Seoul, was jointly pro-
moted by World Taekwondo (WT), by the NGO
GCS International, and by the UN Association of the
Republic of Korea.
The festival, which lasted about two hours, fea-
tured a 20-minute Taekwondo performance by the
WT Demonstration Team, an opening ceremony,
and a one-hour peace concert.
Shortly after the performance, there was
an opening ceremony, in which WT President
Chungwon Choue delivered a speech, followed
by congratulatory remarks by Vice Sport Minister
Jung-bae Kim, former UN Secretary General Ki-
moon Ban, and UN Association-Korea President
Ho-jin Lee.
IOC President Thomas Bach also delivered a con-
gratulatory video message.
Choue said in his opening remarks, “Since 2000,
Taekwondo has featured in six consecutive Olym-
pic Games. Throughout the past 21 years, Taek-
wondo has not only brought excitement to fans
around the world; Taekwondo has also created a
pathway for refugees, displaced persons, and the
underprivileged to fulfil their sporting dreams. In
Tokyo, we had four Taekwondo refugee athletes
competing for the very first time in the Olympic
and Paralympic Games.”
Choue, who has also serves as president of GCS
International since 2006, did not end his remarks
there. “I sometimes wish that there is no such
things as a UN International Day of Peace, because
we should all live in a peaceful world every day,” he
went on. “Unfortunately, there is no such utopian
world....we, as global leaders, have a role to play in
nurturing generations to live in harmony and re-
spect. In a world of peace.”
Ban fondly recalled Choue’s father, Dr. Young
Seek Choue, in his speech. “It was Dr. Choue who
initiated the very idea of International Day of Peace.”
In his congratulatory video message, IOC Presi-
dent Bach said: “Today’s festival is more than cele-
brating the long history of Taekwondo as an Olym-
pic sport. Today you are putting the spotlight on
the unique power of sport to unite the entire world
in peace.
159
 “Peace - this was also central to the
thinking of the founder of the IOC, Pierre
de Coubertin. When he revived the Olym-
pic Games 127 years ago, he saw them as a
way to promote peace among nations and
peoples,” Bach said.
“This is why I would like to thank World
Taekwondo under the great leadership of
President Choue for organizing this festival
that celebrates sport, peace and solidarity,”
Bach concluded.
The peace concert featured eight songs.
Mezzo-soprano Nam-ok Paik performed
“Song of Peace.”
Then Korean Soul, a famous Korean
black gospel group, performed “Oh Hap-
py Day,” followed by “Yo Soy Maria” by the
Jazz Quartet.
Band Leenalchi, a seven-member group,
performed “Tiger is Coming” and “Please
Don’t Go.”
The Korean Adopted Children Choir per-
formed “Magnolia Blossom,” which was
written by GCS founder Young Seek Choue
and composed by Dong-jin Kim, and John
Lennon’s peace anthem, “Imagine.”

160 161
 Taekwondo
Joins 2021
DMZ Peace
Festival
The 2021 DMZ Peace Festival was held successfully in Paju, Korea,
on June 20, 2021.
The 2021 DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) Peace Festival, the third of
its kind, was jointly promoted by GCS International, a Seoul-based
UN-affiliated NGO, and the Kukmin Ilbo daily.
The event, which was held at the Theater Hall of the Munsan
Administrative Welfare Center in Paju, north of Seoul and near the
DMZ, was supported by World Taekwondo; the Korea Ministry of
Culture, Sports and Tourism; GCS Korea Chapter, and the Korea Fair
Play Committee.
Because of the COVID-19 situation, a maximum of 100 people
were allowed to participate in the 2021 fest.
The 2021 DMZ Peace Festival, the third of its kind, was jointly pro-
moted by GCS International, a Seoul-based UN-affiliated NGO, and
the Kukmin Ilbo, a daily newspaper.
The event, which was held at the Theater Hall of the Munsan
Administrative Welfare Center in Paju, north of Seoul and near the
DMZ, was supported by World Taekwondo; the Korea Ministry of
Culture, Sports and Tourism; GCS Korea Chapter, and the Korea Fair
Play Committee.
Because of the COVID-19 situation, a maximum of 100 people
were allowed to participate in the annual event, in which the WT
162
Demonstration Team and the GCS Global Peace Corps Taek-
wondo Heroes Team conducted performances.
The event, which was broadcast live via YouTube, drew dig-
nitaries such as GCS International and World Taekwondo Presi-
dent Chungwon Choue; Kukmin Ilbo President Jae-woon Byun;
Dong-sup Lee, president of the Kukkiwon; Kyung-duk Kim, pres-
ident of the Gyeong Gi-Do Taekwondo Association; Huh Jong,
president of the GCS Korea Chapter; Myung-ho Seung, a board
member of GCS International and chairman of the Hankook Ilbo
daily; and Kwang-kyun Lee, a board member of GCS Interna-
tional.
There was an award ceremony for 54 winners of the 2022
DMZ art contest by Cooperation Act, a US NGO.
The ceremony was followed by Taekwondo performances
by the GCS Global Peace Corps Taekwondo Heroes Team and
the WT Demonstration Team, drawing big applause from the
participants.
US House of Representatives Members Michelle Park Steel
and Young Kim sent their respective congratulatory video mes-
sages for the 2021 DMZ Peace Festival.
“I hope the 2022 DMZ Peace Festival will be COVID-19 free
and draw more than 10,000 people, as we saw at the inaugu-
ral 2019 DMZ event at the Imjingak Peace Nuri Park in Paju,”
said Choue during his opening remarks. “I also hope that the
Taekwondo Demonstration Team of the North Korea-led Inter-
national Taekwondo Federation will perform at the 2022 DMZ
World Festival.”
163
 Ide Honored with
Order of Merit of Africa
ABUJA, Nigeria (Sept. 30, 2021)
World Taekwondo Vice President Issaka Ide received an “Or-
der of Merit of Africa” during the celebration of the 40th An-
niversary of the Association of National Olympic Committees
of Africa (ANOCA).
The celebration was held in Abuja, Nigeria, on Sept. 29-30,
2021. The order was presented in the presence of the minis-
ters of sport of Algeria, Egypt, Ghana and Nigeria.
Ide, who is also president of the Nigerian NOC, was invited to
the ceremony in his capacity as acting president of the Afri-
can Taekwondo Union. The Order of Merit was awarded to
him in appreciation of his commitment to promoting African
Taekwondo.
164
Srivikorn Honored by
Korean Government
BANGKOK, Thailand (Feb. 4, 2021)
World Taekwondo Council Member and President of the
Taekwondo Association of Thailand Pimol Srivikorn has
been awarded the Order of Sports Merit Award from the
Korean government.
The Order of Sports Merit is awarded to those who have
rendered outstanding meritorious services in the interest
of improving citizens’ physiques and national status though
sports. Only a handful of foreigners have received the order.
Srivikorn is the first Thai to have been awarded this prestig-
ious honour.
In his role on the World Taekwondo Council and long-stand-
ing position as president of the Taekwondo Association of
Thailand, Srivikorn has made a major contribution to the de-
velopment of Taekwondo not just in Thailand but around
the world.
Srivikorn joins notable individuals who have been presented
with the award, including IOC President Thomas Bach and
IOC Member Gunilla Lindberg.
Srivikorn and his family were invited by Wook-heon Lee, Ko-
rean ambassador to Thailand, to receive the award.
165
 Italian Federation Bags
Taekwondo Day Award
SEOUL, Korea (Sep. 10, 2021)
WT President Chungwon Choue delivered the Taekwondo
Day Award to the Italian Taekwondo Federation via video
conference on Sept. 10.
Choue had earlier recommended to the Korean Ministry of
Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) that the Italian Taekwon-
do Federation receive the award to recognize its multiple
achievements and contributions to Taekwondo.
“Congratulations! This award is recognition of the truly excel-
lent work the Italian Federation has done in raising champion
athletes, hosting world-class competitions and promoting
Taekwondo. including the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foun-
dation, on the world stage,” Choue said. “Thanks go to all at
the federation - especially its leader, Angelo Cito.”
Cito, the president of the Italian Taekwondo Federation and
also a WT Council member, said he was honored to receive
the award and thanked both WT and the MCST.
The award is gifted by the MCST as part of its efforts to pro-
mote Taekwondo Day, which falls on Sept. 4. Related cele-
brations could not be held this year because of the COVID-19
pandemic.
166
Taekwondo Day is celebrated every year in commemoration
of the IOC’s decision on that date in 1994 to include Taek-
wondo on the Olympic program.
Team Italy won a gold in Tokyo 2020, following a gold in Lon-
don 2012, and its athletes are consistent medalists at Europe-
an, World and Grand Prix Championships.
Italy has also proven to be a reliable host of regional and
world-class events, including the 2005 European Cadet
Championships, the 2008 European Championships and the
2011 European Poomsae Championships. Since 2018, Rome
has been established as the only permanent host of one leg
of the annual Grand Prix Series.
Moreover, the Italian Taekwondo Federation has delivered a
range of off-the-mats achievements that have promoted the
sport’s image worldwide.
In 2018, the WT Demonstration Team performed at the Vat-
ican in front of the Pope. WT medal winners of the Roma
Grand Prix have also been granted the extraordinary privi-
lege of being photographed in the city’s famous Colosseum.
Russian Taekwondo Awarded after
String of Global Successes
SEOUL, Korea (Jan. 12, 2022)
On behalf of the Korean Ministry of
Sport and Tourism, World Taekwondo
President Chungwon Choue today
presented a certificate of commenda-
tion to Russian Taekwondo Union Pres-
ident and World Taekwondo Council
Member Anatoly Terekhov in recogni-
tion of his excellent service and contri-
bution to Taekwondo’s development.
Under Terekhov’s leadership, the coun-
try’s athletes have enjoyed remarkable
success internationally.
Russian players led the international
medal table at Tokyo 2020 with two
golds, one silver and one bronze, while
three of their four Paralympic athletes
won bronzes. Russians also won one
gold, two silvers and one bronze at the
2019 World Taekwondo Champion-
ships in Manchester.
These successes show a massive ad-
vance over the single silver medal won
at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Russia has also hosted the 2015 World “I am honoured to have received this
Taekwondo Championships in Chelya- commendation and would like to
binsk, and the 2018 World Taekwondo sincerely thank the Korean Ministry
Grand Prix and 2019 World Taekwondo of Sport and Tourism and President
Grand Prix Finals and Gala Awards in Choue for his nomination,” Terekhov
Moscow. said. “My team and I at the Russian
Taekwondo Union have worked very
Choue, who nominated the Russian
hard over the last seven years to raise
Taekwondo Union for the commen-
the standards of Taekwondo in Russia
dation, and presented the certificate to
and this commendation is a tribute to
Terekhov virtually, was full of praise for
our collective success.”
Russian Taekwondo’s trajectory.
During the call, Terekhov expressed
“President Terekhov has made a huge
his hope of meeting Choue in person
contribution to the development of
soon. Choue proposed the two meet
Taekwondo in Russia and led them to
at SportAccord this year.
be one of the sport’s most successful
countries,” Choue said. “Their out-
standing performance at Tokyo 2020
in both the Olympic and Paralympic
Games reflects how far they have
come under his leadership.”
Choue also paid tribute to Russia’s ex-
cellence as a host of prestigious Taek-
wondo events.
167
 Fouly Posthumously Awarded World Taekwondo Mourns
Medal by Korean Government Singapore's Milan Kwee
SEOUL, Korea (Apr. 30, 2021) Seoul, Korea (Mar. 10, 2021)

