When Taekwondo became a modern sport, it preserved the spirit of a two-thousand–year-old martial art, as well as its force and appeal. Also called foot fencing, this sport has been added to the Universiade sports programme in Taipei 2017 after being a part of the World University sports programme since 1986 . This spectacular discipline gathers more and more students from around the world.

The History of Taekwondo in FISU

When taekwondo became a modern sport, it preserved the spirit of a two-thousand–year-old martial art, as well as its force and appeal. The World Taekwondo Federation had already promoted the discipline through international college events. The first World University Taekwondo Championship was held in 1986 at the University of California, in Berkeley, near San Francisco, on the initiative of the US University Sports Association. A close collaboration was created at that time between the Organising Committee, the Taekwondo World Federation and FISU. As a result, the high participation level was achieved at this "premiere". Korea already dominated in the number of medals, and this trend was to strengthen with time. During the 1996 edition in Saint Petersburg, Korea showed no mercy, taking 10 medals out of 16. This astonishing performance was repeated in 1998 by this country where taekwondo is an established tradition.

In Korea, taekwondo is practised from primary school through university and then via numerous clubs. However, other countries are establishing a promotional policy for this sport and are obtaining strong results. This was the case in the last edition for Chinese Taipei as well as for France, which, as a complete outsider, managed nonetheless to take two gold medals. Many renowned athletes have already taken part in FISU taekwondo championships, including Canada's Jai Hoon Lee, who won gold at the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992. In the women's events, Spain's Elena Benitez also won gold in Barcelona, while others, such as Yu-Fang Chi (TPE), Yeun Yong Lee (KOR) and Myoung Sook Jung (KOR), were striving to become world champions. Some of the great university champions of the past are coaches today, providing their support to young athletes taking part in major international competitions for the first time.

In 2000, the World University Taekwondo Championship took place in the city of Kaohsiung, in Chinese Taipei, and it was again a very well organised competition. An increasing number of competitors and interest of the Organising Committees of the Summer Universiades led to the inclusion of taekwondo into the optional programme of three editions of the games. The first was in Daegu in 2003, then in Izmir in 2005 and in Bangkok in 2007, where more than 300 athletes participated. Taekwondo is a very important sport in the FISU programme and close cooperation with the international federation is the main goal for FISU. The Organising Committee of the 2009 Summer Universiade in Belgrade came again with a proposition to include taekwondo into the programme of the games. The poomsae competition was included for first time at the Belgrade Summer Universiade.

Team Kyorugi Competition Rules

Team Kyorugi competitions will be organised for each gender with teams composed of four competitors according to the following total weight chosen from among the sixteen (16) Kyorugi and ten (10) Poomsae athletes of each participating country: 

Team Kyorgui Competition Weight Range: Total Weight

• Male: The total weight of four (4) starting athletes of each match should be 300kg or less.

• Female: The total weight of four (4) starting athletes of each match should be 260kg or less.

Poomsae Competition

1. men’s individual category
2. women’s individual category
3. men’s team category: three (3) competitors
4. women’s team category: three (3) competitors
5. mixed team category (pair): one (1) man and one (1) woman

Each country is authorised to enter in the Kyorugi competition a maximum of sixteen (16) competitors (eight (8) men and eight (8) women) and five (5) officials.

Each country may enter in the Kyorugi competition in each weight category:

- one (1) competitor.

Each country is authorised to enter for the Poomsae competition a maximum of ten (10) competitors (five (5) men and five (5) women) and four (4) officials.

Poomsae:
Each country can enter only one (1) man and one (1) woman in the individual competition.
Each country can enter only one (1) male team and one (1) female team in the team competition.
Each competitor may compete in more than one (1) category of the Poomsae competition.

Each athlete shall perform one (1) Recognised Poomsae and one (1) Freestyle Poomsae competition (Allocation of points: Recognised Poomsae 50% and Freestyle Poomsae 50%)

Each athlete may compete in both Kyorugi, team Kyorugi and Poomsae.

A team competition will be organised in each gender with teams composed of three (3) competitors.

Each country is allowed to enter one (1) male team and one (1) female team in the team competition.
At the first General Technical Meeting, the Head of Delegation or his/her representative shall confirm and sign the official list of competitors accredited by the CIC.

Minimum Requirements for Taekwondo

With the taekwondo CT approval, the Organising Committee must provide, for exclusive use, indoor sports facilities to cover all competition and training facilities for men's and women's taekwondo events. The WT regulations must be followed.

Competition and Training Facilities

*TOJR Technical Officials, Judges and Referees

Previous Events

• 2015 - 28th Summer Universiade - Gwangju (KOR) - Taekwondo Optional Sport
• 2014 - 13th WUC Taekwondo - Hohhot (CHN)
• 2012 - 12th WUC Taekwondo - Pocheon (KOR)
• 2011 - 26th SU - Shenzhen (CHN) - Taekwondo Optional Sport
• 2010 - 11th WUC Taekwondo - Vigo (ESP)2009 - 25th SU - Belgrade (SRB) - Taekwondo Optional Sport
  
• 2008 - 10th WUC Taekwondo - Belgrade (SRB)
• 2007 - 24th Summer Universiade – Bangkok (THA) - Taekwondo Optional Sport
• 2006 - 9th WUC Taekwondo - Valencia (ESP)
• 2005 - 23rd Summer Universiade – Izmir (TUR) - Taekwondo Optional Sport
• 2004 - 8th WUC Taekwondo - Patras (GRE)
• 2003 - 22nd Summer Universiade – Daegu (KOR) - Taekwondo Optional Sport
• 2002 - 7th WUC Taekwondo - Berkeley (USA)
• 2000 - 6th WUC Taekwondo - Kaoshiung (TPE)
• 1998 - 5th WUC Taekwondo - Manzanillo (MEX)
• 1996 - 4th WUC Taekwondo - St. Petersburg (RUS)
• 1992 - 3rd WUC Taekwondo - Guadalajara (MEX)
• 1990 - 2nd WUC Taekwondo - Santander (ESP)
• 1986 - 1st WUC Taekwondo - Berkeley (USA)