▲ © Extraordinary WTF Council meeting in Bangkok (WTU) |
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BANGKOK, Thailand (March 7, 2017) By Pau Aguilar of Spain
An extraordinary WTF Council meeting was held at the InterContinental Hotel Bangkok in Thailand, today to decide on five host cities for the WTF’s major events.
The Council decided to grant Taipei City, Chinese Taipei, the right to host both the 2018 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships on November 15-18 and the 2018 World Taekwondo Grand-Prix Series 2 on September 20-22.
The Egyptian resort city of Sharm El Sheikh was selected as the host for the 2017 World Taekwondo Cadet Championships on August 23-27.
The Russian capital of Moscow won the right to host the 2017 World Taekwondo Grand-Prix Series 1 on August 4-6, and the 2017 World Taekwondo Grand-Prix Series 2 went to Moroccan city of Marrakech on September 22-24.
▲ © (L) An Jin HSU of Taiwan President (WTU) (R) Ahmed Fouly of Egypt President |
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The Council approved a new logo design of the WTF and decided to unveil the new logo on the occasion of the 2017 WTF World Taekwondo Championships that will be held in Muju, Korea.
The Council members also unanimously approved French Guiana as the WTF’s new member, which requires the final approval of the General Assembly. After the addition of French Guiana, now, the WTF has 208 members national associations (MNA).
Ten Progress reports, including the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) & the World Taekwondo Cares Program, the 2020 Olympic event modification, and the WTF’s 4-year Strategic Plan 2021, were presented to Council members.
WTF President Chungwon Choue said in his welcome speech at the Council meeting, “The World Junior Championships in Burnaby, Canada last November were our biggest World Junior Championships ever, and the quality of our young athletes was superb. So our sport has a very full talent pipeline.”
“Also in Burnaby, we inaugurated the THF Challenge. Entitled ‘Break Boards, Change Lives,’ we have had great success with this and will continue this fund-raising activity at all major events. It is a great way to activate grassroots taekwondo,” he said. “The big event this year will be, of course, the Muju World Taekwondo Championships. We expect to welcome more than 200 member national associations, and IOC President Thomas Bach will join us for the closing ceremony – another great endorsement of taekwondo.”
▲ © (R) Dr. Nat Indrapana, the International Olympic Committee member of Thailand (WTU) |
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At the beginning of the Council meeting, WTF President Choue awarded a plaque of appreciation to Dr. Nat Indrapana, the International Olympic Committee member of Thailand, in recognition of his dedication to and support for taekwondo. Dr. Indrapana served as a vice president of the WTF from 1999 to 2009.
Mr. Pimol Srivikorn, president of the Taekwondo Association of Thailand, for his support for taekwondo and the WTF as a WTF Council member since 2012 also received an appreciation plaque.
Choue also congratulated Mr. Michael Fysentzidis, secretary general of the European Taekwondo Union, on being elected president of the International Olympic Academy. Mr. Fysentzidis attended the Council meeting as an observer.
The next WTF Council meeting will be held on June 22, 2017 in Muju, Korea on the occasion of the 2017 WTF World Taekwondo Championships.
이집트 2017 세계유소년태권도선수권대회 개최지로 결정
세계태권도연맹(WTF, 총재 조정원)은 3월 7일 태국 방콕에서 임시 집행위원회를 개최하고 2017-2018 WTF 주요대회 개최지를 결정했다.
올해로 3회째를 맞는 2017 세계유소년태권도선수권대회는 이집트의 샤름 앨 셰이크(Sharm El Sheikh)에서 8월 23일부터 27일까지 5일간 개최된다.
2014년 아제르바이잔 바쿠에서 제1회 대회 개최 후 2015년 무주에서 두번째 열렸던 유소년대회는 올해부터 2년마다 개최될 예정이다. 샤름 앨 셰이크는 이집트의 대표적 휴양도시로 2012년에 세계청소년태권도선수권대회가 열렸던 곳이다.
2017 WTF 태권도 월드그랑프리 시리즈 1차전은 러시아 모스크바, 2차전은 모로코 마라케슈(Marrakech)로 결정됐다. 3차전과 그랑프리 파이널은 작년 캐나다 버나비 집행위원회에서 결정된 대로 영국 런던과 코트디브아르 아비잔에서 각각 개최된다.
2018 WTF 태권도 월드그랑프리 시리즈 2차전과 2018 세계태권도품새선수권대회는 대만 타이베이에서 9월과 11월에 열기로 했다.
또한, 집행위원들은 WTF의 새로운 로고 디자인을 승인하였으며 새 로고는 6월 24일 무주 세계태권도선수권대회 개회식 당일 정식 발표될 예정이다.
조정원 WTF 총재는 "올 6월 무주에서 개최되는 2017 세계태권도선수권대회는 세계대회 역사상 최대의 국가들이 참가하는 대회가 될 것을 기대한다"고 말하며 "토마스 바흐 국제올림픽위원회(IOC) 위원장이 29일 무주를 방문해 경기 관람과 폐막식에 참석할 예정"이라고 말했다.
조 총재는 집행위원회 직전 그간 태권도 발전에 많은 도움을 준 태국의 낫 인드라파나 (Nat Indrapana) IOC 위원에게 감사패를 전달했다. 인드라파나 IOC 위원은 1999년부터 2009년까지 WTF 부총재를 역임한 바 있다.
다음 집행위원회는 2017년 6월 22일 무주에서 개최된다.
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