Taekwondo Stays Olympic!
By WTF, ETU
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Now it is clear: Taekwondo will stay Olympic! At the IOC meeting in Singapore the decision was made that Taekwondo will be included in the 2012 Olympic Games at London.
“The retaining of Taekwondo is not only a vote of confidence on our reform efforts thus far, but is also a mandate for us to strive for further betterment of Taekwondo and the WTF,” said Chungwon Choue, president of the World Taekwondo Federation.
Two sports - Baseball and Softball - were excluded from the Olympic Programme in the same IOC session at Singapore. Taekwondo’s success at the 117th IOC Session means the recognition of the ongoing work of all Taekwondo people and a major boost to the reform efforts of the World Taekwondo Federation.
WTF wants to boost Taekwondo now especially in Oceania, Latin America and Africa through the means of providing material, gymnasiums and 'software' - that means master instructors. Cooperation with business companies should help to reach that goal.
The ongoing reform process for Taekwondo competition and development has borne the first fruits and the IOC community has been convinced that WTF is on the right way to tune Taekwondo into a competition sport that is ready for the new Milennium.
