It is not the first time to have the Athletes’ Committee meeting via videoconference. The Athletes’ Committee had its first videoconference on June 5. Chaired, by Committee Co-Chair Nadin Dawani, the Committee discussed the possibility of hosting seasonal virtual Poomsae Championships and regional kyorugi competitions that will be deliberated at the upcoming virtual Council meeting in October. The Committee also agreed on the importance of regular communication with athletes and the role that social media and online education and mental health workshops can play in keeping them engaged.

World Taekwondo President Choue said

“We had a very productive meeting with the Athletes’ Committee to determine how we can further improve our support for athletes. Without international competitions, it is more important than ever that we continue to engage with our athletes and prioritize their mental health and deliver more opportunities for education and development. Through online workshops we can better engage with our athletes but also social media allows us to continue to build their profiles and deliver new content for our fans. The upcoming virtual Poomsae Championships will be an excellent opportunity to showcase our sport while also providing athletes international-level competition.”

The Athletes’ Committee meeting was one of a series of meetings of the World Taekwondo Committees and Commissions that took place with President Choue on September 8-10. The Juridical, Taekwondo for All, Development, Education, Member Relations and Development, Para Taekwondo, Para-Taekwondo Classification, Coaches, Technical, Integrity, Poomase and Games, Referee and Medical Committee and Commissions all met over the three-day period.

A key element of the discussions was centered on identifying how World Taekwondo can support stakeholders within the taekwondo family during the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges presented by the different restrictions that are in place in different countries.