Taekwon-Do in Russia.

At present the management of the Taekwon-Do development in Russia is being carried out by the Russia Taekwon-Do Federation. On December 18, 1989 the USSR State Sport Committee passed a resolution "About the development of oriental styles of unarmed combat in the USSR". As a result different styles of oriental unarmed combat were recognized as kinds of sport in the Soviet physical training system. In December 1989 the Moscow Taekwon-Do Federation was founded. The St.-Petersburg Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) was established at the same time. The International ITF Instructor, the VI degree holder Li Eng Sok was invited. He was the man who put the original Taekwon-Do technique foundation in our country. On June 30, 1990 the Constituent Conference took place in accordance with the initiative of the St.-Petersburg Taekwon-Do federation, the Moscow Taekwon-Do Federation and several union republics. The USSR Taekwon-Do Federation was established as a result of its work. The Federation made several steps which let Taekwon-Do take on honourable place among the other kinds of sport. So Taekwon-Do was included: n into the All-Union Classifier of kinds of Sport (October 1990); n into the list of kinds of sport, according to which the competitors are awarded with medals (November 1990); n into the United All-Union Sport Classification (January 1991). In 1990-1991 academic year the Taekwon-Do coach training started. They got the higher education at the State Central Physical Culture Institution awarded with the Lenin's Order. In 1991-1992 the first admission was carried out for the Coach Higher School. In August 1990. The USSR Taekwon-Do Federation was admitted to at the ITF Congress which was being held in Montreal during the World Championships. That was the first Championship with the participation of the USSR team. Batyr Mamedov won the bronze medal in Sparring. That was the first medal won by the USSR respesentatives of oriental styles of unarmed combat at the World and Europe Championships. In March 1991 the first and unfortinatelly last USSR Taekwon-Do Championship took place in St.-Petersburg. The Russian Taekwon-Do Federation was organized after the USSR desintegration in January 1992. The Federation is an independent social organization possessing exclusive authority in management of Taekwon-Do development in Russia. The Federation presents Taekwon-Do in the Olympic committee of Russia, in the International Taekwon-Do and other Sports Organizations and Unions. The Federation holds regularly the Russian Championships. National Russian team competitors performed success fully at the Championships in People's Democratic Republic of Korea and Malaysia, Europe Championships. Now we come say with confidence that Taekwon-Do in Russia has been firmly established and continues its development. The Russian competitors achievements at the International Arena prove that.