Athlete categorisation announced for Taekwondo in 2022

The Athlete Categorisation for Taekwondo for 2022 has been completed in line with the Athlete Categorisation Guidelines published on the Australian Taekwondo and CombatAUS websites.

The sport-industry wide National Categorisation Framework consists of five levels across the Podium Pathway: Podium, Podium Ready, Podium Potential, Developing and Emerging. The Athlete Categorisation Criteria for Taekwondo aligns, as is required, with these five Podium Pathway categories.

The International Category is no longer part of the National Categorisation Framework, however there is now a Taekwondo-specific Associate category to recognise athletes that don’t currently meet the performance requirements for the Podium Pathway but are internationally experienced athletes that are selected for a National Team to compete at a BME and/or who add significant value to the DTE.

The following Athlete Categorisations will apply from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.

Due to the recent COVID impact, there will be a mid-year categorisation process in 2022 to enable the panel to consider activity in the first half of 2022, in particular prospective emerging category athletes that have had limited opportunity and exposure in the past two years. Following that process Athlete Categorisation will be conducted annually in the final quarter of each calendar year, to take effect from January the following year.

Athletes categorised in the Podium Pathway will receive a level of investment to support targeted camps and competitions in 2022. We would like to acknowledge the investment that AT and CombatAUS receives from the AIS and the Victorian Institute of Sport.

Any appeals will be conducted pursuant to clause 8 of the Athlete Categorisation Guidelines - Taekwondo.