Indian Taekwondo Premier League launched; know 12 teams to participate in inaugural edition
India will witness a new competition in the form of a unique sporting event, the Taekwondo Premier League. With 12 teams clashing, checkout out more about the event.
FollowAs many as 12 teams will vie for honours in the Indian Taekwondo Premier League (TPL) launched in New Delhi on Sunday. The franchise-based league, to be held in Delhi in June this year, has found takers in Hyderabad, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Assam, Delhi, Bengaluru, Dehradun, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Chennai and Gujarat.
Top taekwondo exponents Jun Lee and Moon Dae Sung, a world, Olympic and Asian Champion, hailed the TPL as a path-breaker. "There are 10 lakh registered players in the country, making it one of the more popular sports in India. The top players will get the opportunity to hone their skills at the highest level, and, I am sure, India will soon see an Olympic medal winner," Sung said while addressing about 400 players.
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Taekwondo, which originates in South Korea and is a form of martial art involving kicking and punching, is practised by over 20 million athletes in about 200 countries and is an Olympic sport. An international panel led by Jun Lee, the TPL commissioner, Kim Chang Kwon, chief TPL coach, and Sung will pick the players following selection trials in 12 cities.
The mentors and coaches for each team have been identified. "The TPL will be played in a team format, each boasting five top players. We have also restricted ourselves to the 58.1kg-67.9kg category to keep the competition fast and thrilling," Ganesh Duvvuri, the founder director, said.
