WTF President Chungwon Choue has reiterated the importance of fairer judging and refereeing at the taekwondo competition of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

“It is never too much to stress that success of our competitions and fate of taekwondo largely depends on your fair judging and refereeing,” said WTF President Choue in a meeting of 29 referees, who will officiate at the Beijing Olympic Games.

He made the remarks in a ceremony on Aug. 18, 2008 at the University of Science and Technology Beijing Gymnasium, the venue of the taekwondo competition at the Beijing Olympic Games.

“For the sake of our athletes, for the sake of taekwondo’s future, and for our due respect for the Olympism, it is our responsibility to ensure that only the best athletes become worthy champions and that the color of the athlete’s medal represents his or her true athletic talent,” Choue said.

He continued to say, “I place my faith in you. But at the same time, I will not hesitate to impose whatever is necessary, should you disgrace taekwondo or the WTF in any way.”

“The referees and judges involved in inappropriate action or in making grave mistakes will not be tolerated and will no longer be allowed to officiate at WTF-promoted events, including this Olympic taekwondo competition,” he said.

Choue said, “I ask you – the taekwondo-loving people – to do your utmost to project the beauty and spirit of fair play through our sport of taekwondo.”

At the meeting, WTF President Choue gave a plaque of appointment as Olympic referee to each of the 29 Olympic referees. They were selected based on their performances at a week-long training camp and the WTF’s world and five continental qualification tournaments.

To ensure fairer judging and refereeing and fair play, the WTF organized its first-ever Olympic coach seminar last June in Busan, Korea, and an Olympic referee refresher course in Beijing, China last July.

The taekwondo competition of the Beijing Olympic Games starts on Aug. 20 for a four-day run at the University of Science and Technology Beijing Gymnasium in Beijing, China.