Wanda Martial Arts Federation is organized internationally to promote martial arts' values, philosophy, the proper practice of the art of Taekwondo, Shōtōkan Karate and Kōdōkan Judo, the development of Taekwondo, Shōtōkan Karate and Kōdōkan Judo as a sport and advance athletic training for world competitions and competitions in the Olympic Games.

WHAT IS TAEKWONDO?

Taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial art, which means "the way of kicking and punching". In taekwondo, hands and feet can be used to overcome an opponent, but the trademark of the sport is its combination of kick movements.

A LONG HISTORY

The origin of taekwondo dates back to Korea's Three-Kingdom era (c.50 BC) when Silla Dynasty warriors, the Hwarang, began to develop a martial art - Taekkyon ("foot-hand").

GO GLOBAL

During the early 20th century, taekwondo became the dominant form of martial arts practised in Korea. Subsequently taekwondo was designated as the Korean national martial art to be promoted internationally. In 1973, the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) was founded as the worldwide legitimate governing body of the sport, and the first World Championships were held in Seoul, Korea that year.

RECENT OLYMPIC HISTORY

Taekwondo is one of the two Asian martial arts included on the Olympic programme. Taekwondo made its debut as a demonstration Olympic sport at the 1988 Seoul Games, and became an official medal sport at the 2000 Sydney Games.

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On September 2013, Tokyo was elected as the host city of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games at the 125th Session of the International Olympic Committee held in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. The decision to award the 2020 Games to Tokyo was greeted with an outpouring of euphoria throughout Japan, and the emotion that stirred the nation at the Tokyo 1964 Games will be prevalent again some 56 years later.

On 3 August 2016, during the 129th Session, the International Olympic Committee agreed to add five new sports to the sports programme of Tokyo 2020, between which Karate is to be found. 

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JAPANESE CHOICE

Judo is a traditional Japanese wrestling sport developed in the 1880s. It was Dr Jigoro Kano (1860-1938) who combined the features of the various schools of the sport and codified the rules. Kano stressed the philosophical principles of judo, adding methods of physical, intellectual and moral education, eliminating many of the dangerous parts of jujitsu, and opening his first school, or dojo, in 1882.

“THE WAY OF SUPPLENESS”

In Japanese the word ju-do means “the way of suppleness” referring to the story of the tree branch ‘bending’ under the weight of the snow and not breaking. However, the bouts of five minutes are hardly gentle and can be as physically demanding as boxing and wrestling.

OLYMPIC HISTORY

Judo made its very first appearance at the Olympic Games in 1964 in Tokyo. However, it was not included in the Olympic programme in 1968 in Mexico City, but returned, never to leave again, at the 1972 Games in Munich. As for women’s judo, it was added to the Games in 1992 in Barcelona.

Men and women now compete in seven weight categories. There was originally a men’s category open to all weights, but this event was withdrawn after the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

This discipline is, logically, dominated by the Japanese, followed by the French and then the Koreans, who win a large number of medals.