As part of its ceaseless efforts to ensure the fairest judging and refereeing at the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games, the World Taekwondo Federation organizes a coach seminar and a referee refresher course for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games this and next month, respectively, in Korea.

The WTF coach seminar for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the first of its kind in WTF Olympic history, is scheduled to take place at Haeundae Grand Hotel in Busan, Korea, from June 16-18.

More than 100 coaches and officials from about 50 countries have confirmed their attendance at the coach seminar. A total of 128 athletes from 64 countries qualified for the taekwondo competition at the Beijing Olympic Games.

The three-day coach seminar will feature a special lecture by Mr. Andrew Ryan, ASOIF director. Another special lecture on fair play will be given for the seminar participants by Dr. Ju-ho Chang, president of the Korean Olympic Academy.

On July 13-19, the WTF will hold a WTF referee refresher course for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games with the exact venue to be decided shortly.

A total of 29 international referees are expected to participate in the week-long referee refresher course.

The WTF finalized the 29 referees for the Beijing Olympic Games in February this year. The 29 finalists were selected among the 187 international referees from 57 countries, who attended a week-long WTF International Referee Training Camp for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in late July and early August 2007 in Jeonju, Korea.

Out of the 187, the WTF selected 54 top referees based on their camp performances, who officiated at the WTF’s world and five continental qualification tournaments between last September and in late January this year. Partly thanks to the WTF’s stepped-up referee education and training, only two “minor” protests were lodged during the six Olympic qualification tournaments, a great improvement in terms of judging and refereeing.

“Through the upcoming Olympic coach seminar and referee refresher course, we will reiterate the importance of fair play and fair judging and refereeing at taekwondo competitions, especially at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games,” said WTF President Chungwon Choue.

Dr. Choue said, “It is our responsibility to uphold the integrity of our sport through fair and best behavior. There will undoubtedly be winners and losers in any sport; respecting the results and the referee’s decision, regardless of the outcome, is a code that we should abide by in our task of bringing the spirit of fair play to taekwondo.”

“Fair judging and refereeing, along with fair play, will help bring a more orderly environment to the taekwondo competition sites, in which athletes and coaches will accept the competition results and follow proper protest procedures, if necessary,” he said. “For the sake of our athletes and for the sake of taekwondo’s future, it is our responsibility to ensure that only the best athletes become worthy champions.”