Before the International Committee Executive Board (IOC EB) met on 12 February 2013, taekwondo and modern pentathlon were in danger of being dropped from the 26 core sports for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. From the grapevine, taekwondo was the likelier of the two.
Although the taekwondo community was quietly confident that taekwondo would remain in the Games after the sport was impressively showcased in the 2012 London Olympics, it was putting its finger crossed as anything could happen.
The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) had done its best to live up to the expectations of the IOC but the other sports might have done better.
Nevertheless, the WTF had done all it could. It changed the competition rules and introduced modern technology to make the sport safer, more appealing and entertaining and attractive to the media. It also aligned its philosophy to the requirements of IOC in terms of universality and good governance.
The taekwondo community was relieved when it was announced by the IOC that taekwondo was selected as one of the 25 core sports. Wrestling, one of the sports that had been featured since the start of the Olympics, was dropped.
The decision of the IOC EB will be presented at the 125th IOC Session in September 2013 for ratification. It will most likely be approved. In the meantime, the taekwondo community could be delighted that the hard work of the WTF was recognized.