The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) continues to consider TKD – Sports Taekwondo Australia’s (STA) application for membership as the National Federation for Taekwondo in Australia.

In the absence of a National Federation recognised by the AOC, the AOC wishes to give athletes advanced notice of its preferred pathway to selection for the Olympic Qualification Events and nomination to the AOC for selection in 2012 Australian Olympic Team, to compete in the 2012 Olympic Games.

The AOC requires that the pathway to nomination should be open to all athletes on a fair and equal basis, regardless of whether they have competed in any previous events conducted by either STA or Taekwondo Australia (TA).  The AOC has previously advised both STA and TA of its position in this regard.

The AOC’s preferred pathway to nomination consists of six national events plus the two Olympic Qualification Events (the World Qualification Tournament (WQT) and the Oceania Qualification Tournament (OQT)).

This pathway would commence on 14 May 2011 with the WQT Preliminary Event. Entry to this event would be open to all athletes and all athletes would commence with a zero points score. However, the pathway also contemplates a concession to those athletes who compete in the World Taekwondo Championships to be held in Gyeongju, Korea from 1 to 6 May 2011.

The AOC’s preference is for the WQT Preliminary Event to be held at Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast, Queensland, and for it to replace the event previously described as Event 1E in STA’s World & Regional Qualification Selection Process.

The WQT Preliminary Event would determine the athletes to compete at a WQT Selection Event, which in turn would determine the athletes to compete in the WQT. Again, the AOC’s preference is for the WQT Selection Event to be held on 4 June 2011 at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, ACT, and for it to replace the event previously described as Event 2A in STA’s World & Regional Qualification Selection Process.

As provided for in the Olympic Charter, the IOC has confirmed that in the absence of a National Federation – as is the case in Australia – the NOC (in this case the AOC) is the only entity with the authority to enter Australian athletes in the Olympic Qualification Events. Further, pursuant to the Qualification System only the AOC has the authority to confirm Australia’s use of quota places qualified by Australia at either of these events.

The AOC will provide athletes with further information on the pathway to nomination and selection once it is in a position to do so. 

Craig Phillips
Secretary General
Australian Olympic Committee

Issued 1 October 2010
Amended 2 December 2010
Amended 10 December 2010
Amended 23 February 2011
Amended 28 April 2011