नेपालमाला
५ पुष २०८२, शनिबार 
Kathmandu: Nepal’s international taekwondo referee Bablu Shiwakoti has participated in the ATU Referee Education Course organized by World Taekwondo. Shiwakoti was selected as Nepal’s representative for the four-day course, reflecting his expertise and standing in the sport.
The training program was conducted by the Asian Taekwondo Union (ATU) at the Korea National Sports Academy in Seoul, South Korea, from December 17 to 20. The course aimed to educate referees on the new rules and regulations recently introduced by World Taekwondo. A total of 100 referees from 40 Asian countries took part in the program.
Shiwakoti, who traveled to South Korea last Tuesday to attend the course, is an international referee in both Kyorugi and Poomsae. According to World Taekwondo, the revised rules will come into effect in official taekwondo competitions worldwide from January 1, 2026. The updated regulations will also be implemented in the 20th Asian Games, scheduled to be held in Japan.
In addition to his refereeing role, Shiwakoti is a central committee member and Technical Delegate (TD) of the Nepal Taekwondo Association. He has officiated as a judge in numerous international competitions held in Australia, Japan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, and other countries.
Shiwakoti has also served as a coach in several international tournaments, including the World Kyorugi Championship in Azerbaijan. Furthermore, he holds certification as an International Level II Taekwondo Coach, underlining his significant contribution to the development of taekwondo at both national and international levels.
