The International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) has recently reversed its earlier statement (March 7th, 2022) on Russian and Belarusian participation in ITF events. Athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports may now return to competition as neutral individuals, and ITF Masters have once again been allowed to attend events in Russia. Although we acknowledge the mandate of the ITF Board of Directors to make the decision, ITF Taekwon-Do Finland is deeply disappointed with this outcome. Our position is that Russia and Belarus should not be allowed to return to ITF events at this time, and that representatives from other ITF member countries should not participate in events hosted in Russia or Belarus.
ITF Taekwon-Do Finland believes that how this decision has been communicated is a cause for serious concern. While a member consultation was conducted via a survey in October 2023, neither the survey results nor the final decision were ever officially published to the member nations. Information has been given out only by asking for it directly, meaning that the understanding in the member associations might be that the statement from 2022 still stands. This lack of transparency undermines trust and accountability within the ITF.
We firmly believe that:
- International sports governance must be transparent and accountable to its members;
- Decisions of significant impact must be communicated to member associations promptly.
We are submitting a formal motion to the 2025 ITF Congress in Poreč, Croatia:
All future decisions affecting eligibility, participation rights, or policies regarding international sanctions must be communicated to all member associations in a timely manner. If the opinions of member associations have been consulted prior to making the decision, a summary of results should be made available.
We call on all national associations to join us in seeking a transparent governance process that reflects the shared values and collective will of our global community.
ITF Taekwon-Do Finland