The World Taekwondo has issued a statement regarding the current situation of the sport of Taekwondo in Malta.
“World Taekwondo (WT) and World Taekwondo Europe (WTE) have been conscious, for several years, of the internal strive within the Malta Taekwondo Federation (MTF). For example, over these years, the MTF has seen the resignation of two of its presidents, has witnessed a failed effort to supress the affiliation of a new club whilst another one closed its doors.
“We are also aware that, in an effort for the MTF to have a better governing structure, the Maltese sports authorities advised the MTF towards a more open and transparent statute allowing a wider vote amongst its members.
“We are conscious that this new statute was approved after a difficult debate and through strong advice from SportMalta and the Maltese Olympic Committee.
“Unfortunately, this has not been sufficient. In another effort to fully appreciate the nuisances and encourage an improvement for the sport of taekwondo in Malta, a high delegation, led by the vice-president of WT, visited Malta in mid-December 2019.
“The delegation met the Maltese Olympic Committee, SportMalta and the MTF Executive except its Treasurer who had resigned from his post before the delegation’s arrival.
“We understand that the treasurer resigned because he could not stand his committee’s lack of respect to its President and continuous conflicting opinions which were stifling the operation of the committee and were hindering progress.
“The treasurer left the MTF after completing the financial year and submitting the accounts of 2019 to the pertinent sports authorities in Malta.
“WT delegation’s visit did not help alienate the world’s governing body’s worries on the development of taekwondo in Malta. On the contrary, the meeting with the MTF Executive, and the reaction from certain individuals, only cemented WT’s thoughts of the disharmony that existed within the MTF.
“This resulted in WT advising the MTF that it was being temporarily suspended until the proper investigations could be carried out. WT wanted to assess the problems that were prevalent in the MTF in an effort to eliminate these for the betterment of taekwondo in Malta.
“As a result of this suspension, the recognition of the MTF was also put on hold by the MOC and SportMalta.
“In addition, WT advised the MTF, MOC and SportMalta that it was appointing an Interim Board to spearhead the necessary reform. The Interim Board’s tasks are specific and not related to the investigations.
“The Interim Board is charged with the primary task to produce a simple, fair and transparent plan to fully normalise the situation within the MTF, to implement the Global Membership System and also to call for new elections as soon as possible based on an electoral base as broad as possible.
“Disappointingly, the remaining MTF Executive defied the advice of WT. Instead of deferring their activities and instead of collaborating with their international governing federation, they continued with their own agenda as if nothing was amiss jeopardising an opportunity to allow WT to assist the MTF in its governance problems.
“Indeed, the remaining three members of the MTF Executive called an AGM forJanuary 31, 2020 and, due to insufficient quorum, again for March 6, 2020. The AGM also provided for elections for a new MTF executive despite WT’s advice that the AGM should not proceed.
“Despite this, in these coming days, WT will be proceeding with and accelerate its investigations into the MTF.
“Parallel to this action, the Interim Board in Malta is working on a new statute that meets the criteria required from the national sports authorities, as well as other regulations in place in Malta including those of the Commissioner of Voluntary Organisations.
“The statute aims to assure an even more accessible platform to allow individual members to be involved directly in the way they would like their association to take their sport forward and provide all taekwondo practitioners in Malta with equal opportunities and access to events, courses, seminars and dan promotions.
“The statute will have at its core the principle that it is the individual members, during a General Meeting, that give direction to the elected executive members, who in turn, have the responsibility to ensure that the association is run in an ethical and transparent method.
“As soon as this statute meets the approval of all concerned, we shall bring this to the consideration of taekwondo practitioners in Malta and hold open elections for a new executive to run a taekwondo association in Malta in the best interest of its athletes.
“Until such a process is complete, grading certification will only be available to those academies/clubs that recognise the Interim Board and through a process that will involve a Technical Board appointed to the task by the Interim Board.
“We draw the attention of taekwondo practitioners in Malta that other certification issued by academies/clubs trying to circumvent this requirement and thus not endorsed by the Interim Board are meaningless and will not be eligible for participation in events. There will be a similar restraint on the use of the Points Scoring System as provided by WT.
“We are striving to minimise this indeterminate period as much as possible but a lack of cooperation or hindrance to the process will only prolong the period thus hindering funding and other opportunities for taekwondo athletes and practitioners in Malta.”
The Interim Board may be contacted on: deputypresident@nocmalta.org