2019 Plovdiv, another New Milestone

21 Oct 2019

Plovdiv City of Bulgaria, European Cultural Capital for 2019 hosted the 21st ITF Taekwon‑Do World Championship putting another new milestone for the promotion of original Taekwon‑Do all over the world. The City, proud of long history of its tradition reserved unparallel generosity and jealous hospitality to all the participants who came in this lovely land from different parts of the planet to attend the event thus displaying high skills of Taekwon‑Do techniques and moral aspects through the whole process of competitions.

The Championship took place from 25 th August to 31st August 2019 at the inner Stadium “Colodrum” in Plovdiv under the presence of more than 1500 competitors, coaches and technical staffs from 78 countries.

The ITF Enlarged Executive Board meeting took place on 24th August 2019 at the room “Plovdiv” of the Hotel “Grand Hotel Plovdiv” to deal different items of significant importance in ITF activities for final adoption at its Congress.

The ITF 27th Congress was held on the 25th August 2019 at the conference hall in “Plovdiv International Exposition”.

The EB meeting and the Congress were chaired in person by President Prof. Ri Yong Son. He invited all the participants to keep a minute silence-tribute to the memory of the late General Choi Hong Hi, Legendary Founder and first President of ITF.

The Congress was attended by representatives from 78 National Associations along with 6 proxies to have 85 total votes. Ms. Martha Bozhikova took part as legal advisor on the side of Bulgarian legal authorities as so requested by ITF HQs.

President Prof. Ri Yong Son welcomed all National Associations Representatives who took part in the 27 th ITF Congress taking place within the framework of the 21st TWC in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He highly appreciated the works which were carried out with success by Mst. Mario Bogdanov, President of the 21st TWC Organizing Committee as well as all its staff members for their strenuous efforts to make possible this grand gala be celebrated. The Congress invited President Prof. Ri Yong Son, GM. Prof. Dr. Leong Wai Meng, Vice-President, GM. Prof. Hwang Ho Yong, Senior Vice-President, GM. Prof. Kim Ung Chol, Chairperson of the Tournament Standing Committee and Mst. Mario Bogdanov, President of the Organizing Committee to award ITF Orders, ITF Outstanding Instructor Medals and ITF Diploma of Citation to the following Laureates as well as ITF 9 th Dan, 8 th Dan and 7 th Dan Certificates to the respective applicants;

ITF Order
a. GM. Mounir Ghrawi (Lebanon ITF)
b. GM. Charalampos Anastasiadis (Greece ITF)
c. Dr. Elaquin Delcid (Honduras ITF)

ITF Outstanding Instructor Medal
a. Mst. Hed Mohammad Shirzai (Afghanistan ITF)
b. Mst. Aydogdy Atabayev (Turkhmenistan ITF)
c. Mr. Anjan Dhamala (Nepal ITF)
d. Mr. Brannon Phillips (South Africa ITF)
e. Mst. Jason Bradley (Australia ITF)
f. GM. John Taylor (UK ITF)
g. Mst. Peter Vergroesen (Netherland ITF)
h. Mr. Edgar Almada (Paraguay ITF)
i. Mr. Claudio Salas (Argentina ITF)

ITF Diploma of Citation
a. Mr. Zhang Guangjun (China ITF)
b. Mr. Khoo Han Siang (Malaysia ITF)
c. Mr. Efthimios Katsaounos (Greece ITF)
d. Mr. Dimitrios Mpalampanos (Greece ITF)
e. Mst. Robert Howard (Ireland ITF)
f. Mr. Matias Rios (Argentina ITF)
g. Mr. Federico Figari (Argentina ITF)
h. Mr. Gustavo Burgos (Argentina ITF)

9th Dan

a. Mst. Pedro Osuna (Argentina ITF)
b. Mst. Tam Fook Chee (Australia ITF)
c. Mst. Mirsaid Yakhyaev (Tajikistan ITF)
d. Mst. Eduard Li (Uzbekistan ITF)
e. Mst. Augustus Mitchell (Grenada ITF)
f. Mst. Han Chol Jong (DPRK ITF)
g. Mst. Son Song Gun DPRK ITF)
h. Mst. Rajendran Balan (India ITF)

8th Dan
a.Mst. Rene Alberto Bustos (Argentina ITF)
b.Mst. Valerie Keane (Ireland ITF)
c.Mst. Mark O’Donnell (Ireland ITF)
d.Mst. Mario Bogdanov (Bulgaria ITF)

e.Mst. Kim Hyok Nam (DPRK ITF)
f.Mst. Ho Bong Sik (DPRK ITF)
g.Mst. Pak Yong Gun (DPRK ITF)
h.Mst. Kim Myong Chol (DPRK ITF)
i.Mst. Nasridin Talipov (Russia ITF)

