Egyptian Taekwondo expert Mohamed Shaaban has been appointed head of the competition committe at the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), the first African or Arab citizen to hold the role. At 39 years old, the Egyptian martial-artist is also the youngest committee head at the WTF, the federation announced on Monday. Shaaban's previous role at the WTF was as deputy-head of the technical committee. Shaaban is a former player at Al-Zohour club and was a member of the Egyptian national team between 1996 and 2004, participating in a series of championships. He started his administrative career at the Egyptian Taekwondo Federation in 2012. He then became director of the national teams, inspiring Egypt to win a series of trophies and medals, including Hedaya Malak's bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Taekwondo is a Korean martial art based mostly on kicking, with competitors often engaging in full-contact bouts using protective gear.
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