World Taekwondo PNG

In this final hour of 2025 and on behalf of all Taekwondo athletes, Coaches and Clubs around PNG, we take this opportunity to wish you, your family, friends and businesses a Prosperous 2026 filled with love, laughs and abundance💝🌴🇵🇬

Daba namona Fam world wide✌🏽
Wishing you, your family all your bloods out there both living and floating amongst the stars a very Merry Christmas. Love always,🎅🏽🎁💝🌴

All Taekwondo Clubs nationwide

Please ensure to make time to attend the AGM as published by Mr. John Cholai schedules for tomorrow at the Lamna Hotel from 12-2pm.

It is important that you turn up and make your presence known.

This is a call by the PNG Olympic Committee Secretary General Mr Desmond Kaviagu to ensure you are adequately represented.

Noted; pls disregard the day "Friday" on this notice as it is an error on the part of the publisher.

Update meeting with Sponsors IBS University and PNG Olympic Committee on 2026 Plans

More to come🙏🏽✌🏽💝🌴🇵🇬

Taking our Olympians to meet other Legends of their craft Head Hunter Nandex and GM Jamuga Stone🙏🏽💝🌴🇵🇬

Sapos Yu save lo disla karr, Yu save osem em bin transportim ol Taekwondo athletes leading up to 2015 PG.

Wanpla taim ya, PNGOC ino buyim hire bus na nogat karr so disla liklik pinto ya, olgeta athletes kalap go insait lo Caritas na mipla drive go lo lusim ol lo Haus..

Nogat wiper, nogat Aircon na humid breathing blo olgeta mekim na karr galas ya fog ya.. same time taraipla mama blo rain pudaun so mi subim het go outside na wipim eye blo mi lo lukim rot😂

So, ol man meri insait ya wipim galas lo insait na mi wipim pes lo outside so mipla noken bump🤣

Same time tu ya, karr ino registerim.. peles blo ol nambis ya, kukim go lo Haus😁

Mangi blon Andy Rutten mipla kisim kam ya name blo em Nathan ya, em kam na hard lo sindaun insait lo karr ya kos em lonpla osem Gibson Mara ya, no choice so em daunim seat na silip go down🤣

Aiix Kassman, Rainner Pennie, Randle Toliman, George Hakena, Anton Aitisi, Max Kassman, Samantha Kassman, Colland Kokin, Albert Kassman, Noelyne Hetana, Henry Ori, Jack Karo, Margaret Augerea, Cratsee Tito, Tomas Tawan, etc, olgeta Taekwondo ya save lo disla karr ya

Ol samtin mipla wanwan save mekim lo apim nem blo kantri ya mona lusim, same speed burukim bus na go kamap lo Gold medal tasol. Way blo bipo ya, Bai big mahn antap blessim yumi olgeta one day✌🏽💝🌴🇵🇬

Fantastic Friday Fam,

Liklik toksave osem mipla taraim best blo mipla to register our two Olympians into the World champs but olgeta former Executives holim access into the system to register ino halivim tupla athletes into the event.

Former Executives namely John Cholai, Jamuga Stone, Jonathan Paschalis supported by Theresa Tona na Maaore Roberts ino halivim tupla athletes

Recently, mipla lukim osem ol rausim Bobby Willie (our choice for funding) na putim wanpla former student blo mi bai go wantaim lo world champs.

Sampla issues mi lukim em osem:

1. Athletes yumi selectim for such World champs must prepare 12 month in advance. Assessments must be made on;
* Technical ability
* skill level
* sparring records
* Lead up competition
* Strength & Conditioning record

Current athlete ol selectim em nogat records blo disla while tupla Olympians are hard at training in China as you read this. How is that fair and how will that make us PNG look on the world stage?

2. Politics within the Federation must noken affectim Athletes blo PNG such as how ol former Executives mekim lo Gibson na Kevin.

Taim yumi skelim, at the end of the day, it's the athletes that will represent PNG in the ring, on the field, on the track, etc.. not the Executives or Administrators.

Our PNG Olympic Committee and PNG Athletes Commission need to figure out a way to ensure they are there to protect PNGs Medal Tally at future Games such as the Pacidic Games, etc.. by protecting PNGs Top Athletes from such biased nepotism shown by John Cholai, Jonathan Paschalis, Jamuga Stone, Theresa Tona and Maaore Roberts.

Over to you public and sports men and women🙏🏽💝🌴🇵🇬

Sensational Saturday Fam,

So yesterday 3rd October was the final day to register both Kevin and Gibson into the World Champs in Wuxi. Both athletes are still in training in China and return in November 2025.

I have reached out to our John Cholai of the Federation before our SGM, our Olympic Committee and PNG Athletes Comission with no success.

Changes to the Executive at the WT and NOC level are now underway but we have missed the deadline

Yes, we understand the Federation is undergoing changes and it is the duty of each Federation to select and register athletes into its own events - we completely respect and understand that.