The late Ahmed Fouly, a Sports and Tourism Hwang Hee in the presence of World
former vice president of Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue.
World Taekwondo, was to-
“In his capacity as President of Taekwondo Africa, General
day posthumously award-
Fouly oversaw the meteoric rise of Taekwondo in his re-
ed the Cheongryong Med-
gion,” Choue said. “Five medals from Africa under his lead-
al, the highest Order of
ership at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games truly demonstrated
Sport Merit from the Kore-
the universality of Taekwondo. Taekwondo is now one of
an government, in recog-
the most popular sports in Africa, and continues to pro- World Taekwondo paid its respects to Milan
nition of his outstanding
duce champions on and off the mat. Kwee at a memorial altar set up at the federa-
contribution to the prop-
Fouly sadly passed away from natural causes on Sept. 27. tion’s headquarters in Seoul.
agation and development
of Taekwondo. 2020. Kwee, who passed away on March 9, is a former
He served as vice president of World Taekwondo and pres- president of the Singapore Taekwondo Feder-
He was recommended by World Taekwondo for the award,
ident of the African Taekwondo Union from 2004 until his ation and a former Council member of World
given his exceptional work in promoting and developing
passing. Taekwondo. One of the most well-liked of WT’s
Taekwondo in Africa.
VIPs, Kwee was noted for being consistently up-
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Fouly’s family could not travel He was also president of the Egyptian Taekwondo Federa- beat and positive.
to Korea to receive the award on his behalf, so the medal was tion from 2000 to 2009 and from 2012 to 2014.
The memorial altar stood for three days.
delivered to the Ambassador of Egypt to Korea, Hazem Mo-
In 2009. he became vice president of the Egyptian Olym-
stafa Ibrahim Fahmy.
pic Committee and held that position for four years.
The award was presented by the Korean Minister of Culture,

