British Taekwondo’s Dr. Said Khelwatty has been appointed as Chair of the ETU Para Taekwondo Committee.

Dr. Said Khelwatty, Non-Executive Director of British Taekwondo was recently appointed as Chair of the European Taekwondo Union’s Para Taekwondo Committee.

The overall remit of the ETU Para Taekwondo Committee is to drive the development of Para Taekwondo in Europe. This includes education for coaches, International Referees, and other officials, developing close communications with the MNAs to engage with programmes, and create strategies to further propagate Para Taekwondo activities in collaboration with national partners.

Dr. Said Khelwatty has recently completed his chairing of the World Taekwondo Para Poomsae Committee, which was tasked with reviewing Para Poomsae rules and incorporate the recently approved IPC sports categories and successfully relaunching international competition in Para Poomsae.

Commenting on his appointment with the ETU Dr Said Khelwatty said “I am truly honoured and humbled to be appointed as the new Chair of Para Taekwondo in the European Taekwondo Union. This appointment represents a significant milestone in my personal journey and advocacy for inclusivity in our sport. I am deeply committed to promoting and developing Para Taekwondo across Europe, ensuring that athletes with disabilities have equal opportunities to showcase their skills and passion. Together with the dedicated members of the ETU Para Committee, I am confident that we can create a future where Para Taekwondo thrives, breaking barriers, and empowering athletes to achieve greatness. Let us embark on this exciting journey together, fostering a community that celebrates diversity and embraces the true essence of Taekwondo.”

Dr. Said added “Having just finished Chairing the World Taekwondo Para Poomsae Committee, which was tasked to review the old Para Poomsae rules and incorporate the recently approved IPC sports categories and successfully relaunching international competition in Para Poomsae, this new role with the ETU is going to be an exciting challenge to take up.”

Dr. Said Khelwatty

“My direct involvement at the WT meant I was able to liaise with the WT Para Department, Para Classification and British Taekwondo’s Poomsae Performance Department as well as staff to ensure our athletes, coaches and officials are well informed and ready for international competition and our processes are in line with WT Para standards.”

As a Board member of British Taekwondo, Dr. Said’s leadership of the ETU Para Taekwondo Committee will mean that our organisation is at the forefront of the international federation, which links back to our international relations strategy, and importantly enables us to be part of the decision-making process.

Ioannis Mouroutsos Sport Director ETU Usman Dildar ETU Technical Director and Dr. Said Khelwatty at the European Para Championships 2023

Ioannis Mouroutsos, Sport Director ETU, Usman Dildar, ETU Technical Director, and Dr. Said Khelwatty at the European Para Championships 2023

Usman Dildar, ETU Technical Director and British Taekwondo’s Vice President said “We are thrilled to have Dr. Said Khelwatty join our team as the Chair of Para Taekwondo in the European Taekwondo Union. His extensive knowledge and experience in working with para athletes, officials and MNAs will be invaluable in driving the growth and development of Para Taekwondo throughout Europe. Dr. Said’s dedication to inclusivity and his passion for supporting athletes with disabilities align perfectly with our organisation’s mission. We are confident that Para Taekwondo will continue to flourish, providing exciting opportunities for athletes and further raising the profile of our sport. We look forward to working closely with Dr. Said to propel Para Taekwondo to new heights and create a pathway for success for all athletes under our federation.”

Find out more

To find out more about the ETU Para Taekwondo Committee contact Dr. Said Khelwatty via said.khelwatty@britishtaekwondo.org

Disability Development

At British Taekwondo, we are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in everything we do.

For further information please contact Annie Rogan, Disability Sport Development Officer via disability@britishtaekwondo.org