Faroe Islands Joins World Taekwondo

- 11 international sports federations now recognise Faroe Islands -

06 December 2019:

The Faroe Islands quest for increasing sporting recognition on the global stage has been boosted with the news that it is to become the newest member of World Taekwondo [WT]. The world governing body for Taekwondo confirmed the news at its Extraordinary Council Meeting in Moscow and provides a major boost for the sport in the Faroe Islands. The development means that the Faroe Islands is now recognised by 11 International Federations.

Welcoming the news, Jon Hestoy, Vice President of the Faroese Confederation of Sports & Olympic Committee [FCSOC] said:

"This is fantastic news for the development of Taekwondo in the Faroe Islands and I would like to thank World Taekwondo for grating us this great honour. The first Taekwondo Club on the Faroe Islands was established in 2015 by Høgni Kunoy Dávason when he was just 10 years old, with the help of his parents and coach J H Kim from the Taekwondo Institute in Singapore. The club now has over 100 members who have gone on to win three Danish Championships and a Nordic Championship between them.

"Hogni at just 15 is a Nordic Champion and is a hugely exciting Taekwondo prospect. His achievements are even more incredible given that he has cystic fibrosis. Our membership of WT gives him and others the opportunity to compete as Faroese on the global stage and that is priceless experience and motivation for them. Faroe Islands membership of WT means that we are now recognised by 11 International Federations and there is a growing awareness in the sporting community of just how seriously our ambition is in international sport."

Nordic Taekwondo champion Høgni Kunoy Dávason added:

"This is a very special day for me and I am so excited by what the future holds. The club that I helped to set up has 18 black belt members and now, to have the opportunity to compete on the world stage as Faroese, is a dream come true. My ultimate ambition is to become a Faroese World Taekwondo champion and compete in the Olympic Games and this news is a huge motivation for me and others to realise our dreams. Thank you World Taekwondo!"

The Faroe Islands Taekwondo Federation is now progressing plans to establish clubs in the towns of Torshavn and Klaksvík. The Federation have had close co-operation with Danish Taekwondo Federation (TDaF) and the Taekwondo Institute in Singapore.

-ENDS-

About the Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands, which has a population of 52,000, has been a self-governing region of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1948 and competes in the Olympic Games as Denmark. Located north-west of Scotland’s Shetland Islands and almost 1,000km from Denmark, the Faroe Islands has been campaigning for more than 40 years for Olympic recognition. The Faroese Confederation of Sports was established in 1939 and its Olympic Committee in 1982. Sport on the islands is 100% self-funded, including all anti-doping activities [no sport funding comes from Denmark]. 18,000 Faroese are members of sports clubs which is driven and overseen by the FCSOC.

Faroe Islands is a founding member of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and has competed in every Paralympic Summer Games since 1984. It is recognised in its own right by 11 International Federations: archery, badminton, darts, football, handball, International Paralympic Committee, judo, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball.

Visit our website: https://isf.fo/faroese-confederation-of-sports-olympic-committee/

For more information

Danny Rollinson

VERO Communications

Email: drollinson@verocom.co.uk

Phone: +44 (0) 7833 682762

Follow the Faroese campaign for Olympic Recognition on Twitter: @FaroeOlympic

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