168 169
 WT Gender Equity and Women Leadership
Forum Charts Path For Female Participation
SEOUL, Korea (Mar. 10, 2021)
World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue expressed his
hope that the Gender Equity and Women Leadership Forum,
will create a meaningful legacy for women in Taekwondo.
The second edition of the virtual forum took place on March
6-7, and was co-hosted by UK Sport.
“Through the World Taekwondo Gender Equity and Wom-
en Leadership Forum, we have created a platform to showcase
the achievements of women in and through sport,” Choue
170
said at the forum. “The forum is not just for World Taekwondo,
but an initiative to work with other organizations to advance
the values of gender equity and equality together. I hope the
World Taekwondo Gender Equity and Women Leadership
Forum will create a pathway and legacy for women for many
years to come.”
“There is much to celebrate and we have made positive pro-
gress in the journey but it is an ongoing journey and there is
no time to stop,” said UK Sport Chair Dame Katherine Grainger,
who shared her journey from Olympian to sports leadership.
“We can use this weekend to feel energized and re-inspired to
continue on the quest for genuine equity.”
“We should all feel a sense of responsibility,” she added. “We
all have a role to play whatever position we may be in and that
individual and collective responsibility will make a positive
change.”
Distinguished speakers included IOC Executive Board Mem-
ber and Vice Chair of the IOC Women in Sport Commission,
HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein who spoke of the need to ensure
that gender equity was addressed at every level of sport. IOC
Member and President of World Rowing Jean-Christophe Rol-
land shared his federation’s active role in advancing gender
equality through institutional changes.
Jordanian National Commission for Women’s Affairs Sec-
retary General Dr. Salma Nims delivered a powerful and
thought-provoking presentation on gender equality during
the ongoing pandemic. She was joined by Dr. Lisa Hindson,
Advisor for Games Planning, Venue Operations, Readiness and
Knowledge at the IOC, who spoke of sport event manage-
ment during COVID-19.
A session was dedicated to psychology in sport. It saw con-
tributions from IOC Senior Sports Intelligence Manager Nicco-
lo Campriani, Sarah Broadhead, Team GB Sports Psychologist,
and Dana Touran, member of the World Taekwondo Develop-
ment Committee.
The final session involved a Q&A with inspiring young Taek-
wondo female ambassadors including Para-Taekwondo ath-
lete Maisie Catt who has aspirations to represent Team GB in
the future.
171
 Zimbabwe’s Teenage
Taekwondo Trainer Natsiraishe
Maritsa Wins IOC Women and
Sport Award for Africa
BEIJING, China (Feb. 3, 2022)
172
Natsiraishe Maritsa, an 18-year-old Taekwondo trainer from Zim-
babwe, has today been recognised for her selfless efforts to use
Taekwondo to empower young girls in her community, as she was
awarded the Winner for Africa at the IOC Women and Sport Awards.
Maritsa drew global attention in 2021 as the story spread of how
she was fighting child marriage in Zimbabwe through a combi-
nation of Taekwondo and discussions about the dangers of early
marriage. Maritsa founded the Vulnerable Underaged People’s Au-
ditorium Initiative in 2018 and teaches young girls taekwondo to
instil self-confidence and create a safe space where they can share
concerns and experiences and discuss issues such as child pregnan-
cy and gender-based violence and harassment.
Maritsa said:
"Taekwondo tenets empowered me to fight for child marriages
and had positive results to people who I impacted the Taekwondo
tenets to. With Taekwondo we are indeed champions of freedom,
justice and peace."
Maritsa was nominated for the award by World Taekwondo who,
like so many around the world, were inspired by her actions. Maritsa
was invited to speak at the 2nd World Taekwondo Gender Equity
and Women Leadership Forum in March last year and was one of
the highlights of the forum. World Taekwondo has also been work-
ing with the Zimbabwe Taekwondo Association and the Korean
government-funded Taekwondo Promotion Foundation to send
equipment and supplies to support her initiative. World Taekwondo
will continue to monitor her journey and provide the necessary help
along the way.
World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue said:
“Natsiraishe thoroughly deserves this award in recognition of the
crucial work she is doing in supporting young women in her com-
munity. Her determination to reduce inequalities through sport and
raise awareness through the global media has also helped these
vulnerable women and girls to attend school and receive quality
education. It is truly inspirational to witness her contributions to the
Sustainable Development Goals and Olympic Agenda.”
The IOC Women and Sport Trophy represents opportunity, rec-
ognition and empowerment. Each year, the IOC Women and Sport
Awards are given to women, men or organisations who have made
remarkable contributions to the development, encouragement and
reinforcement of women and girls’ participation in sport.
173
 WT-FISU University
Sports and Peace Forum Held
SEOUL, Korea (Apr. 30, 2021)
The first World Taekwondo-FISU University Sports and Peace
Forum was held virtually on April 30 as both organisations
came together to promote the role of sport as a vehicle for
world peace and harmony.
The forum aimed to seek positive solutions and develop pro-
active suggestions to improve current difficulties through sport
bringing people together. it comprised the sub themes of Hu-
manity, Social Justice and Gender Equality and saw World Taek-
wondo President Chungwon Choue deliver a keynote speech
alongside FISU Acting President Leonz Eder.
Following the keynote speeches, delegates heard from UN-
HCR Refugee sport Coordinator and Taekwondo Humanitarian
Foundation (THF) Board Member Claude Marshall; FISU Execu-
tive Board Member Delise O’Meally; and FISU Executive Board
member and Gender Equality Committee Chair Rosaura Men-
dez Gamboa.
Marshall’s speech centred on humanitarian support for ref-
ugee youth and the vital role of sports. Speaking from his ex-
174
perience with the UNHCR and the THF, Marshall addressed the
value of sport for refugee youth and what university students
can do to help. O’Meally addressed social justice and university
sport; looking at the growing movement to speak out against
social injustice, particularly racial injustice, and how university
sports can engage. Mendez Gamboa discussed how sport can
be a powerful tool for inclusion, and the work FISU is doing in
promoting gender equality.
The forum was moderated by Russell Ahn, vice chair of the
WT Taekwondo for All Committee and Taekwondo Technical
chair of FISU.
Choue and FISU President Oleg Matytsin developed the idea
for the forum during the Napoli Summer Universidade in 2019.
The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understand-
ing that same year and committed to creating a World Uni-
versity Sports Peace Corps which will cultivate future leaders
through various sporting, training, and education programmes.
175

Captured picture on NBC #AGT YouTube
The World Taekwondo Demonstration Team un-
leashed an eye-popping display of kicks ‘n tricks in
the finals of the “America’s Got Talent” TV show on
Sept. 14, showcasing the sport to an entirely new
audience estimated at 10 million for the season.
Though they did not, ultimately, win the com-
petition, their months-long odyssey from the
preliminaries through to the season’s grand finale
capped a difficult, but ultimately triumphant year
for Taekwondo. It followed the sport’s COVID-de-
fying showing with the rest of the Olympic family
in Tokyo 2020, and its triumphant debut on the
Paralympic stage.
For the TV show, the team blended their trade-
mark high-octane, high-altitude Taekwondo skills
with inspirational messaging.
In June, the 24-member team had won the Gold-
en Buzzer from host Terry Crews during the audi-
tion round.
In the quarterfinals, the team fired off a three-min-
ute routine that ended with the message, “Peace
is more Precious than Triumph.” That prompted
Judge Simon Cowell to exclaim, “I love your mes-

Taekwondo’s
sage, I love your talent, I love your ambition - This is
what ‘America’s Got Talent’ is all about!”
At the semifinals on Aug. 31, their performance

Got Talent! held nothing back in terms of physical spectacle.

Demo Team reach final of hit
American TV Show
“The danger level is off the charts!” an awed Crews
commented. The theme was overcoming disasters
and living together with hope. The team ended
their performance by unfurling a banner which
read: “Goodwill, Cooperation, Service.”

176 177
 At the finals on Sept. 14, the theme was recognizing,
respecting, and harmonizing to overcome confrontation
and antagonism. The flawless display of martial skills,
seamless choreography and athletic excellence won a
standing ovation from the show judges.
“This is a show!” said Judge Heidi Klum. “If you see this
live, I don’t care if you’re five or 95 - bring your whole fam-
ily. I could watch a two-hour show just of this!”
Prior to their finals performance, a member of the team
said, in a video message, “This journey has given us an
unbreakable bond and has absolutely made us stronger.”
In audience voting on Sept. 15, Dustin Tavella was
crowned the season's winner, taking home a $1 million
dollar prize and a bagging show in Las Vegas. His act
blended magic tricks with moving anecdotes about fam-
ily and relationships.
Even though the Demo Team did not go all the way,
World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue was full
of praise.
“I want to personally thank every single member of the
WT Demonstration Team for showcasing our sport’s high-
est skill levels, as well as its positive values, in such enter-
taining style,” he said. “This initiative has taken Taekwondo
out of the stadia and into the living rooms of millions of
Americans – an entirely new audience for us. Thank you!.”

178 179
 Demo Team Win Golden Buzzer on
France’s Got Talent
RUEIL-MALMAISON, France (Oct. 20,2021)
The World Taekwondo Demonstration Team continue to amaze audi-
ences around the world as they today secured the Golden Buzzer at the
auditions of France’s Got Talent and are now fast tracked to the show’s
final in December.
The team put on a spellbinding performance which captivated the
celebrity judging panel and those watching in the audience. Multi-mil-
lion record selling singer Hélène Ségara decided the performance was
worthy of the final and pressed the Golden Buzzer. Fellow judges, ma-
gician Eric Antoine, comedian Sugar Sammy and singer, actress, tv host
and fashion designer Marianne James, shared Ségara’s praise for the act.
The 12 members of the Demonstration Team were joined by seven
members from France to total a team of 19, plus the head coach. The
performance began with four female warriors showcasing different
Taekwondo techniques before the male members of the team joined
them and demonstrated energetic and acrobatic board breaking.
France’s Got Talent is in its 16th season and is broadcast on French
channel M6.
The WT Demo Team has previously wowed audiences on the Italian
and US editions of the global franchise.
180
Demo Team Take Flight at
Aerospace Show
SEOUL, Korea (Oct. 20, 2021)
The World Taekwondo Demonstration Team today
performed at the pre-opening ceremony of the
Seoul International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition
(ADEX 2021), held from Oct. 19-23, 2021.
Ahead of the opening of the event which is being
held at Seoul Airport in Seongnam-si, Korea, the team
delivered a spectacular 15-minute performance.
President Moon Jae-in and more than 300 people,
including decretaries of defence, chiefs of staff and
service personnel from 45 countries attended the
opening ceremony.
A total of 440 companies from 28 countries are
participating in the five-day indoor and outdoor ex-
hibition to introduce cutting-edge military and aerial
technologies.
World Taekwondo is exhibiting at the event with
a booth which promotes the excellence of the sport
to visitors.
The ADEX show originated as the “Seoul Air Show”
in 1996 and is now Korea’s largest exhibition special-
izing in aerospace and defence products.
181

