European Taekwondo Union

06/06/2026

ETU President meets WT President, Dr. Chungwon Choue at the occassion of the Rome Grand Prix 2026! Also WT Vice President Driss al Hilali and Council members Lisa Jensen and Jay Warwick and WT Secretary General Jeongkang Seo were present!

03/06/2026

🚨 WT Rule Changes .

✅ New protocol at the end of the match

At the conclusion of the final round, before announcing the winner, the Center Referee must call the athletes to their marks with “Chung, Hong,” give the commands “Cha-ryeot”*
attention— and Kyeong-rye- bow—, and then declare the winner with Chung-seung”or “Hong-seung.”

✅ Procedure for pretending injury

When the Center Referee requests attention for a suspected pretending injury, the contestant must receive medical assistance. If the doctor determines that the athlete cannot continue, the IVR must call the
CSB or the Technical Delegate for the corresponding decision.

✅ Mandatory count for safety

The Center Referee must conduct a mandatory count in cases of:
strong impact to the head, kick to the eye, staggering, bleeding, or knockdown.

In cases of strong impact to the head or kick to the eye, the count will be conducted solely for the athlete’s safety.

✅ New tiebreaker criteria

In the event of a tied score at the end of the round, the following criteria will apply:

1. Points from turning/spinning kicks.
2. Higher-value techniques: 3, 2, and 1 point.
3. Number of points from Gam-jeoms.
4. Registered hits.
5. Woo-se-girok.

✅ New passive behavior cases

The following will be considered passive behavior:

running away, excessive clinching, jumping into a clinch, holding in a clinch, turning the back, and rejection of the Technical Card.
Falling down and crossing the boundary line with any part of the foot are also included as passive behavior cases.

✅ Last 10 seconds of the round

During the final 10 seconds, a Gam-jeom for passive behavior will award 2 points to the opponent. After issuing the Gam-jeom, the referee must indicate the double points with the verbal command “Ee-jeom” and the corresponding hand signal to the computer operator.

✅ New Technical Card

Referees will now have a green Technical Card. Coaches will no longer have a green card; in the case of a technical request, the referee will use their own card.

If the Review Jury rejects the request, the quota will be returned, but a Gam-jeom for misconduct will be issued.

✅ Accepted technical issues

The Technical Card may be used for:
time issues, phantom points, scoreboard entry errors, and PSS test at any time.

These changes will shape the competitive development of the Roma 2026 Grand Prix and reinforce World Taekwondo’s focus on athlete safety, refereeing accuracy, and transparency in decision-making.

26/05/2026

Dear Coaches and Team Managers,

We kindly ask you to review your registrations for the European Club Championships 2026 and remove any athletes who you already know will not participate in the event.

Please note that the registration deadline has been updated to Friday, 29 May. After this deadline, all registered athletes who do not participate (no-shows) will still be subject to the full entry fee payment.

To avoid unnecessary charges, we kindly encourage all coaches and teams to carefully check and update their registrations before the deadline.

Thank you very much for your cooperation, understanding, and support.

ETU OFFICE

23/05/2026

The European Taekwondo Union is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Ali Sagirkaya as ETU Games Director.

After many years of dedicated service and excellent work as ETU Games Chairman, Dr. Sagirkaya now takes on an expanded leadership role within the ETU event structure.

Throughout the years, he has played an important role in the successful organization and development of numerous ETU events and championships, demonstrating professionalism, commitment and strong leadership within the European Taekwondo family.

As Games Director, Dr. Sagirkaya will further support the strategic development, coordination and professional delivery of ETU competitions and major events across Europe.

We congratulate Dr. Ali Sagirkaya on this well-deserved appointment and look forward to continuing our successful cooperation.

22/05/2026

ETU Announces Key Leadership Appointments

The European Taekwondo Union (ETU) has officially announced two important appointments aimed at strengthening the organization’s technical and operational leadership.

Mr. Usman Dildar has been formally appointed as Technical Director of the ETU, while Dr. Ali Sagirkaya has been appointed as Games Director. Both appointments take immediate effect and reflect the ETU’s ongoing commitment to excellence, innovation, and the continued development of taekwondo across Europe.

In his role as Technical Director, Mr. Dildar will oversee the technical direction and standards of ETU activities and competitions. His experience and expertise are expected to contribute significantly to the future growth and modernization of the sport within the European taekwondo community.

As Games Director, Dr. Sagirkaya will be responsible for the coordination and management of ETU games operations and event-related activities. His appointment highlights the ETU’s focus on delivering high-quality sporting events and ensuring the successful organization of future championships and competitions.

ETU President Sakis Pragalos expressed his confidence in both officials, emphasizing that they are entrusted with important responsibilities and are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with the principles and objectives of the ETU. He also noted his belief that both appointees will leave a strong mark on the development and future of European taekwondo.

These appointments represent another important step in the ETU’s mission to strengthen leadership, improve organizational standards, and support the continued advancement of taekwondo throughout Europe.

22/05/2026

We are pleased to officially announce the re-appointment of Usman Dildar as Technical Director of the European Taekwondo Union.

Usman’s continued dedication, professionalism, and contribution to the development of Taekwondo in Europe have played an important role in strengthening the technical standards and growth of our sport across the continent.

Through his experience, leadership, and commitment, he will continue working closely with our Member National Associations, technical officials, coaches, and athletes to further enhance education, competition systems, and long-term technical development within the ETU.

We look forward to continuing this successful collaboration and are confident that his expertise and vision will further support the progress of European Taekwondo.

Please join us in congratulating Usman Dildar on his re-appointment and wishing him continued success in his role.

22/05/2026

The 3rd Austrian Open Youth E2 for Cadets & Juniors is coming to Vienna! 🇦🇹

📅 Sunday, 30 August 2026
📍 Vienna, Austria

One of Europe’s exciting youth taekwondo events returns with high-level competition, valuable E2 ranking points, and unforgettable experiences for young athletes.

Get ready for action, passion, and elite taekwondo spirit! 💥

20/05/2026

🏛️ The European Taekwondo Union (ETU) has officially announced its new committee appointments for the 2026–2027 term, reinforcing leadership, governance, and technical development across European Taekwondo. The appointments followed a transparent selection process led by the Ad Hoc Nominations Committee chaired by Dr. Said Khelwatty.

Congratulations to all newly appointed members who will help shape the future of Taekwondo in Europe through key areas including competitions, education, refereeing, athlete support, safeguarding, media, and development initiatives.

A new era of collaboration, expertise, and growth for European Taekwondo begins.

🥋🌍Read more via the official ETU announcement:
europetaekwondo.org⁠�

ETU Announces New Committee Appointments Strengthening  leadership, expertise, and governance across European Taekwondo The European Taekwondo Union (ETU) is pleased to announce the appointment of its new committees, marking an […]

19/05/2026

Register now for this amazing event in Bosnia!! Register at tpss2021.eu

09/05/2026

2 DAYS TO GO!!!See you in Munich!!!!