AAU Suspends Juan Moreno and Terrence Jennings after Controversial Podcast
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) immediately suspended Juan Moreno and Terrence Jennings for the rest of the 2025–2026 cycle, citing “reasonable cause” and the content of a YouTube video. The case included a formal complaint, a technical report with 24 findings, and an ongoing review by World Taekwondo’s Global Integrity Unit.
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) immediately suspended Juan Moreno and Terrence Jennings for the rest of the 2025–2026 cycle, citing “reasonable cause” and the content of a YouTube video. The case included a formal complaint, a technical report with 24 findings, and an ongoing review by World Taekwondo’s Global Integrity Unit.
US Taekwondo was embroiled in an institutional controversy after the AAU announced the suspension of Juan Moreno and Terrence Jennings following their participation in a publicly broadcast podcast.
The official letters, dated January 15, 2026, stated that both were immediately suspended for the rest of the 2025–2026 membership period, with an express prohibition on participating in any AAU-related activities. In Moreno’s case, it was also indicated that he could apply for reinstatement as of August 15, 2027.
The origin: a podcast under scrutiny
The conflict began with a podcast episode in which Moreno and Jennings addressed issues related to governance, leadership, and the development of taekwondo in the United States.
After it was broadcast, a formal complaint was filed with several taekwondo authorities. The complaint alleged that parts of the content:
- Could affect the dignity of the individuals mentioned.
- Could constitute harassment, intimidation, or discrimination.
- Could have a negative impact on the sports community, including minors who access open platforms.
The technical report
On January 10, 2026, a document entitled “Transcript Findings and Violations Report” was prepared, which analyzed fragments of the podcast with timestamps and related them to different regulatory frameworks, including:
- Safeguarding and protection policies.
- Code of Ethics.
- Standards of conduct.
The report listed 24 findings, most classified as alleged violations, including:
- Harassment and bullying.
- Sexualized language.
- Intimidation and retaliation.
- Comments considered discriminatory.
This document was one of the main inputs for the subsequent disciplinary decision.
The suspensions
On January 15, 2026, the AAU sent two formal notifications:
- To Juan Moreno: immediate suspension until the end of the 2025–2026 cycle, with the possibility of requesting reinstatement as of August 15, 2027.
- To Terrence Jennings: same sanction and same conditions.
In both cases, the cessation of all activities related to the AAU was ordered, and the possibility of appealing within 30 days was communicated, by means of a written submission and the payment of an administrative fee.
Direct statement from Juan Moreno to MASTKD
In direct contact with MASTKD, Juan Moreno stated:
«The current situation is very unfortunate. I invite anyone interested to listen to the podcast in question and verify whether anything untrue was actually said.»
He then added:
“For almost forty years and throughout nine Olympic cycles, my work has been based on service, integrity, and results, not convenience or popularity. I have questioned leadership, systems, and forms of government when they failed athletes, often at a personal cost.”
He concluded:
“Suppression is not strength. It is fear. I remain committed to defending athletes, coaches, and the future of sport, because doing the right thing should never be a reason for punishment.”
Public statements by Terrence Jennings
Terrence Jennings also referred to the case on social media. In one of his posts, he noted:
“On November 12, 2025, a private MOU was signed. It was not made public and was created before the proposed ‘merger’ between USAT and AAU.”
He then added:
“Not long after, a complaint was filed about a podcast that I had been a part of for over a year without any issues. If you listened to it, listen to it again and tell me what was offensive or what ‘lies’ were told.”
Regarding the sequence of events, he added:
“According to what a reliable source shared with me, the timing and intent were not accidental.”
He closed with a critical message:
“I am sharing this only for transparency: did anyone else see or receive that MOU? Evidence before stories.”
World Taekwondo: review in progress
MASTKD also received an official response from World Taekwondo regarding the status of the case. The organization reported:
“We received an email with the complaint, and the World Taekwondo GIU (Global Integrity Unit) is reviewing the matter and analyzing the actions to be taken.”
The statement confirmed that the case is already under internal review, although no definitive recommendation has been made at this time.
An open process
The final consequences of the case and its institutional impact remain open and will depend both on possible appeals and on the conclusions that World Taekwondo may issue.
MAS: Media About Sport.
TKD: Taekwondo.
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