Presidents’ Messages
WT Continental Union
182
AFRICAN
TAEKWONDO
UNION
Issaka Ide
I would like to congratulate the wisdom and
foresight that guided the re-election of Pres-
ident Chungwon Choue at the head of our
federation. I would like to take this opportunity
to congratulate all the members elected dur-
ing the different sessions and meetings of our
great sports organization.
As you have followed in the news, the Af-
rican Taekwondo Union has also taken center
stage with the election of its new board. We
extend our congratulations and encourage-
ment to the elected officers.
All of you have been and continue to be
particularly challenged by the ongoing COV-
ID-19 pandemic. I would like to emphasize
and rejoice in the good resilience of our Con-
tinental Union under the authority of World
Taekwondo.
We can recall the good organization of the
12th African Taekwondo Championship, held
June 5-6, 2021 in Dakar by the Senegalese Fed-
eration of Taekwondo. The Continental Union
also held its first meeting of the Council in
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with the very good re-
ception of the dynamic Ivorian Federation of
Taekwondo.
I cannot forget the great, first-ever Women’s
World Taekwondo Championship, from No-
vember 25-27, 2021, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In
the context of the promotion of gender equal-
ity in the discipline of Taekwondo, this event
was undoubtedly a success.
For World Taekwondo, the end of one year
andthe beginning of a new one is an ideal time
to look ahead. Our plans are important for the
development of Taekwondo on the African
continent and around the world.
More than ever, it is urgent to develop the
skills of all actors of our sport, whether athletes,
coaches or referees.
In this perspective, it will be necessary to
promote the education of members. This can
be done through training programs. The ex-
perts and the human resources qualified to
supervise such meetings exist. It is necessary
to take advantage of them judiciously for the
good of our sport.
Following the example of President Choue
and the World Taekwondo Council the events
that took place during the year clearly indicate
a real desire to promote Taekwondo. We hope
that the new year will continue to inspire and
invigorate us in our aspiration to bring World
Taekwondo to the heights of Olympism.
This time of greetings is indeed a time of
hope.
With thanks and congratulations to all the
members of the African Federation and the
World Taekwondo, we also wish you a great
year in 2022. Receive, all of you, our best wishes
of health and success and progress for World
Taekwondo in this new year.
ASIAN
TAEKWONDO
UNION
Kyu Seok Lee
Dear Taekwondo family, I hope all your wishes
come true in the new year.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which has dis-
tressed us since the year before last, still has no
end in sight. In addition, a new variant, Omi-
cron, has appeared, making us nervous and
threatening our free life.
However, where there is a beginning, there
is always an end, therefore, I believe that our
Taekwondo family can overcome these diffi-
culties better than anyone else with the mental
and physical strength acquired while training
Taekwondo.
As you all well know, the Olympic Games
are the largest sporting celebration held every
four years, and Taekwondo kyorugi is one of
the Olympic events.
The ancient Olympic Games took place in
Greece and ended after the 293rd Games in
AD 393 in the Roman era. Afterwards, Pierre
de Coubertin from France organized the IOC
in 1894, and the first modern Olympic Games
were held in 1896 in Athens. it was revived
to promote international peace as well as the
completion of humanity through sports.
The word “sport” is derived from the Latin
word “dispotare,” which settled in the modern
world through the French word “desporte” and
English word “disport.”
The original definition of the word refers
to entertainment, consolation, refreshment or
satisfaction. “Des” and “dis” have a meaning of
departing from daily work.
In sum, “sport” means any physical activities
for the purpose of refreshment or satisfaction
away from the actual life. The characteristics
of sports are, firstly, to have sociality; secondly,
improvement; thirdly, sincerity and positivity;
and fourthly, freedom and equality.
Today, many people enjoy sports, and
through sports events, the bonds between na-
tions and people are strengthened and friend-
ship is promoted.
The final goal of sports is to establish reg-
ulations and compete accordingly to pursue
victory. Athletes and coaches make a lot of ef-
fort to win at the competition and participate
in the competitions so that they can achieve
the results of their efforts.
Moreover, regardless of whether we win or
lose, we try hard again for the next competi-
tion and in this process, we achieve self-com-
pletion.
Dear Taekwondo family: I hope all of us stay
healthy and happy in the new year with posi-
tive energy.!
EUROPEAN
TAEKWONDO
UNION
Sakis Pragalos
Let me start by wishing you and your loved
ones a wonderful and blessed new year!
The European Taekwondo family can look
back at an amazing year. Our main event in 2021
was the Tokyo Olympics. European athletes de-
livered amazing results with five gold, six silver
and eight bronze medals, making these Games
the most successful for Europe in the history
of the Olympics! A few weeks later, Taekwon-
do made its historic debut at the Paralympic
Games and also here, European athletes were
very successful. With one gold, three silver and
five bronze medals, the European Paralympic
athletes delivered an astonishing result!
Europe restarted its event cycle in 2021 and
hosted multiple events. Bulgaria was the host of
the G4 European Senior Championships as well
as the European Qualification event for the To-
kyo Olympics, and delivered excellent events.
The Presidents Cup was hosted by Turkey, and
Estonia hosted an ETU event for the first time.
Bosnia and Hercegovina was the stage for the
European Junior championships and Portugal
hosted the 15th European Poomsae Champi-
onships. Also, our members started to re-open
their open international events and with appro-
priate corona virus precautions, events were
successfully hosted throughout Europe.
Even so, due to the pandemic, many activ-
ities were postponed. The ETU held many on-
line activities, such as as poomsae competition,
coach training, education and online meetings.
In 2021, the ETU decided to host its General As-
sembly and Council meeting in person. It was
such a pleasure to see all officials and friends
again and the meetings were very successful.
We have our first female vice-president and
more female Council members than ever be-
fore. It was a great honor to be re-elected as
president of the ETU by our members and for
their support I will be for ever grateful.
In 2022, the ETU will continue its mission of
“Innovations in Motion.” European rankings for
cadets and juniors will be continued as well as
Generation 24 events focusing on the devel-
opment of youngsters. The establishment of
the European Taekwondo Performance Center
will reach new horizons. For the first time, the
ETU and host San Marino will host the Euro-
pean Championships for Small Countries. Also,
for the first time, the ETU will host a European
Championship in Self-Defense - a high-level
event for a different target group. Our referee
team is developing fair and transparent referee
evaluation criteria. Para Taekwondo remains a
priority of the ETU. with the establishment of
the European Paralympic Taekwondo Union.
The next step will be to gain the recognition of
the IPC and further implement an organization
which will fully focus on the development of
Paralympic Taekwondo in Europe.
OCEANIA
TAEKWONDO
John Kotsifas
2021 was another challenging year as a result
of the COVID-19 pandemic. As was the case in
2020, we were again unable to host our nor-
mal scheduled events for our MNA’s and our
athletes.
However, the Tokyo Olympics saw eight
Oceania athletes chasing their dreams. They
included one Para athlete, Janine Watson, who
became Oceania’s first Paralympic medallist,
winning bronze.
2021 was a year that saw a review of our
governance and constitution, together with
that of all Continental Unions. We havs re-
structured in a significant way. One third of our
newly elected Council now comprises females,
showing the greater diversity and gender bal-
ance in our Council and committee structures.
The restructuring also results in five Olym-
pic athletes forming part of our Council struc-
ture, of which two are Olympic medallists
(2000 Olympics and 2021 Paralympics). Janine
Watson also heads up the Oceania Athletes
Committee as its chair.
We expect and hope that 2022 will provide
much needed relief in our ability to engage
with our MNA’s and to finally host scheduled
events which are now rescheduled to take
place in Tahiti in November 2022. There are five
G-ranked events to be held in 2022:
Presidents Cup G2
Tahiti Open G2
Oceania Open Para G4/G2
Oceania Championships (seniors juniors, ca-
dets and mixed teams events) – G4
Oceania Poomsae Championships – G2
We now await the rescheduling of the WT
World Championships in the last quarter of
2022, together with numerous other events
that were all postponed in 2021.
I look forward to meeting our Oceania fam-
ily members face to face in 2022 and I wish
everyone a safe, healthy and prosperous year.
PAN AMERICAN
TAEKWONDO
UNION
Juan Manuel Lopez Delgado
In 2021, the world lived a new present. We
learned the true sense of brotherhood and
teamwork. Humanity began the road to eco-
nomic reconstruction, and the sports commu-
nity experienced an unprecedented Olympic
Games.
Firstly, I want to congratulate the Tokyo
2020 + 1 Organizing Committee as an exam-
ple of organized work and desire to achieve
a dream. And all those countries that little by
little opened their doors to welcome the inter-
national community again, and who received
the Taekwondo family.
But even more, I salute the resilience of the
athletes who came to these Olympic Games.
The mental and physical strength they showed
sets an example to all of us who love Taekwon-
do. To the athletes, referees, coaches, officials,
and practitioners who follow our sport: “Thank
you” for showing that Olympism unites us all.
PATU also underwent a historical transfor-
mation. Since Oct. 9, we have been working
hard to return transparency and good govern-
ance to our continent, and I am very sure that
we will achieve it with the help of the Council!
For the first time on the Continent, we saw
the Junior Pan American Games in Colombia as
the first of many projects that I am committed
to successfully delivering.
I want to send my best wishes for celebra-
tion, unity, joy, health, and prosperity to the
entire Taekwondo family. 2021 has been a year
of lessons that offers new and exciting chal-
lenges.
2022 will be total activity. Thanks to the ex-
ceptional leadership of President Choue, Taek-
wondo will be able to stand up like never before.
At my end, I will enjoy greeting you all again.
183
Part 3

SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
 Crown Prince of
Fujairah donates
USD100,000
to Taekwondo
Humanitarian
Foundation
FUJAIRAH, UAE (Feb. 6, 2022)

T
he Crown Prince of Fujairah, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed
Bin Hamad Al Sharqi, announced during the Opening
Ceremony of the Fujairah Open in Sheikh Zayed Sport
City that he will be donating USD 100,000 to the Taekwondo
Humanitarian Foundation (THF).
This is the third time the Crown Prince has made a gen-
erous donation having also previously donated in 2017 and
2020. He has previously spoken of the refugee crisis being of
the greatest facing to humanity and offered his full support
to the THF and the work it does in empowering refugees.
World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue said:
“We are very grateful for His Highness’ generosity and con-
tinued commitment to supporting the THF in the vital work it
conducts around the world. The money he has donated will
make a real difference in the lives of so many refugees who
participate in THF programmes.
“We would also like to congratulate His Highness on the
success of the Fujairah Open and the ongoing development
of Taekwondo in the UAE.”
The Fujairah Open is a G2 event with about 1,400 athletes
and 350 officials from 56 countries plus Refugee team reg-
istered to compete. Syrian refugee Wael Fawaz Al-Farraj is
competing in the event and became the first refugee athlete
from the Azraq Camp in Jordan to compete in an internation-
al taekwondo event outside the country.
The World Taekwondo Demonstration Team performed at
the Opening Ceremony of the Fujairah Open on 6 February.
The event concludes on 8 February.

186 187
 Refugee Athlete Wael Fawaz
Al-Farraj Competes Abroad
for First Time
R
efugee Taekwondo athlete Wael Fawaz Al-Farraj made
history at the 9th Fujairah Open in UAE, as the first Syri-
an refugee athlete living in the Azraq Camp in Jordan to
compete in an international tournament outside the country.
The 19-year-old, competing under the World Taekwondo flag,
took part in the Arab Cup in Fujairah, UAE on Feb. 3-4, 2022 before
competing in the 9th Fujairah Open on Feb. 6-8 in the M-74kg
category.
Wael was the first refugee to graduate to a black belt from the
Azraq Humanitarian Taekwondo Center back in 2017, paving the
way for another 15 athletes to attain this achievement since then.
Since June 2018, he was also a refugee athlete Olympic Solidarity
scholarship-holder for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue said, “Over the
years, Wael has been a shining example of how refugee athletes
can pursue their dreams through sport. His participation is a fan-
tastic achievement and endorsement of the joint humanitarian
efforts of World Taekwondo, the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foun-
dation, the International Olympic Committee, and the Olympic
Refuge Foundation.”
188
President Choue also thanked the authorities in Jordan and the
United Arab Emirates for creating a pathway for Wael to fulfil his
dreams.
IOC President and ORF Chairman, Dr. Thomas Bach, also ex-
pressed his pride at Wael’s participation and urged for the contin-
ued support to refugees around the globe.
Wael had previously taken part in a number of Taekwondo
competitions in Jordan including the Asian Qualifications for the
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the Asian Junior Championships
in 2019. However, the Arab Cup and Fujairah Open mark the first
time he has competed outside of Jordan.
In recognition of their dedicated services and outstanding
contribution to the development of Taekwondo, and for the
Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation, President Choue present-
ed appreciation plaques to Wael’s coach, Asef Sabah who is the
head coach of the Humanitarian Taekwondo Center and to Ms.
Farah Al Asa’ad, MENA Coordinator for THF.
189

On the occasion of the International Day of Sport for
Development and Peace (IDSDP), children from the
Zaatari and Azraq Refugee Camps in Jordan had the
opportunity to take part in online training sessions
aimed to transmit to the young participants the posi-
tive values of sport and to encourage them to stay ac-
tive and healthy during these challenging times.
Over 150 girls and boys participated with great en-
thusiasm in this virtual celebration, organized by Peace
and Sport in cooperation with the Taekwondo Human-
itarian Foundation (THF) and NGO Blumont, and with
the support of UNHCR Jordan.
All shared moments of fun, discovered new sports,
and experienced together the joy of practice.
The coaches of the “Live Together” program in
Zaatari Camp and the Taekwondo Academy in Azraq
190
Young
Refugees
from Camps
in Jordan
Connect via
Sports
SEOUL, Korea (Apr. 6, 2021)
Camp combined their coaching experience with their
knowledge on sport for development and peace to ed-
ucate the young participants on the role that sport can
play in their lives.
Thanks to training sessions in Kickboxing, Self-de-
fense, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, and Teqball, the young
participants shared a fun experience, and at the same
time, learned values that will help them to overcome
challenges and become respectful and peaceful per-
sons.
The joint performance of the “Poomsae for Peace”
choreography designed by the THF’s coaches contrib-
uted to creating bonds among boys and girls living in
Zaatari and Azraq.
Virtual interaction with two Champions for Peace,
Maria Toorpakai, a professional Squash player from Paki-
stan, and Pascal Gentil, a Taekwondo Olympic medallist
from France, provided a great moment of sharing and
exchange for all children and coaches.
Joël Bouzou, president and founder of Peace and
Sport, said: “This virtual April 6 celebration, connect-
ing children and coaches from two different refugee
camps, once again demonstrates
that sport has no barriers. Even in the most difficult
circumstances, sport brings people together; it gives
hope and promotes resilience. This is the message of
April 6, and through this virtual celebration, we made
it a reality.”
“This year’s International Day of Sport for Develop-
ment and Peace is a reminder of our shared responsi-
bility to contribute to a peaceful and inclusive society
through sport,” said THF President Chungwon Choue.
“For many youth and children in the Azraq and Zaatari
Refugee Camps, sport provides them with a dream to
overcome their realities. Let’s help end the pandemic
by ensuring everyone is protected from COVID-19. Let’s
level the playing field and recover better.”
All participants also joined the rest of the world
by participating in the global #WhiteCard campaign
launched by Peace and Sport to celebrate IDSDP.
By raising their #Whitecards, the young participants
and their coaches shared a message of resilience, sol-
idarity and hope.
The “Live Together” program introduces sport as an
innovative tool to tackle the social issues affecting ref-
ugees in Zaatari Camp. The program is supported by
the government of Monaco and the Jordan Olympic
Committee.
191
 WT, THF,
Reaffirm Taekwondo Federation, which partnered with World Taek-

Commitment
wondo and the THF to host the event, highlighted the situa-
tion of refugees in Jordan and discussed how sport can help
empower them.

