The office will be responsible for the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland and coordinate all ETU activities in the region.

Sweden's Chakir Chelbat, the referee chairman of the ETU and the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), has been appointed director of the office. 

Chelbat officiated the controversial over 80 kilogram bronze-medal match between Cuba's Angel Matos and Kazakhstan's Arman Chilmanov at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Cuba's Angel Matos kicks Chakir Chelbat in the face after being disqualified from the over 80kg bronze-medal match at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games ©Getty Images



Matos was winning 3-2, with 62 seconds remaining in the second round, when he fell to the mat after being hit by Chilmanov.

He was disqualified for taking more than his allotted one-minute injury time and after angrily questioning the call, he pushed one judge and kicked Chelbat in the face.

Matos then spat on the floor and was escorted out by security before it was later announced that he and his coach, Leudis Gonzalez, had been banned from the sport for life.

The ETU's headquarters, responsible for general operations and activities under the leadership of secretary general Michael Fysentzidis, are based in Athens, Greece.

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