Rafael Khalatyan

06.07.2026

The international governing body used the 6th Sports Taekwondo International Convergence Conference in Muju to announce a artificial intelligence partnership with the International Olympic Committee and preview game-changing broadcast innovations.

The Conference opened in South Korea brought together leading academics, technologists, and sports administrators to chart out the discipline's future in an era of rapid digital transformation. Building upon last year's event and the discussions surrounding technological innovation at the 2025 World Taekwondo Symposium in Wuxi, the conference established a roadmap for embracing artificial intelligence while preserving the ancient martial art's core human values.

The headlines were defined by a groundbreaking announcement from Alejandro Merino-Madrid, head of AI at the International Olympic Committee. Delivering his keynote presentation titled 'Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together: Present and Future of AI and the Olympic Movement', Merino-Madrid outlined the IOC's comprehensive Olympic AI Agenda. He emphasised that artificial intelligence must serve as a strategic enabler to support organizational vision rather than acting as an end goal in itself.

Detailing the IOC's three-step methodology for prioritizing AI initiatives based on strategic fit, value, and feasibility, Merino-Madrid formally revealed that World Taekwondo has been selected as the first International Federation to pilot the IOC Trustworthy AI Framework ahead of its global rollout in August 2026. This pioneering collaboration paves the way for much closer integration between the governing body and the IOC as both prepare for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

IOC Head of Artificial Intelligence Programme Alejandro Merino-Madrid during the conference.

WORLD TAEKWONDO

Practical applications of artificial intelligence inside the arena were a focal point of the presentations. Keivan Shariatmadar, a World Taekwondo Education Committee member and international referee from Luxembourg, presented an in-depth look at FST.ai 2.5 - an advanced AI decision-support system specifically designed to assist center referees and Instant Video Replay teams in detecting and accurately classifying high-speed head kicks. The system has already undergone rigorous "shadow mode" testing across major international tournaments throughout 2026, including the Austrian, Belgian, Luxembourg, Turkish, and British Opens.

The fan and broadcast experience is also set for a major high-tech overhaul. John Cullen, World Taekwondo's TV and Broadcast planning director, detailed an ambitious pipeline of AI-assisted enhancements designed to bring television audiences closer to the action. Among the innovations actively being developed and deployed are Meta Ray-Ban smart AI glasses worn directly by referees to provide immersive first-person perspectives, enhanced real-time acoustic sound design, live biometric television graphics, AI-optimized Protector and Scoring Systems, and automated AI-powered athlete commentary tools.

Beyond officiating accuracy and broadcast entertainment, researchers proposed ways to use AI to improve the physical and psychological development of the athletes themselves. Professor Russell Ahn of the University of California, Berkeley, outlined an innovative three-tier AI framework designed to address long-standing technical challenges within modern Olympic taekwondo.

WT President Chungwon Choue addressing the conference.

WORLD TAEKWONDO

Ahn proposed using computer vision and machine learning models trained on pre-electronic scoring eras to extract, standardize, and reward authentic kicking techniques. Coupled with a real-time multi-camera refereeing system, this technology could detect and nullify anomalous, unorthodox scoring maneuvers that lack traditional martial arts authenticity - a frequent criticism of modern electronic scoring systems. To balance physical technology with mental resilience, Ahn also introduced the 'Mindful Warrior' initiative, an eight-week positive psychology program tailored to bolster competitor well-being under elite athletic stress.

Addressing delegates during the opening ceremony, World Taekwondo President Dr. Chungwon Choue highlighted the delicate balance between aggressive technological modernization and cultural preservation.

"Since its inaugural edition, this conference has become an important platform for experts and researchers to exchange ideas and help shape the future of Taekwondo," President Choue said. "As AI continues to transform sport, we have an opportunity to enhance coaching, officiating, athlete development and fan engagement through responsible innovation. While embracing new technology, World Taekwondo will continue to ensure that the values, integrity and spirit of Taekwondo remain at the heart of everything we do."

The conference transitioned into deep-dive workshops focusing on the commercial and industrial value enhancement of competitive taekwondo, culminating in an interactive AI Idea Competition and an Academic Research Presentation session designed to translate theoretical research directly onto the field of play.

about the author

Rafael Khalatyan

Writer

Served as the Chief Editor for the Armenian website ArmFootball.com for nine years. He also worked as a sports commentator for Armenian National TV, notably covering major events such as the FIFA World Cup and the Winter Olympic Games. He joined Inside The Games in November 2023, where he currently works as the desk editor for Combat Sports.