During First
Following the opening speeches, THF Board Member and
UNHCR Refugee Sport Coordinator Claude Marshall,gave a

World Refugee
comprehensive presentation on the UNHCR and its role in
supporting refugees practice sport. Programme Manager of
the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Vassilis Kaly-

Forum
vas, gave a speech about what the IPC has been doing for
Paralympic refugee athletes since Rio 2016, and also provided
details on the IPC STEADY project, which, financed by the Eu-
ropean Union, helps these athletes through the practice of
para sport in Greece.
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Jun. 21, 2021) A live interview took place with THF refugees in the Azraq
Camp in Jordan as well as the Kiiziba Camp in Rwanda.
All the refugees expressed the importance of taekwondo
in their lives and how it teaches them respect, strength, cour-
age and gender equity and provides them with a sense of
belonging to the global Taekwondo Family.
There was also an interview with a Paralympic athlete who
later qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games: Parfait
Hakizimana, a refugee in Rwanda, who originally hails from
Burundi. He is now a THF coach and hopes to give back to
society what Taekwondo has given him.
Abdullah Sediqi, a refugee in Belgium who is originally from
Afghanistan, started Taekwondo from the age of eight. From
the beginning, he liked competition and was always trying
to become a good player. When he heard that IOC President
Thomas Bach announce his name on the Refugee Olympic
World Taekwondo President and Taekwondo Humanitarian
Team, he was delighted.
Foundation (THF) Chairman Chungwon Choue reiterated the
In closing, Choue spoke of how sport can act as a vehicle
two organizations’ commitment to supporting refugees and
for change and urged everyone to continue this journey to-
displaced persons through sport during the first World Refu-
gether.
gee Forum on World Refugee Day.
The forum, organized by the THF and World Taekwondo,
was held online. Delivering a message over video, Choue said:
“On this day we remember the difficulties refugees and
displaced persons face in their everyday lives,” Choue said via
video. “It is also the day we reaffirm our commitment to mak-
ing the world a better and more peace-loving place.
“Today. we celebrate the indomitable spirit of refugees and
displaced persons through the first World Refugee Forum.
We hope this forum will grow into a platform for refugees and
displaced persons to share their experiences and receive rec-
ognition and hope for a better future. On this World Refugee
Day, I wish to reaffirm the THF and World Taekwondo’s com-
mitment to help refugees and displaced persons through
sport and service.”
HRH Prince Rashid bin El Hassan, President of the Jordan

192 193
 THF Official Conquers
Kilimanjaro to Raise
Money for Refugees
T
aekwondo Humanitarian Founda-
tion (THF) Coordinator in Jordan,
Farah Al Assa’ad, reached the sum-
mit of Mount Kilimanjaro and unveiled the
THF flag as part of her fundraising mission
for the Foundation.
Al Assa’ad set off on the expedition to Af-
rica’s highest peak in mid-January in order
to raise funds to support the work of the
THF. She was led by Mostafa Salameh, the
194
first Jordanian to reach the top of Mount
Everest.
“I would like to send a message to sup-
port the refugees in all refugee camps
around the world,” Al Asa’ad said. “To
achieve their dreams and aspirations by
practicing sport that develops their bod-
ies, minds, and their self confidence, that
teaches them tolerance and sport’s ethics,
and enlighten their lives with hope for a
better future.
“The mountain that has inspired the Af-
rican continent on its journey to freedom,
today extends its inspiration to reach all the
world’s refugees, renewing hope in them
and promising them a better tomorrow.”
The THF empowers refugees by provid-
eing training and education through Taek-
wondo.
World's ‘7 Summits’
Eyed in High Altitude
Fund-Raising Venture
F
arah Al Assa’ad, Taekwondo Human-
itarian Foundation (THF) coordinator
in Jordan, is set to take on a second
of the “Seven Summits” as she aims to
climb Mount Elbrus in Russia to raise funds
to support the work of the THF.
Al Assa’ad summited Mount Kilimanjaro
– Africa’s highest mountain – in February.
The Seven Summits are the highest moun-
tains on the world’s seven continents. Al
Assa’ad intends to raise the THF and World
Taekwondo flag at the top of Mount Elbrus.
“I’m getting chills whenever it comes to
my mind that I am on my next journey to
climb the highest peak in Europe,” Al As-
sa’ad said.
“[I am] hoping to inspire generations to
come,” by raising the banners of the Taek-
wondo Humanitarian Foundation and
World Taekwondo, she said.
Taekwondo “has shaped my personality
and I’m grateful forever for it being part of
my life and for connecting me to a cause
I’m proud of always representing,” she con-
tinued.
The THF empowers refugees by provid-
ing training and education through Taek-
wondo. The THF currently has produced 12
black belts and hopes to have its first Olym-
pic athlete compete at Paris 2024
“I’m hoping you will all support refugees
and help them achieve their dreams,” Al
Ass’ ad said.
195
 Tiny Taekwondoin is
Youngest Refugee to
Tie on a Black Belt
(Sept. 7, 2021)

Doaa Al-ayoub has become the young-

est refugee in the world to be awarded a
black belt in Taekwondo.
She is just six years old.
The tiny athlete was tested by the Jor-
dan Taekwondo Federation and every-
one watching was impressed by her
performance and self-confidence. After
testing, she asked her father if she could
go to a children’s theme park as a reward
for her performance.
Al-ayoub is among 16 students to have
been awarded black belts at the Azraq
Taekwondo Academy in the Azraq Refu-
gee Camp. The academy is managed by
the Taekwondo Humanitarian Founda-
tion (THF) as part of its commitment to
empower refugees through Taekwondo.

196 197
 THF Board Meets, ‘Angelo brings
Appoints Cito New Member a lot of experience and expertise
and will help us strengthen the support we provide to
refugees around the world, through Taekwondo’
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Oct. 30, 2021)

“We are delighted to partner with the Olympic Refuge
Foundation and work in collaboration with other NGOs to
implement this new project,” Choue said. “At the THF we
have always made it clear we are very open to working with
other organisations and other sports to expand the oppor-
tunities for refugees.”
During the meeting there was also a presentation on
THF projects underway in 2021 including in Jordan (Azraq
Camp), Turkey (Elbeyli Camp), Rwanda (Mahama and Kiziba
Camps) and Switzerland (Lausanne).
The project in Switzerland started in August 2021 with
the support of EVAM (Etablissement Vaudois d’Accueil des
Migrants) and BCI (Bureau Cantonal pour l’Intégration des
Etrangers et la prévention du Racisme).
In total, 2,500 refugees are taking part in THF programs
around the world.
The meeting was hosted by the World Baseball and Soft-
ball Confederation at their headquarters. WBSC President
Riccardo Fraccari said:
“I am pleased to have been able to personally welcome
President Choue and the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foun-
dation Board to the WBSC headquarters. Hosting the THF
Board meeting is a symbol of our continued close col-
laboration following the memoranda of understanding
signed with THF and World Taekwondo last year to pro-
mote humanitarian, values social inclusion, peace and de-
velopment-supporting activities, especially for youth. The
international baseball and softball community is proud
to use our sports as a vehicle to encourage good health
and well-being in communities, especially for refugees for
whom the WBSC has pledged to use baseball and softball
to improve accessibility to sport.”

The Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) Board met

in Pully, Lausanne, on Oct. 30 to discuss a number of key is-
sues and appoint a new board member.
Chairman of the Fondazione Umanitaria Italiana di Taek-
wondo(FUIT) and President of Federazione Italiana Taek-
wondo (FITA) Angelo Cito, was elected as a member of the
THF Board for a three-year mandate during the meeting.
“We are delighted to welcome Angelo,” Choue said. “An-
gelo brings a lot of experience and expertise and will help us
strengthen the support we provide to refugees around the
world through Taekwondo.”
In other business, board members discussed the THF’s
partnership with the Olympic Refuge Foundation, which will
see the implementation of a project for refugees within a
consortium of five other NGOs in Paris. The project will start
by the end of January 2022 at the latest and will last for three
years. The project will be a Paris 2024 legacy programme.

198 199
 ADF, Taekwondo Cares, Offer
Discipline, Skills, Confidence to
Vulnerable in 4 Asian Nations
Taekwondo's mission to empower the powerless
continues across Asia
W
orld Taekwondo started Taekwondo Cares programs
in four countries - Bhutan, Cambodia, Nepal and Sri
Lanka - on Dec. 10, 2021 for a one-year period.
The activities were made possible by financial support provid-
ed by the Asia Development Foundation (ADF).
The programs are designed to assist, strenghten and rehabilite
the most vulnerable members of society, mentally and phy-
scially, through training in Taekwondo.
Under the theme “Road to Recovery through Taekwondo,”
the 2021-2022 Bhutan WT-ADF Cares Program kicked off a pro-
ject which will benefit about 400 young people at three alco-
hol and drug rehabilitation centers in Thimphu and Paro, and
two designated schools for poomsae and demonstration edu-
cation in Thimphu.
In cooperation with the Bhutan Taekwondo Federation, the
U.S.$35,000, Season 2 project will provide Taekwondo training
to underprivileged members of society, offering hope, dignity
and happiness.
After evaluating the Season 1 Bhutan Cares Program, WT
decided to continue the Season 2 program. The Bhutan Cares
project team observed “renewed enthusiasm and noticeable
changes in mental and physical health, discipline and outlook
200
among Cares students who received Taekwondo training,” ac-
cording to the 2020-2021 Bhutan Cares evaluation report to WT.
The 2020-2021 Bhutan WT-ADF Cares Program, which ended on
Dec. 9, 2021, was offered to 302 people at three drug and alco-
hol rehabilitation centers and one school.
Under the theme “Road to Champions" (Season 3), the 2021-
2022 Sri Lanka WT-ADF Cares Program will assist 120 street,
homeless, displaced and rehabilitating children. All will receive
free taekwondo training at five centers - in Colombo, Badulla,
Monaragala, Galle, and Anuradhapura.
In cooperation with the Sri Lanka Taekwondo Federation, the
$30,000, Season 3 Sri Lanka Cares program targets street chil-
dren in Sri Lanka. The number of street children in Sri Lanka is
estimated to number around 15,000. For the Cares projects, the
street children were defined as children who lived in the street
and were adopted by child care centers.
The previous Season 2 Sri Lanka WT-ADF Cares Program,
which ran from Dec. 10, 2020 - Dec. 9, 2021, benefitted a total
of 113 students in four centers in Colombo, Kegalle, Galle and
Anuradhapura.
The Sri Lanka Season 2 Cares evaluation report, which was
submitted to WT, showed that, “Taekwondo has made signif-
icant changes in students’ behavior regarding anger control
and their physical health. Some of the students have shared
their personal experiences.” It continued, “After enrolling in the
project they were able to spend their days more productively
and got more energy for their educational and other activities,
more patience in difficult situations, muscle relief and new
hopes for tomorrow."
Under the theme “Beginning a New Life through Taekwon-
do,” the 2021-2022 Cambodia WT-ADF Cares Program (Season
2) will benefit about 150 children at three training centers in
three different provinces: one center for children living in land-
fills around Phnom Penh; one center for children living in Siem
Reap floating villages; and one center for alcohol- and drug-ad-
dicted children in Poipet.
The $30,000, Season 2 Cambodia WT-ADF Cares Program is
being conducted in cooperation with the Cambodia Taekwon-
do Federation and the Cambodia Taekwondo Academy.
The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic forced the rescheduling
of the Cambodia Cares Program Season 2. WT started its Season
1 Cambodia WT-ADF Cares Program on Oct. 21, 2019 for a one-
year period, targeting 20 female children victimized by trafficking
and sexual slavery, and 50 male homeless street children.
Under the theme “Let’s Build the Future with Taekwondo
(Season 2),” the Nepal WT-ADF Cares Program will be offered to
111 children, including 65 females.
In cooperation with the Nepal Taekwondo Association, the
$30,000, Season 2 Nepal Cares program will take place at three
sites. A women empowerment program for deprived women
and girls, and victims of household and sexual violence, will be
held at Maiti Nepal. Reformatory inmate programs for young
prisoners will take place at Prisoner Assistance Nepal (NP Nepal)
and the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC).
As its first Cares program, WT signed a one-year cooperation
agreement with the Nepal Taekwondo Association in early May
2019 to launch the Nepal WT-ADF Cares Program, which bene-
fitted 88 students from two reformatory inmate centers – Pris-
oner Assistance Nepal and the Early Childhood Development
Center - as well as 162 students from four women empower-
ment centers – Rakshya Nepal, Genesis Academy, Sasha Nepal,
and Maiti Nepal.
Besides the one-year WT-ADF Cares programs, WT wired
$20,000 to the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF)
in December 2021, which will be used for the production of
t-shirts for children at the Azraq Refugee Camp in Jordan and
the Elbeyli Refugee Camp in Turkey. The funds are part of the
2021 ADF-donated funds.
Since 2019, WT has carried out WT-ADF Cares programs for
selected Asian MNAs with financial support from the ADF.
The ADF donated $90,000 to WT in 2019, $150,000 in 2020 and
$200,000 in 2021 for the Cares program.
WT sent the guidelines for the 2022-2023 WT-ADF Cares pro-
gram to WT MNAs in the Asian region in November 2020. WT
will make a final decision on the successful Cares projects by
country in the first half of 2022.
Besides Taekwondo, WT is considering adding Korean lan-
guage clases for its WT-ADF Cares students.
201

