The decision to include taekwondo was confirmed at a meeting of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board in Abu Dhabi on January 31.

Since the IPC's announcement, the WTF claims it has already seen a significant increase in interest from its 206 national federations to develop Para-taekwondo.

The WTF had long identified Paralympic inclusion as a way of increasing worldwide participation and helping to realise the potential of the sport.

"It is a great honour for the WTF to be included in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games," said Choue.

"We now have a responsibility to ensure that we maximise the opportunities this presents us with and grow our sport to its full potential.

"We are very grateful to the IPC for granting us this privilege and we are committed to showing them that they made the right decision to put their faith in us."

The World Taekwondo Federation has seen a significant increase in interest from its 206 national federations to develop Para-taekwondo ©WTF



In October, the WTF Council approved a five-year strategic plan for the development and expansion of the sport between 2015 and 2020, promising it would be implemented regardless of whether taekwondo was approved for Tokyo 2020 or not.

The plan encompasses five key areas - competition, research, education, development and partnerships - and is intended to provide a framework for the WTF to instigate innovative programmes and reforms for the development and expansion of Para-taekwondo worldwide.

Following taekwondo's inclusion in the Paralympic programme, the plan will now be revised with the organisational structure set to be expanded in order to meet the increasing demand in participation.

Sailing and football seven-a-side were the two sports that missed out on a place at Tokyo 2020 to make way for taekwondo and badminton, which it had been announced last year would be added. 

Sports were assessed for worldwide participation in terms of countries and continents, where the sport is regularly practiced, quadrennial competition programme, athlete classification, anti-doping programme, rules and regulations, and initiatives undertaken to make their sport more attractive.

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January 2015: Taekwondo to be added to Tokyo 2020 Paralympic programme as sailing and football seven-a-side miss out