Para taekwondo will be an official sport for the first time at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
In the Paralympics, athletes will compete in kyorugi (limb impairments and athletes with an arm amputation).
It is a sport which can be played by both men and women with a physical impairment.
In Paralympics, athletes will compete in Kyorugi. Athletes with similar level of activity limitation compete in weight categories. Competition area: The Competition Area is composed of a Contest Area and a Safety Area. The Contest Area and Safety Area shall have a flat surface without any obstructing projections and be covered with a WT recognized mat elastic and non-slippery mat. The Contest Area may also be installed on a platform 0.6-1m high from the floor, if necessary. The Outer Line of the Safety Area shall be inclined at a gradient of less than 30 degrees, for the safety of the contestants. Contestant: A contestant shall wear a WT approved uniform, groin guard, shin guards, forearm guards, hand protector (if applicable), sensor socks and mouthpiece before entering the Field of Play (FOP). Para taekwondo athletes may use additional and personalized protective equipment based on the prior approval of WT. Valid points: In Kyorugi, foot techniques are the only valid scoring technique. Point(s) shall be awarded when a scoring technique is delivered to the scoring areas of the trunk with power and accuracy.
Rules and Equipment
Documents:
| Hypertonia | Impaired Muscle Power |
| Ataxia | Leg Length Difference |
| Athetosis | Impaired Passive Range of Movement |
| Limb Deficiency |
Athletes are divided into multiple sport classes according to their activity limitation. However, at the Paralympic Games, only two classes are available:
For illustrated explanation please click on the button below.
Paralympic classes:
Athletes with upper limb deficiency, impaired range of movement, hemiplegia. Both classes compete together.
| K43 |
| · Bilateral arm amputation, or Dysmelia below elbow (through or above wrist) |
| K44 |
| · Unilateral arm amputation or dysmelia (through wrist or above wrist)
· Loss of great toe through or above the MTP joint · Loss of all toes or toes 2-5, above the MTP joint · Mild Hemiplegia or Central/Peripheral nervous system monoplegia |
To be eligible to apply for a national classification, athletes must:
Athletes who do not meet the list of criteria above may still be evaluated by the classifiers by prior arrangement. However, he/she will only receive a provisional class in order to facilitate them to compete this year.
Irish Taekwondo Union is the National Governing Body for para taekwondo in Ireland. If you wish to get involved in para taekwondo, please access the National Governing Body link below.
| Governing Body | |
| National | Irish Taekwondo Union (ITU) |
| International | World Taekwondo (WT) |
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