Newsletter Newsletter 4/2006 Interview With Mr. Juan Ferrando

On left Mr. Juan Ferrando, on right the Founder of TKD, gen. Choi Hong Hi

We asked Mr. Juan Ferrando, the President of Federation Espanola de Taekwon-do, the ITF Vice President and the Chairman of the Organising Committee of the 2nd World Cup that was held on 25th - 29th October 2006 in Benidorm about his expressions after that big event.

It is now more then one month after the Second World Cup. Could you summaries the tournament?

The Second World Cup of Taekwon-do ITF was a great challenge for Spain. That is why we began to work on it in September 2005. First of all we organised the work commissions and prepared the official WEB-SITE of the championship (www.itfworldcup06.com). It has been a great work during whole year: meetings with authorities, contracts with sponsors, contact with media, preparation of medals, hotels, transports, sport hall and decoration, and a long etc.
Finally, the championship arrived and even that some countries couldn't participate because of Visa problems, it has been a great success of participation. We received the great amount of congratulation letters, that's why we believe that also success of organization, although we had the logical problems that arose to an event of this nature.

How was the reception of the II World Cup by authorities and media?

For us ITF Spain to national level it has been very important for big support that we had from our authorities and the great publicity that has been given to the ITF by the media. We have been many times in the press, radio and TV, and we hoped in a next future, we will begin to see the results of this media support. Now we are preparing a DVD of the tournament in the next future you will get information about.

How do you assess the technical level of the competition?

The II WORLD CUP after its second edition in Spain will remain consolidated as a great event in which it will be necessary to be present. The technical level has been very high but the most important is that we organised a tournament in which our competitors will catch experience in the face of the World Championship (held next year in Canada). Also for the veterans there was the possibility of being there elevating the technical level. It has been a door opened to many more participants than they will have occasion of learning and sharing their experiences, and what is more important feeling themselves part of a big family, the ITF TAEKWON-DO family.

Are you satisfied as the President of Spain Taekwon-do Federation about your competitors achievements?

The Federation Española de Taekwon-do is very satisfied with the results of our competitors and teams, this show us that we are in the correct way and that our Instructors and coaches have been working very hard.

What was by far the most difficult from the organising matters to your opinion?

In my opinion, for the future, the most important matters we have to solve is to develop an ITF program for tournaments that could be used by all our national organizations and known by every one and particularly for the World Cup. Our leaders, Masters and Instructors has to know that for getting a better organisation they have to help in order that competitors and hotel registrations, has to be registered as they have been booked and not booking a group and after trying to be registered individually, other way they create a big problem to the organization for the control.

Is that kind of competitions going to develop in your opinion?

Finally I can tell you that the WORLD CUP will become bigger and bigger.
From my experience as Chairman of this second edition and from my position as ITF Vice-President I will work in order to avoid the small problems we could have and make bigger and more professional tournament.

From left: Mr. Juan Ferrando, Master Willy van de Mortel, Mr. Paco Ferrando