Malta Taekwondo Federation
WTF style Taekwondo was introduced to Malta in 1986 by a Tunesian Mr. Ghilan Rageb. Regular training took place in the Tignè area at Sliema and in a private gymnasium at Pietà. A national assocaition was set up. In October of 1988 another club was established in Birzebbuga by Mr. Christopher Vella. In 1989 Korean master Choi Chang Yeul came to Malta bringing technical as well administrative guidance. His coaching was conducted at the Birzebbuga TKD Club which remained the only Taekwondo club for the years that followed. Since then, the association was called the Malta Taekwondo Federation. In August 1994 a new national statute was adopted. New clubs were then formed and the MTF joined the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), the European Taekwondo Union (ETU) and the Maltese Olympice Commitee (MOC) in 1995. Since then the MTF has on varoius occasions taken part in championships, seminars and events organised by the ETU. It has also benefited from regular visits by Master Seo Myung Soo (9th Dan) who has regularly conducted seminars and Black Belt (Dan) grading examinations. Very two important event for the MTF were, the participation into the Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE) that were held in Andorra in 2005 and the presence of the World and Olympic champion Steve Lopez accompanied by his brothers Mark and Jean for their preparation prio the Olympic Games of 2004 in Athens.
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