KOMOTINI, Greece — Athanasios “Sakis” Pragalos, one of the most influential leaders in Taekwondo globally and current vice president of World Taekwondo, will receive the “Nikos Samaras” Award in Greece this May, a distinction that extends beyond the specific sphere of martial arts and places him on a broader scale of recognition within sports governance.
SANTIAGO, Chile — The institutional crisis at the Chilean Taekwondo Federation revealed a key fact: the board’s term expired on October 16, 2025, and the election process convened to renew leadership was suspended by court order, preventing the appointment of new leadership and leaving the federation leaderless.
SYDNEY, Australia — Dr. Choue Chung-won, president of World Taekwondo, confirmed his attendance in Sydney to participate in the 20th Anniversary Oceania Taekwondo Union Gala Dinner & Awards, scheduled for March 27, 2026, and will also attend the 2026 Oceania Taekwondo Championships, set for March 28 and 29 in Australia.
SANTIAGO, Chile — La crisis institucional de la Federación Chilena de Taekwondo dejó un dato central: el directorio perdió vigencia el 16 de octubre de 2025 y el proceso eleccionario convocado para renovar autoridades fue suspendido por orden judicial, lo que impidió la designación de una nueva conducción y abrió un escenario de acefalía federativa.
LAS VEGAS, United States — The 2026 U.S. Open left a strong mark on the international Taekwondo calendar. The United States not only organized a large-scale, high-level competition in Las Vegas, but also won the Kyorugi G2 Senior medal count, consolidating a dual sporting and institutional message in a tournament that also included Poomsae, Freestyle, and Para Taekwondo, as well as categories such as Junior, Cadet, Ultra, and Tiger.
The Pan American Taekwondo Union (PATU) began a new technical era with the appointment of Myung Chan Kim as Technical Director, a position that brought in someone with extensive continental experience and international recognition in taekwondo. His debut in the role took place in Las Vegas, in a particularly important context for the region and for the United States on the road to Los Angeles 2028.
World Taekwondo confirmed that there will be no changes to the schedule in Tashkent, where the World Taekwondo Junior Championships, the Executive Council meeting and the General Assembly will all proceed as planned, sending a message of sporting and institutional stability after doubts raised in recent hours.
World Taekwondo confirmó que no habrá alteraciones en la programación prevista en Tashkent, donde seguirán adelante el Campeonato Mundial Junior, la reunión del Consejo Ejecutivo y la Asamblea General, en una señal de normalidad institucional y deportiva tras las dudas generadas en las últimas horas.
![2026 U.S. Open Championships [Photos]](https://i0.wp.com/www.mastkd.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/US-OPEN-2026-GALERIA.jpg?fit=637%2C478&ssl=1)
Images of the 2026 U.S. Open Championships, held from March 5 to 8 at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Kyorugi, Poomsae and Para Taekwondo brought together athletes, coaches and teams from around the world.
La Pan American Taekwondo Union (PATU) abrió una nueva etapa técnica con el nombramiento de Myung Chan Kim como Director Técnico, una designación que colocó en ese lugar a una persona con extensa trayectoria continental y reconocimiento internacional dentro del Taekwondo. Su debut en funciones se produjo en Las Vegas, en un contexto especialmente importante para la región y para Estados Unidos en el camino hacia Los Ángeles 2028.
