Jean Kfoury receives Order of Australia Medal for service to Taekwondo

The President of Australian Taekwondo, Grand Master Dr. Jean Kfoury, received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2026 Australia Day Honours, an official recognition by the Australian government for “service to Taekwondo.”

The distinction was published in the January 26 honors list and was awarded within the national Order of Australia system, conferred by the General Governor.

Global context: Australia, OTU, and MNA

Australia is a continent-country in Oceania and one of the most influential structures in the region within World Taekwondo. Within this framework, Australian Taekwondo acts as the MNA (Member National Association) that governs federated Taekwondo in the country, while the Oceania Taekwondo Union (OTU) is the continental union that coordinates the MNAs of Oceania in the international ecosystem.

Official confirmation: “For service to Taekwondo”

The mention of Kfoury appeared in the institutional document of the Australia Day 2026 Honours List under the category of Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), with the explicit reference “For service to Taekwondo.”

OTU congratulated him and promoted him as a regional asset

Following the announcement, the Oceania Taekwondo Union publicly congratulated him on the OAM and emphasized the “well-deserved” nature of the honor, interpreting it as a sign of prestige not only for him personally but also for Taekwondo in Oceania.

Australian Taekwondo framed it as leadership in service

In its institutional communication, Australian Taekwondo stated that the recognition reflected a history of community-centered leadership: member welfare, athlete development, and long-term sustainability of the sport in the country.

Diplomacy and diaspora: Embassy in Beirut added the “Lebanese heritage” factor

The news also crossed over into the diplomatic sphere: the Australian Embassy in Beirut (Lebanon) published its congratulations and highlighted Kfoury as “another great Australian of Lebanese heritage,” a narrative layer that connected Taekwondo, identity, and the migrant community, with Beirut as a key regional capital of the Mediterranean Levant.

Kfoury’s response: “I didn’t do it alone”

Kfoury responded with a message addressed to the global Taekwondo “family” and presented the medal as a shared recognition: he said he honored it alongside the athletes, coaches, officials, referees, volunteers, and families who supported Australian Taekwondo every day.

International exposure

The impact was also reflected in the global ecosystem: World Taekwondo spread its congratulations and amplified Kfoury’s message, reinforcing that the distinction transcended national borders and was seen as an institutional milestone for Oceania.

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