7th Dan
• Mst. Adrian Condori (Argentina ITF)
• Mst. Ricardo llvento (Argentina ITF)
• Mst. Andres Omar Cian (Argentina ITF)
• Mst. Lefteris Polydorou (Cyprus ITF)
• Mst. Alberto Gonzales (Spain ITF)
• Mst. John McKissock (Spain ITF)
• Mst. Alehandro Veyssiere (Spain ITF)
• Mst. Stylianos Kanakis (Greece ITF)
• Mst. Aurelio Esteban Bolanez (Argentina ITF)
• Mst. Anthony Coleman (Australia ITF)
• Mst. Eizam Izeimi Arbak (Malaysia ITF)
• Mst. Dusko Kusmuk (Bosnia & Herzegovina ITF)
• Mst. Damian Jazamaha (Australia ITF)
• Mst. Kostadin Dimitrov (Bulgaria ITF)
• Mst. Vergili Sitnilski (Bulgaria ITF)
• Mst. Song Nam Ho (DPRK ITF)
• Mst. Fermin Rodrigues (Argentina ITF)
• Mst. Petr Poklp (Czech ITF)
• Mst. Paek Chun Ok (DPRK ITF)
• Mst. Kim Dae Gil (DPRK ITF)
• Mst. Kim Song Guk (DPRK ITF)
• Mst. Park Jong Hyon (Japan ITF)
• Mst. Hwang Su Il (Japan ITF)
• Mst. Om Tu Il (Japan ITF)
• Mst. Kim Il Kuk (Japan ITF)
• Mst. Vasile Filat (Moldova ITF)
• Mst. Nikolai Kondratenko (Russia ITF)
• Mst. Alexander Varshavski (Russia ITF)
• Mst. Sothya Buonhing (Cambodia ITF)
• Mst. Victor Mercante (Argentina ITF)

One of the most important main topics of the Congress was an amendment brought to the ITF Constitution in accordance with the decisions of the ITF EB meeting held in Pyongyang, DPR Korea in November 2018 on the occasion of the 100 th Anniversary of the birth of Taekwon‑Do Founder and 1 st President of ITF Gen. Choi Hong Hi, to host the Junior & Veteran Taekwon‑Do World Championships together with the Adult Taekwon‑Do World Championships from the next World Championships. Consequently, the World Championship to be held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria in 2019 will be recorded as the first edition of such combined Championships, but it will be held under the title of the “21 st Taekwon‑Do World Championship”.

The competition will be divided into 3 different categories for Junior, Adult and Veteran in conformity with the ITF Tournament Rules. This means that 3 Overall Winners (male and female) and Overall Country will be awarded for each category.

Since the ITF EB decided to hold the Junior, Adult and Veteran Taekwon‑Do World Championships every 2 years, it has been decided to organize, in the interim years, the “World Cup Taekwon‑Do Games”. The first one will take place in 2020.

The Congress also dealt the organisational matters with regards to the appointments and elections for the ITF new Leadership for 4 years term.

The Congress accepted the hosting proposal of China ITF as the next venue place for the 22 nd ITF TWC to be held in 2021 and Rimini City, Italy as venue place for the 23 rd TWC to be held in 2023 while Argentina was decided to be the venue place of the ‘World Cup Taekwon‑Do Games’ to be held in October 2020. In compliance with ITF Constitution, President Prof. Ri Yong Son declared that the ITF 28 th Congress will take place in PR of China, venue place of the next ITF TWC. The Congress reviewed all the decisions taken by the EB meeting and adopted accordingly all the proposed documents and issues thus bringing its contribution to the consolidation of ITF families.

The Congress summarized up all ITF activities since the last Congress and put forward important tasks ahead of us. The EB meeting and Congress exhausted all agenda successfully amid of great expectations and hopes of all original Taekwon‑Do practitioners all over the world.

An opening ceremony was held, on 25 th August at the Stadium” Colodrum” under the presence of prominent figures of Bulgarian authorities as well as of ITF leadership members.

President Prof. RI Yong Son made a speech on this occasion which was followed by Mayor of Plovdiv City along with other notables from the presidium who opened 21 st ITF Taekwon‑Do World Championship.

Claudio Fenias Taekwon‑Do Demonstration from Mozambique stood up at its peak.

The Congress witnessed also the returning handing over of the ITF Logo to Mr. Choi Hyong Chol, nephew of the late General Choi Hong Hi as well as to President Prof. Ri Yong Son and GM. Prof. Dr. Dato. Leong Wai Meng, Vice-President by Mr. Anthony Williams who gave a moving excuses.