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| International Taekwon-Do Federation | |
|---|---|
| Name | International Taekwon-Do Federation |
| Caption | ITF emblem (variant) |
| Formation | 1966 |
| Founder | General Choi Hong Hi |
| Type | International sport and martial arts organization |
| Headquarters | Vienna, Austria (current headquarters vary among factions) |
| Region served | Worldwide |
| Leader title | President |
International Taekwon-Do Federation The International Taekwon-Do Federation traces its origins to General Choi Hong Hi and established patterns of Taekwon-Do practice that influenced practitioners across South Korea, Canada, and Austria. Its technical syllabus, political disputes, and global expansion intersected with organizations such as the World Taekwondo Federation and national bodies in United States, United Kingdom, France, and Russia. Over decades the Federation's lineage affected instruction in venues ranging from United Nations cultural exchanges to national sport federations in Argentina and Philippines.
Founded in 1966 by General Choi Hong Hi, the organization emerged amid post-war developments in Seoul and interactions with military institutions such as the Korean Army and veterans from the Korean War. Early demonstrations linked to leaders like General Choi involved collaboration with figures from Japan and training exchanges with instructors from Canada and United States. The Federation's global tours brought delegations to events in London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, and Buenos Aires, and intersected with cultural diplomacy exemplified by missions to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Internal disputes produced splinter groups and contested leadership claims involving personalities who later aligned with organizations in Vienna, Toronto, Seoul, and Sydney. These schisms paralleled governance issues seen in international sports as with the International Olympic Committee and influenced recognition disputes involving bodies such as the Korean Taekwondo Association and national Olympic committees in Spain and Mexico.
Governance models evolved from founding councils to executive committees and commissions resembling structures in organizations like Fédération Internationale de Judo and International Boxing Association. Presidents and vice-presidents have represented regions including Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. National affiliates have operated under constitutions and bylaws comparable to those of British Taekwondo affiliates and national sport federations such as the United States Olympic Committee-recognized bodies. Administrative centers have been established in capitals such as Vienna, Seoul, and Toronto, with dispute resolution mechanisms invoking arbitration practices used by institutions like the Court of Arbitration for Sport and regional confederations in Asia and Europe.
The Federation's patterns, sparring principles, and self-defense techniques derived from General Choi's syllabi and incorporated elements observed in Hapkido, Karate, and historical Korean schools linked to regions like Gyeongsang, Jeolla, and Gangwon. The curriculum emphasizes patterns (tuls), step sparring, and Board-breaking used in demonstrations worldwide alongside training methodologies also employed by instructors from Taolu circuits at events similar to those hosted in Beijing and Tokyo. Instructional material references dojang etiquette found in clubs across Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Lagos, Cairo, and technical seminars taught by masters who have competed in tournaments in Munich, Madrid, New York City, and Seoul.
The ranking system uses colored belts and dans paralleling structures in martial arts federations such as Kodokan and national ranking schemes used by federations in Germany, Italy, Poland, Brazil, and Chile. Examinations for kup and dan grades include technical demonstration, patterns, sparring, and theory, with grading panels often featuring senior instructors from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, and Austria. Promotion criteria have influenced grading standards in regional associations in Turkey, Greece, Israel, India, and Pakistan.
The Federation organized world championships, continental championships, and invitational tournaments akin to events hosted by World Taekwondo and other global sport federations. Major events have been held in cities like Helsinki, Prague, Seville, Lisbon, Sofia, Bucharest, Belgrade, Zagreb, and Ljubljana. Matches featured rulesets specific to the Federation, with weight classes and judging panels including officials from Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Demonstration tours and seminars often accompanied competitions, drawing participants and observers from institutions such as national sports ministries in Japan and cultural ministries in France.
Affiliates span continents, with national associations active in countries including United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, United Kingdom, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.
Key figures associated with the Federation include its founder General Choi Hong Hi and senior masters who carried instruction to diasporic communities in Toronto, Vancouver, Melbourne, Sydney, London, and Los Angeles. Prominent instructors and competitors have links to regional martial arts figures from Japan, China, Korea, Philippines, and United States. Leadership disputes and schisms involved personalities who later became heads of rival federations and national associations in Austria, Canada, South Korea, Russia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Argentina, influencing the global landscape of Taekwon-Do instruction and competition.
Category:Taekwondo organizations