My argument is:-

1. how do we protect our athletes development through such preparations that are now affected due to political interests and interference especially when these athletes are PNGs current Olympians that been developed to win medals
2. how can our Sporting heads play a role to ensure athletes don't suffer from such issues in the future

I've chased this up since July with 3rd October (yesterday) been the final deadline.

Needless to say, such situations are so disheartening and discouraging to go above and beyond our voluntary roles🙏🏽🌴🇵🇬

THE MEDIA
PAPUA NEW GUINEA

In a turn of events, financial Members of the PNGWT on Sunday 24th of August 2025 have removed sitting President John Cholai and appointed an Interim President in the likes of Ian Sahoto hailing from the East New Britain Taekwondo Club.

Secretary of PNGWT Edward Kassman said after much deliberation and Constitutional adherence, he called The Special General Meeting which invited all Executives and members both financial and non to attend. The event was hosted by the IBS University Campus at 11 mile.
Secretary Kassman said that after the former President failed to respond the PNG Olympic Committee’s deadline of August 14th 2025, it was incumbent on him as Secretary to safe guard the Federations interests in remaining as a Member of the PNGOC and the World Taekwondo Federation.

“The changes were necessary due to the looming possibility of suspension as was advised the PNGOC to the former President in their letter dated 25th July 2025” said Secretary Edward Kassman.
He added that expulsion from the PNGOC would mean expulsion from the World Taekwondo Federation as a full-member and PNG could not risk that as it would hurt the interests of PNGs athletes in the sport nationwide. Kassman said PNG Taekwondo was once expelled from the World body when Jamuga Stone was President and that had an impact on him as an athlete. It was Edward Kassman that went to the World championships (alone) held in Germany back in 2003 to both compete at the event and attend the World General Assembly to give back PNG’s full-membership status.

The incumbent Ian Sahoto is a former Pacific Games medalist from the 1999 Games in Guam and a key addition to PNG winning its first and only Team event gold since medal with both Nandex and Kassman winning their individual gold medals for PNG then.

Ian only 41 years of age is a vibrant and educated young men bringing hope for a new generation of athletes and a wave of change for the Federation.
Joining Mr Sahoto are new appointees:
Jacob Nibil of Eastern Highlands Club as Male Vice President replacing Jamuga Stone
Monica Kassman as Treasurer filling-in the role of Treasurer
Colland Kokin of CK Elite Club as Male Ordinary Member
Sonia Lam as Female Ordinary Member.

The Interim appointees join sitting female Vice President Ms Margaret Tamasi and Secretary Edward Kassman to form a complete Executive of the PNGWT.

The Special General Meeting discussed a wide range of topics including PNG’s participation at the World Championships this October, 2026 draft calendar of events, Taekwondo Selection Policy for 2025-2026 and formal appointments of the following:
Formal appointment of Edward Kassman as Head National Coach for 2025-2026
Formal appointment of Colland Kokin as Assistant National Coach for 2025-2026
Formal appointment of Mr Jack Karo as National Tournaments Director for 2025-2026
Formal appointment of Ms Margaret Augerea as Head Referee for PNG for 2025-2026
Formal appointment of Dr Brendon Korawaro as PNG’s Medical Officer for 2025-2026
Reinstatement of Edward Kassman as PNG’s WT Global Membership System Admin
Appointment of Detrosh Dati as PNG’s GMS Admin assistant

Kassman thanked the exiting Executive President Sir John Cholai for his contribution to the sport over the years and said he was one of the most flamboyant and active Presidents he has ever worked under and wished him all the success and blessings ahead. Kassman also thanked the Clubs nationwide who participated in the SGM and looked forward to getting the sport back on track seeing PNG already had two Olympians preparing in China with a third athlete to join them heading into the 2025 World Championships in Wuxi, China.

Public Notice

Dear Executives, Members and Affiliates,

In the event you have not received my messages via our Whatsapp page on Thursday, please find below the following as requested by Members of PNG World Taekwondo

Dear Executives,

In accordance with our PNGWT Constitution, as Secretary General I now call for a Special General Meeting as requested by Members of the Federation and outline the following Agenda with date and time.

Details and all documents of the meeting have been emailed to you with hard copies on hand on the day.

With the threat of possible expulsion from the PNG Olympic Committee (letter insert) due to the unconstitutional conduct of a few of our Executives, it is now my duty as Secretary General to protect our Sport and Federation by taking this drastic action.

I wish to take time here to remind you all that when PNG Taekwondo under Mr Jamuga Stones Presidency was first suspended, I as an athlete had to travel all the way to Garmish-Partenkirken in Germany to both attend the World Championships (alone) and attend the WTF General Assembly to confirm PNGs Full status Membership. This is all archived in the PNGOC history as they funded my participation.

Please bear in mind that Expulsion from the PNGOC will mean, expulsion from the WT.

Please take time to read through thoroughly so we all can contribute meaningfully to the meeting.

Thank you and see you all at the Special General Meeting.

Regards,

Edward Kassman
Secretary General
PNGWT