World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won (left) and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Nov. 15 at a ceremony unveil a taekwondo statue at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. (World Taekwondo)

By Margareth Theresia
Video = World Taekwondo's official YouTube channel

The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has unveiled a taekwondo statue.

World Taekwondo (WT), the martial art's world governing body, on Nov. 16 said the IOC on Nov. 15 held a ceremony at the facility for the sculpture's debut to wish for continuous partnership between taekwondo and the Olympics and mark WT's 50th anniversary. 

Taking a year to make by Italian sculptor Milos Ippoliti, the statue shows a thrilling scene of two taekwondo competitors attempting spinning heel kicks on each other on an octagonal stand 25 cm thick. The work symbolizes Olympic taekwondo by showing the wearing of headgear and electronic protective equipment.

The surface of the pedestal's edges is identical to that of the Olympic competition venue and displays the emblems of WT and the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF), the names of the five continents that practice the martial art and WT's slogan in English "Sport of Hopes and Dreams."

Among the 35 official sports from the Summer (28) and Winter (seven) Olympics, sculptures in 10 events are installed at the museum: taekwondo, track and field, wrestling, gymnastics, soccer, basketball, cycling, archery, hockey and judo. 

WT said, "This is the result of the IOC's praise for the spread of taekwondo leading to contributions to world peace on WT's 50th anniversary since its founding in 1973."

In his congratulatory speech, President Bach said, "This statue stands for your important place in the Olympic Programme and Movement and your strong standing in our global community," adding, "This rightful place is more than deserved as Taekwondo is one of the fastest growing sports in the world."

The same day, the IOC awarded the Olympic Cup to WT's affiliate THF. Launched in 1906 under the leadership of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics, the award goes to an organization or institution contributing to the promotion of amateur sports and development of the Olympic movement. 

WT said, "The THF has been recognized for contributing to world peace by offering free taekwondo training to displaced youth left homeless due to war or natural disaster and helping them find hope for new life."

margareth@korea.kr