The History since 2008
The ITF Board of Directors decided in 2007 under the leadership of our late President GM Tran Trieu Quan to develop the ITF in Africa. I was appointed to start this project in Ethiopia and the first seminar was conducted in June 2008. Many seminars followed in the years after e. g. 3 IIC’s, 2 Kids Courses and many other technical seminars (pattern, sparring, self defence and umpire).
Other country representatitives participated in the years after e.g. Kenya, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Uganda, South Africa, Djibouti and South Sudan and could start to establish the ITF in their countries (many of them joined us from ITF Chang Ung and some of GTF and WTF).
The Seminars
400 red- and blackbelts participated from August 2nd to August 4th at pattern, sparring, self-defence, Kids, step sparring and umpire seminars and due to the good work of the team (Masters McNairn and Santaniello, Subums Enander and Morris and Mr. Olsson and myself) we were able to devide the big number of participants into severeal groups and could work more effectively and successfully.
The Plan
In the 9th year of hard working in Africa it was the plan to establish the African Taekwon-Do Federation = ATF. It was the right time to do so because this will have a big impact on the further development on the African Continent for both: the ITF and the African Member Organisations.
The Historical Meeting
On August 5th, 2016 the 2nd African ITF Continental Meeting was held at SAREM International Hotel as a Constitutive Meeting at Addis Ababa with the participation of 9 member countries of our ITF (in alphabetical order):
1. Djibouti represented by Mr. Bahdon Omar
2. Ethiopia represented by Mr. Wogayehu Behailu
3. Kenya represented by Mr. William Wamweya
4. Madagascar represented by Mr. Tafita Rakotoarisoa
5. Mozambique represented by Mr. Alexandre Mabjaia
6. South Africa represented by Mr. Bert Gey van Pittius
7. Tanzania represented by Mr. Said Kenedy
8. Uganda represented by Mr. Robert Ojiambo
9. Zimbabwe represented by Mr. Richard Mashanje
Special Guests:
Mr. Hailu Minretayew – Representative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports
Mr. Kebede Ejegu – Secretary General oft he ITF Umbrella Organisation =
EITF
GM Paul Weiler – ITF Senior Vice – President
Master David McNairn – ITF Scotland
Master Ernesto Santaniello – ITF Italy
Sabum Niklas Enander – ITF Sweden
Sabum Jonathan Morris – ITF France
Boosaboom Olsson – ITF Sweden
David Karanja – South Sudan
Sabum Getachew Shiferaw – EITA Vice-President
Sabum Yigebawal Cheru – EITA Treasurer
Sabum Yosef Geleta – EITA Board Member
Sabum Elias Kumel – EITA Umpire Committee Chairman
Mr. Anteneh Belay – EITA Interpreter
Mr. John Arnold – Tanzania
Mr. Kharam Ramadhan – Uganda
Mr. Nevermindone Sherenione – Zimbabwe
Mr. Joshua Nhantave – Mozambique
The atmosphere was fantastic and with every moment it was clear that the African representatives are “really brothers and sisters in TKD”.
The Decisions
1. African Taekwon-Do Federation Constitution was approved
2. African Taekwon-Do Federation = ATF was established
3. African Taekwon-Do Federation Board of Directors was elected:
President: Mr. Wogayehu Behailu (Ethiopia)
Vice-President: Mr. Robert Ojiambo (Uganda)
Secretary General: Mr. Bert Gey van Pittius (South Africa)
Treasurer: Mr. Tafita Rakotoarisoa (Madagascar)
Member: Mr. Bahdon Omar (Djibouti)
Honorary President: Mr. Tamrat Feyessa (Ethiopia)
The first Board of the ATF (from left to right): Mr. Tamrat Feyessa (Honorary President – Ethiopia), Mr. Tafita Rakotoarisoa (Treasurer – Madagascar), Mr. Bahdon Omar (Board Member – Djibouti), Mr. Wogayehu Behailu (President – Ethiopia), Mr. Bert Gey van Pittius (Secretary General – South Africa), Mr. Robert Ojiambo (Vice-President – Uganda).
The ATF will be registered in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa) and the new elected President will proceed to the Ministry of Law with the complete paperwork to apply for it.
History Repeats
The number 9 was a very important number for our beloved Founder General Choi Hong-Hi. 50 years after the establishment of the ITF in 1966 with 9 founding members again 9 countries were the founding members of the ATF and for the first time in ITF history a Continental Federation has been established on the African Continent.
The 5th African Cup on August 6th and 7th
For the first time only blackbelts were allowed to participate. More than 300 competitors from 10 African Countries participated plus France and again Jamaica!
The organiser did a wonderful job including the referees and one of the highlights was the opening ceremony.
EITA improved a lot since the 1st African Cup and the tournament became better and better.
ATF Website
Sabum Niklas Enander established the ATF website with the help of his student Viktoria Olausson. Many thanks for this great achievement and support.
www.itfafrica.com
www.tkdafrica.com
Thanks!
– to the ITF Board of Directors
– to TOVA ENVIRONMENTAL (Master Affatigato and Mr. David McGinley
– to Mighty Fist (Sabum Jonathan Morris)
– to “The Team”
– to EITA
GM Paul Weiler