SEOUL, Korea (July 8, 2021) - World Taekwondo today hosted an online workshop for coaches whose countries have qualified for Tokyo 2020 in order to brief them on the latest information and protocols ahead of the Games.
Coaches from 61 countries attended the workshop which was opened by World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue. The Technical Commission chair Inseon Kim then provided a tutorial on nine skills of successful coaches. The Medical chair Dae Hyoun Jeong delivered an update on medical preparations and COVID-19 protocols for the Games before the Referee Chair Songchul Kim explained the effective use of the Instant Video Replay. The Games Chair Mohamed Shaaban gave an overview of the competition format and schedule and the workshop concluded with a Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee representative providing an information package on the Games.
President Choue said:
“We are 16 days away from the first Taekwondo competition in Tokyo on July 24th. I would like to first acknowledge your patience and dedication over the past year. It has not been easy for everyone but especially 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 athletes 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. As long as we trust each other and in the system, there is no reason why Taekwondo cannot be a permanent sport in the Olympic Games. This is a goal that we should aim for together, and I thank you for your commitment.”
A moment of silence was held for Jin Yung Kim, coach of the Uzbekistan team, who sadly passed away on 15 June.
