Lic. Salvador “Chava” Pérez Named New President of Kombat Taekwondo Mexico

MASTKD ESPAÑOL

With a decade of experience on Mexico’s National Taekwondo Team, a degree in International Trade, and a successful foray into the media world, “Chava” now stands as the newly appointed President of Kombat Taekwondo in Mexico. Bringing an ambitious vision and strategic alliances with La Loma High Performance Centers in San Luis Potosí and Querétaro, his leadership promises to drive the sport’s growth in one of the most significant Taekwondo markets in the Americas.

Salvador Pérez al ganar la medalla de Bronce en la Universiada Mundial de Serbia en 2009.

Lic. Salvador Pérez Rodríguez—known worldwide as “Chava”—dedicated 10 years of his life to representing the Mexican National Taekwondo Team. Concurrently, he pursued university studies in International Trade, a path that complemented his athletic career. After retiring as a competitor, “Chava” earned his 4th Dan black belt and ventured into communications, becoming the Kombat Taekwondo commentator for ESPN. Today, he has been appointed by Rick Shin to preside over Kombat Taekwondo Mexico, and a strategic partnership with the La Loma High Performance Centers in San Luis Potosí and Querétaro has been confirmed. With approximately one million practitioners out of a total population of 130 million, Mexico is considered the most crucial Taekwondo hub in the Americas.

Below is an exclusive interview in which “Chava” shares his experiences, vision, and upcoming projects for Kombat Taekwondo in Mexico.

What motivated you to pursue Taekwondo, and how has that passion shaped your personal and professional development?

Well, I’ve shared the story of how I got started in Taekwondo on several occasions. In fact, there’s an article here on MASTKD that covers it in depth. If I’m not mistaken, it’s in the third edition of the “Semanario del Fauno”, I’d encourage everyone to check it out so I don’t repeat myself too much here.

It may sound cliché to say Taekwondo is a way of life, but the truth is most people who say that don’t really mean it. It took me a long time to understand it. There were more than a few occasions when I wanted to distance myself completely from this world, but I always came back. When I retired, I was grateful for everything Taekwondo gave me, yet I also felt like a teenager who’d just ended a relationship and didn’t want to hear about it anymore. Little by little, I’ve made peace with that part of me that didn’t want to be involved. Recently, I came to accept that I really enjoy Taekwondo and don’t want to leave it behind again.

During your 10 years on the Mexican National Team, what were the biggest lessons and challenges you faced in international competitions?

Perhaps the greatest lesson I learned was that there’s more than one right way to do things. In Mexico, we’ve always been used to the Korean style of selection and training, but there’s a whole world out there with different approaches that work just as well. Fighting a European is not the same as fighting an Asian or a South American. Each training style has its pros and cons, and none of them is more “correct” than the other—they’re simply different paths to the same goal.

Your degree in International Trade is rather unusual in the sporting arena. How do you feel this background has complemented your Taekwondo career and your leadership profile?

I’m not sure I’d define myself as a “leader.” A lot of people follow me, but often they don’t realize I don’t always know where I’m going!

My time at the university was quite positive. Initially, I didn’t want to study, but when I got called to the La Loma project, the top requirement was that you had to enroll in college. Against my will, I started my degree and did pretty well. While I was on the National Team, I was one of the few who managed to combine studies with sports; most of my teammates ended up doing one or the other. Ironically, those who chose to continue competing eventually had to study anyway.

I think the reason I was able to balance both is that I never felt pressure about what would happen when my time on the National Team ended—my university education was always important, but it was more like a spare tire, “just in case.” I’m proud to say I’ve never actually had to use it. College helped me a lot because it opened my eyes to the rest of the world, showing me there’s more out there.

After retiring as a competitor, you became a notable figure in the media, particularly as a commentator for ESPN. How would you describe that transition, and what impact do you think it’s had on promoting Taekwondo?

I should clarify that I haven’t been working in large-scale media like ESPN for very long, and I retired in 2012—so I’ve actually been retired longer than I was on the National Team. It’s been a process since then.

As I mentioned before, after my time on the National Team, I tried different things, somewhat convinced that Taekwondo was in my past. But you soon discover you can’t escape it. Even though I attempted various paths, I always had one foot on the mat. Like I said, I learned to make peace with the part of me that wanted nothing more to do with it. Now, the tables have turned—I don’t want anything to do with the everyday, ordinary world.

Now that you’re taking on the role of President of Kombat Taekwondo in Mexico, what are your main objectives for growing the discipline in such a critical Taekwondo market?

It’s no secret that things in Mexico aren’t perfect, not only in sports but also politically and in the realm of education. We’re facing a major crisis in a country with such a strong Taekwondo tradition. One of the key pillars of Kombat Taekwondo is inclusivity: it doesn’t matter if you’re WT, ITF, Moo Duk Kwan, or even from Karate, Judo, or another martial art—everyone is welcome in Kombat Taekwondo. The same applies on the political side: whether you’re affiliated, not affiliated, or independent, we have to break the stigma that some are better than others based purely on associations. It’s easier to grow when we work together. The cliché of the “great Taekwondo family” needs to become a reality again.

A strategic alliance with the La Loma High Performance Centers in San Luis Potosí and Querétaro has been announced. What are your expectations for this partnership, and how do you think it will benefit the development of Kombat Taekwondo in Mexico?

I believe it’s the best thing that could have happened to this franchise in a country like ours. La Loma is synonymous with quality, excellence, and class, and it aligns perfectly with what a league like Kombat Taekwondo represents. On a personal note, I’m both proud and nostalgic. I can say openly that my athletic career wouldn’t have been the same without La Loma—that’s where I truly learned to fight. Not only would my career have been different, but the course of Mexican Taekwondo would have been drastically altered if La Loma didn’t exist. Edna Díaz, Idulio Islas, Abel Mendoza, Gerardo Rodríguez, Alejandra Gaal, the Osornio brothers, Carolina Acosta (who is now a key figure in Mexico’s official sports structure), and of course, María Espinoza—all of them were part of that project. So, La Loma being so closely involved with Kombat Taekwondo from the start is a big step in the right direction.

How do you see the future of Kombat Taekwondo in Mexico and globally? What role do you believe this discipline will play in transforming traditional Taekwondo?

I think the huge acceptance that Kombat Taekwondo has enjoyed worldwide is no coincidence; it’s something practitioners everywhere have been waiting for—the professionalization of our sport. In recent years, WT has made some efforts in that direction, but it’s still tied to national federations where politics often override sports. Plus, WT is bound by the IOC’s interests—and that’s not necessarily bad, because having the Olympic platform benefits all of us. There’s no other martial art or combat sport that has grown as much as Taekwondo has, and in so many different aspects. That said, I foresee a prosperous future for Kombat Taekwondo everywhere, especially because it offers an option for those whose Olympic cycle is ending.

Lastly, what message would you like to convey to the Taekwondo community and the young athletes aspiring to achieve excellence in this sport?

My message is that everyone is welcome in Kombat Taekwondo, and I encourage them to take advantage of this new modality that’s about to launch in a major way here in Mexico. As with everything else, those who join from the start will have an advantage over those who come later. So, don’t hesitate, and stay tuned for more news on how it will operate in Mexico—I have no doubt it will be a global benchmark.

To wrap up, I’d like to thank the MASTKD team for thinking of me ever since the Kombat movement began. It’s been a real pleasure to be involved in this new format. I also want to thank President Rick Shin for his vote of confidence. He’s someone I admire who has always treated me with respect, and his revolutionary ideas will go down in history—even if some of them aren’t fully understood at the moment. But that’s often the case with geniuses.