THF and Italian Taekwondo
Charity to Work Together
SEOUL, Korea (May 18, 2021)
The Taekwondo Humanitarian Founda-
tion (THF) today signed a cooperation
agreement with Fondazione Umanitaria
Italiana Taekwondo (FUIT) as the two or-
ganisations pledged to work together to
promote mutual humanitarian activities.
The agreement was signed online.
Under the terms of the agreement, the
two parties will exchange ideas and know-
how as well as support each other in rais-
ing funds for their respective initiatives and
projects for refugees.
FUIT will also help to strengthen the
THF’s presence in Italy and the European
Union.
“We are delighted to sign this coopera-
tion agreement with Fondazione Umani-
taria Italiana Taekwondo and strengthen
the THF’s presence in Italy and throughout
the European Union,” said THF Chairman
Chungwon Choue. “Our objective is to
support as many refugees as possible
through Taekwondo and so it is important
we work with partners who can provide
knowledge and networks in specific mar-
kets and continents.
“After Switzerland, both President
Choue and I strongly wanted to have THF
202
official representation in Italy and in the
European Union,” said Federazione Italiana
Taekwondo (FITA) President Angelo Cito .
“The decision to bring the THF to Italy was
born from the desire to put Taekwondo at
the service of people and especially chil-
dren in difficulty.”
Cito noted the relevence of the sport as
a social virtue.
“Taekwondo is a wonderful discipline
which, in addition to being an Olympic
sport, is a universal discipline for every-
one,” he said. “My greatest desire was to
promote the THF to Italy, which will have
as its main purpose the exploration of the
values and principles of brotherhood and
integration of Taekwondo at the service of
society.”
The THF plans to sign more cooperation
agreements with the aim of enhancing its
presence across the five continents in or-
der to help more refugees worldwide.
Contest Held for Amateur Taekwondo
Videos Produced around the World
SEOUL, Korea (Dec. 3, 2021)
An award ceremony for the 2021 Taekwondo User Created Content
(UCC) Contest, and a panel discussion on Taekwondo’s develop-
ment, were held at Hotel Riviera in Seoul, Korea on Dec. 3, 2021.
The event was promoted by the Asia Development Foundation
(ADF) and jointly organized by the Korean Alliance for Health, Phys-
ical Education, Recreation, and Dance (KAHPERD), World Taekwon-
do (WT), the Kukkiwon and the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA).
Under the theme “All for Taekwondo in Everyday Life,” the 2021
Taekwondo UCC Contest was held from Oct. 5 - Nov. 12, 2021.
In contention were 305 video entries from 13 countries, including
France, Rwanda, Cambodia, China, Belarus, Jordan (Azraq Refugee
Camp), Sri Lanka, Mexico, Kyrgyzstan, and Indonesia.
Under the main theme, the contest featured three sections: “Fun
Taekwondo,” covered people’s enjoyment of dynamic Taekwondo;
“Showing Up Taekwondo,” covered classic Taekwondo activities
such as kyorugi, poomsae, and demonstrations; and “Together
Taekwondo,” covered Taekwondo among multicultural families,
disabled people, mixed generation families. Each submitted video
was required to be in a 1920 X 1080 pixel format with a run time of
between 30 seconds and two minutes. Applications and submis-
sions were made via the websites of the ADF at www.asiadf.org and
KAHPERD at www.kahperd.or.kr.
The total prize money offered was 24 million won (about $20,000).
The Grand Prize winner was France-based ENVOL TKD’s “Ama-
teur,” which won 5 million won ($4,200).
“Taekwon Hallyu,” “Triple Jay” and “Poom Taekwondo,” all from
Korea, were chosen as the Best Excellence Award winners, earn-
ing each 3 million won ($2,500). “MIRME EXTREME TAEKWONDO,”
“Dobok Sori,” and “Raon’ were selected as ‘Excellence Award’ win-
ners, grabbing 2 million won ($1,700) each. “Let’s Go,” “Corona
Breaking” and six other videos were chosed as “Encouragement
Award’ recipients, bringing home 500,000 won ($420) each.
The Chiazzia people in Buton, Indonesia, won a special award
from the ADF in recognition of their efforts to promote Taekwondo
and the Korean language.
Before the award ceremony, there was a panel discussion on how
to develop Taekwondo, which invited WT President Chungwon
Choue and KTA President Jin-bang Yang as panelists. President of
KAHPERD Do-kyun Kim served as a moderator.
Joon-il Kim, chairman of the ADF, said “Through this Taekwon-
do video contest, I hope both Korean and foreign people will take
more interest in Korea’s national sport of Taekwondo,” said Joon-il
Kim, chairman of the ADF. “I hope Taekwondo will be loved and
respected by the world as a martial art-Olympic sport.”
In 2018, GCS International signed a four-party memorandum or
understanding with WT, the International Center for Korean Culture
(ICKC) and the ADF for the promotion of Taekwondo and the Kore-
an language worldwide.
Sports Minister Recognizes
ADF on Taekwondo Day
SEOUL, Korea (Sept. 10, 2021)
The Asia Development Foundation (ADF) received a commen-
dation from the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
(MCST), on the occasion of 2021’s Taekwondo Day.
The ministerial citation was given to the ADF in recognition of
the federation’s years of financial support to World Taekwondo to
help empower the powerless in developing countries in Asia, thus
helping enhance the image of Taekwondo abroad.
The Korean government has commemorated Taekwondo Day
since 2008. On Sept. 4, 1994, the International Olympic Committee
decided to include Taekwondo as an official sport at the Sydney
2000. Because of the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021
Taekwondo Day ceremony did not take place but a commemora-
tive video was shown to the public.
The commemorative video featured congratulatory speeches by
Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Hwang Hee, World Taekwon-
do President Chungwon Choue, Kukkiwon President Dong-sup
Lee, Taekwondo Promotion Foundation Chairman Eung-hwan Oh,
and Tae-woong Oh, chairman of the Korea Taekwondo Association
for the Disabled.
The speeches were followed by the introduction of the recip-
ients of the ministerial citations. Among the recipients were the
late Jin-young Kim, a former Uzbekistan National Taekwondo Team
head coach, in recognition of his efforts to help Uzbekistan win a
gold medal for the first time in Taekwondo at the Tokyo 2020. The
Italian Taekwondo Federation, headed by Angelo Cito, was recog-
nized for its efforts to foster closer relations with the Vatican and to
arrange a Taekwondo demonstration in front of the Pope.
On behalf of Minister Hwang, WT President Choue delivered the
ministerial citation to ADF Chairman Joon-il Kim at the WT Head-
quarters in downtown Seoul on Sept. 10.
In 2019, the ADF signed a memorandum of understanding with
WT to provide financial support for the WT Taekwondo Cares Pro-
gram. Under the MOU, the ADF delivered 100 million won ($90,000)
to WT for the 2019 WT Cares Program, followed by donations of
$150,000 in 2020 and $200,000 in 2021.
The ADF donations have been used to support one-year’s worth
of free Taekwondo education for orphans, young prisoners, female
household victims, alcohol and drug addicts, etc. in such countries
as Nepal, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan.
WT and the ADF plan to expand the projects to Mongolia, Kyr-
gyzstan, Uzbekistan, Jordan and other countries this year, pending
the COVID-19 situation.
203
 Taekwondo Accelerates
Alongside a high-level sportswoman at INSEP, the Nation-
204 al Insittue for Sport, five refugees, immigrants and former
asylum seekers have been chosen to lead a project as so-
Refugee Inclusion
cial workers, sports workers, communication and research
officers in the Centres d’Accueil de Demandeurs d’Asile
(CADA), which process those seeking assylu in France.
in France
The five have been using Taekwondo, sometimes for
several years, as a tool for social integration and citizenship.
At INSEP, in the presence of Maracineanu, the Humani-
tarian Taekwondo Foundation and the project’s partner or-
Taekwondo is serving as a boost for the social inclusion of young refugees or displaced persons in the ganisations (Club Hanok, Jess Van Thuyne Gentilly, the Taek-
Ile de France, the region surrounding the French capital, Paris. wondo League of Ile de France and the Francophone Mental
On Jan.12, 2022, the French Minister for Sport Roxana Maracineanu took part in a working group for the Training Association) signed agreements to cover the future
“Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation Project” led by the French Federation of Taekwondo and Associated work contracts of the five.
Disciplines (FFTDA) in partnership with the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF). The originality of the programme is its focus on inclusion
through the practice of Taekwondo.
Morever, those supervising the uprooted young people
in the CADA are people who have experienced the same
situations. As such, they are able to offer realistic advice and
prospects for social and professional integration.
After the first initiation, which will help restore confi-
dence and self-esteem, the beneficiaries of the program -
asylum seekers or refugees in Ile de France - will begin a
12-session learning cycle.
The cycle will offer opportunities for socialisation, includ-
ing learning the French language. The final stage of the
204
project will involve their inclusion in a partner club. After
passing their first grade, they will be able to join the partner 205
structure free of charge. Membership will then be paid for
in full within the framework of the project. Their immersion
in the club will promote social links with other members,
lead them to learn and take on the rules of society, and en-
sure the continuity of their integration within France.
Under this concept, the THF, in partnership with the FFT-
DA, joined a consortium of six partners in Sept. 2021, includ-
ing the NGOs Play International, Kabubu, Futbol Mas, Ovale
Citoyen and Emmaüs Solidarité. They were selected in the
framework of a call for projects by the Olympic Refuge
Foundation and the Ministry of Sports, in order to design
a unique programme to support displaced persons or refu-
gees in the Ile de France region through sport.
This project is mainly financed by the Ministry of Sports
through a 1 million euro grant to the Olympic Refuge Foun-
dation, which was created by the International Olympic
Committee.
Being social coaches is part of the DNA of Olympic inter-
national federations. These federations have the skills and
capacities to to play a leading role alongside NGOs.
In order to promote this societal role at the heart of fed-
eral projects, the Ministry of Sports will conclude commit-
ment contracts with the federations, based on a common
foundation.
205
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