Equality and Inclusion

IOC President Awards WT Diploma for its Gender Equality Efforts

WT, Saudi Olympic Committee Host First-Ever Gender Equity & Women Leadership Forum

The first-ever Gender Equity and Women Leadership Forum took place on Nov. 27-28, 2020, which was co-hosted by World Taekwondo (WT) and the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee.

IOC President Thomas Bach granted World Taekwondo (WT) a “Women and Sport” Achievement Diploma in recognition of its outstanding contribution to promoting the development and participation of women and girls in sport. It was received by WT on Dec. 6, 2017.

WT made specific efforts for gender equality at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. In Rio, in addition to the customary 50:50 split in Taekwondo’s competitive categories (four female and four male weight categories), the federation, for the first time, had a 50:50 gender split in its contingent of international referees.

WT is also promoting a new category in its annual Team Championships: A mixed-gender team. The category was first experimentally contested alongside the existing female team and male team formats at the 2016 World Taekwondo Team Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, and was most recently contested on the regular program at the 2018 World Cup in Wuxi, China.

“It is deeply rewarding to receive recognition from the IOC for our efforts to promote gender equality,” said WT President Chungwon Choue.

“But our challenge now is not just gender equality, it is equality in all areas: World Taekwondo aspires to break all barriers of gender, race, religion and culture in order to truly become a sport for all.”

The federation continues to promote geographical equality. In 2017, it has hosted top-level events in Africa: The Grand Prix Series 2 in Rabat, Morocco, and the Grand Prix Finals and World Taekwondo Team Championships in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

It is also promoting equality of opportunity.

In response to the global refugee crisis, WT’s charity initiative, the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation, is operating Taekwondo training and education programs in refugee camps in Jordan, Rwanda, etc.

The forum gathered a number of high-profile leaders from across WT, the IOC and Saudi Arabia who spoke of their personal experiences and the work being done to promote gender equality. Speakers included the president of the SAOC and the president of WT, while a video message was delivered by IOC President Thomas Bach.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, our role as members of the sports movement has become even more important to help the world reconnect, recover and thrive,” HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal Al Saud, president of the SAOC, said in advance of the event. “Sports has a lot to offer to the international community in such unprecedented times, and we are honored to join World Taekwondo in organizing the 1st World Taekwondo Gender Equity and Women Leadership Forum to discuss how sports, and Taekwondo in particular can contribute to gender equity and women leadership in society.”

The necessity of the forum was made clear by the head of WT. “All stakeholders in the Olympic family have a responsibility to do more when it comes to promoting gender equity and women leadership,” said WT President Chungwon Choue. “Under the leadership of the IOC, great progress has been made; however we know there is still some way to go to truly achieve gender equality.”

Choue noted that WT was the first federation to achieve full gender equity among its athletes and international referees at the Olympic Games - but added, “We cannot be satisfied with that alone.”

IOC Associate Director Irina Gladkikh and Gender Equality Manager Sandra Lengwiler presented on the IOC Gender Equality movement.

HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal Al Saud, presented about Saudi Arabia’s progressive initiatives over the years, including Saudi Arabian Women in Sports “Vision 2030.”

WT Council member and President of the Guatemalan Taekwondo Federation, Maria Borello, presented the World Tae- kwondo Gender Equity Roadmap and shared experiences from promoting women empowerment in Guatemala. Borello emphasized WT’s commitment to aligning with the IOC’s Gender Equality Recommendations and acknowledged that more work is being done to create more opportunities for women leaders in the federation.

A number of world-class athletes and ex-athletes also took part. Para Taekwondo Champion Lisa Gjessing of Denmark shared her inspiring journey of overcoming cancer to become a 4-time Para Taekwondo World Champion. Olympian and WT Council member Sarah Stevenson of Great Britain spoke of WT’s women empowerment programs. And Olympian and Member of the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission Myriam Baverel of France touched on her Taekwondo journey.

Sophie Roduit, the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) project manager, addressed how Taekwondo is helping to empower women in refugee camps around the world. Tae- kwondo helps teach young girls self-esteem and respect, and builds better relationships with their local communities. Roduit explained how the THF is committed to increasing gender equity within its board and its coaches and also ensuring greater gender balance within THF participants. The THF is also planning an awareness campaign during the International Day of the Girl.

The forum was moderated by Hadwad Moawad, a member of the WT Taekwondo for All Committee, who explained about the synergy between gender equity and gender equality.

Speaking after the forum, Choue vowed to make “meaningful progress at our national events” and to “create more opportunities for women to excel in leadership positions within the World Taekwondo family.”

WT organized the 2nd Gender Equity and Women Leadership Forum virtually on March 6-7, 2021 in commemoration of World Women’s Day.

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