WT Remains ‘A2’ in ASOIF Review ‘Taekwondo Day’ Recognized with Special Awards ISF Agreement to Raise Profile of Taekwondo in Schools Worldwide

In its latest ASOIF governance review, World Taekwondo scored an A2 rank, providing food for thought as WT mulls the progress it has made towards becoming one of the Olympic community’s best governed international federations.

WT was one of 10 IFs placed in the A2 rank, with seven IFs in the highest tier, A1. The rest of the full and associate members of ASOIF were ranked between B and C.

In its assessment report, ASOIF noted that World Taekwondo “has done some important new work, including improving gender balance, strengthening term limits and supporting the governance of continental and national members.”

World Taekwondo achieved its highest scores in the Transparency and Democracy categories, followed by Development, Integrity, and Control Mechanisms. For the fourth governance review, the biggest improvement was made in the Democracy category.

World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue noted in his letter to the Council and Member National Associations that “credit for this sustained success is due to the unity and cooperation of our World Taekwondo family at every level.”

He also noted that every other IF has taken time during the pandemic to improve its governance. In this regard, Choue asked for the continued support and dedication of the World Taekwondo family to implement new policies for better governance.

“Next year is the 50th founding anniversary of World Taekwondo,” he said. “I want our beloved sport and federation to achieve the highest possible level of A1 by the next ASOIF governance review.”

World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue today presented “Taekwondo Day Awards” to World Taekwondo Council Member and Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) Board Member Maher Magableh, as well as the Member National Associations (MNA) of France and the United Arab Emirates.

The special awards were presented by Choue via video-conference. The award itself is a Certificate of Commendation issued by the Korean Ministry of Sport and Tourism.

Magableh was awarded for his constant support of refugee children through Taekwondo and the THF.

French MNA President Hassane Sadok was awarded following the successful hosting of the first ever World Taekwondo Grand Prix in Paris in Sept. 2022. UAE MNA President Ahmed Al Zeyoudi was awarded for the successful hosting of the Fujairah Open Championships for the past 10 years. Special thanks was paid to the Crown Prince of Fujairah for his support.

“Our three awardees have contributed so much to Taekwondo and we were delighted to recommend them for this special commendation from the Korean Ministry of Sport and Tourism,” Choue said. “We congratulate them all and look forward to working with them in the years ahead. It is extra special to present these awards to mark Taekwondo Day, a day when celebrate our sport and recognise the role it plays in contributing to a better society.”

Taekwondo Day is celebrated every year on Sept. 4 in commemoration of the IOC’s decision on that date in 1994 to include the sport in the Olympic program.

World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue and Secretary General Jeongkang Seo hosted International School Sports Federation President Laurent Petrynka and ISF Continental President for the Americas Jose Martin Sanchez Tenorio to sign a memornadum of understanding, or MOU, between the two federations The signing took place on the sidelines of the Manchester 2022 World Taekwondo Grand Prix.

The goal is to further encourage and develop the sport of Taekwondo as an educational tool for youth. This MOU will bring about the increased promotion of Taekwondo within schools and school sport events at national and international levels. Increased awareness of the sport will bring more youth to Taekwondo from an early age, through improved cooperation and communication with local authorities.

“We are delighted to be establishing this cooperation with World Taekwondo, further developing the sport of Taekwondo within the ISF and the overall school sport community,” said Petrynka. “In recent years the sport of Taekwondo has taken tremendous steps in school sport, with it becoming a staple of ISF multi-sport events such as the 2021 U15 Gymnasiade in Serbia, and the 2022 U18 Gymnasiade in France.

“In 2023, we are proud to be hosting two more Taekwondo events, with the ISF World School Taekwondo Championship in Mexico next June, and the next edition of the ISF U15 Gymnasiade later on in August 2023.”

Choue was upbeat.

“Taekwondo is practiced in many schools around the world as it is a sport which not only keeps children physically active but also teaches them important values such as discipline, respect and understanding,” he said. “Our MOU with the ISF will allow us to share knowledge and maximise opportunities for young people to practice Taekwondo. “

From June 27 to July 3, 2023, Mazatlán in Mexico hosts the ISF World School Taekwondo Championship which gathered hundreds of school athletes from all around the world.

The Mexican School Sport Federation (FEMEDEES) prepared all aspects of the event at the highest level, having participated in numerous ISF events since joining ISF in 2019.

“It is very important to have a collaboration agreement between the highest body responsible for Taekwondo, because it strengthens trust between us as organisers, participants, and coaches,” said FEMEDEES President Sanchez Tenorio. “This will be the first World Taekwondo Championship to be held in Mazatlan, Mexico and thanks to this cooperation it is going to be a successful one!”

Founded in 1972, the International School Sport Federation (ISF) is an international non-profit sport organisation, acting as the umbrella organisation and governing body for national school sport organisations around the world, organising sport and educational events for youth from six to 18 years old.

Recognised by the IOC since 1995, the ISF currently consists of 134 members over five continents organising over 10 international school sport events per year and has more than 30 different sports included in its competition program.