World Taekwondo completed Standing International Referee camps and set debut pathway toward LA28

World Taekwondo reported it successfully conducted the Standing International Referee Selection & Training Camps across four continents in January 2026, positioning the program as a key step to strengthen officiating standards and improve consistency across World Taekwondo-Promoted and World Taekwondo-Recognized Events within the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic cycle.

Global camps: who, where, when

According to the report, the four camps screened registrant eligibility and delivered theoretical sessions and practical assessments focused on rule interpretation, match management, and consistent decision-making aligned with WT standards. In total, WT recorded 293 referee candidates from 52 countries.

Camp overview (WT figures):

• Africa | Rabat | Jan 7–11, 2026: 46 (33M / 13F) from 24 countries

• Europe | Alicante | Jan 12–16, 2026: 85 (41M / 44F) from 34 countries

• Pan America | Sogamoso | Jan 19–23, 2026: 50 (27M / 23F) from 16 countries

• Asia & Oceania | Astana | Jan 26–30, 2026: 112 (62M / 50F) from 38 countries

What “Standing International Referee” means in WT terms

WT framed the system as a dedicated pool of certified referees that will be prioritized for higher-level events, while also supporting requirements across other WT-Recognized competitions.

Crucially, WT described a performance-based pathway: referees for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be selected from the Standing International Referee pool, based on performance evaluations across World Taekwondo-Promoted and World Taekwondo-Recognized Events.

Key benefits WT listed

WT highlighted four operational outcomes tied to the new structure:

• Clear pathway to Olympic & Paralympic appointment via performance evaluations across WT event tiers

• Exclusive eligibility for World Taekwondo-Promoted Events (G6 and above), including Grand Prix Challenge

• Partial travel support for appointed Standing International Referees at WT-Promoted Events (depending on location and departure point)

• Mandatory referee composition for World Taekwondo-Recognized Events (G1, G2, G3): Organizing Committees must appoint at least two referees from the Standing list; compliance is reflected in the annual event evaluation

Next milestone: first championship deployment

WT stated that the **World Taekwondo Junior Championships in Tashkent will mark the debut of the selected Standing International Referees, launching a longer performance-evaluation track that also links to the **World Taekwondo Grand Prix Series and the **World Taekwondo Championships, as outlined in the report.

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