Taekwondo GS defends decision of travelling with team as coach

"Why I will send the coach with my own money? I am going with the team because I, too, have global licence of coaching," Bangladesh Taekwondo Federation's general secretary Mahmudul Islam Rana told The Daily Star on Monday, refuting criticism over being with the team as a coach instead of sending the South Korean head coach.

Rana was named as team coach in the seven-member Bangladesh contingent, which is scheduled to take part in US Open Taekwondo Championships in Las Vegas, USA from March 3 to 5.

The contingent consists of four players, team manager, coach and head of delegation and they obtained government order on February 14 to travel to USA.

"I went to similar competitions 10 times in Canada, Australia and USA because I accompanied the players of the national team with my own cost," BTF's long-serving general secretary said.

"If the coach wants to go with the team, he has to pay his expenditure because the federation doesn't bear the cost in such competitions. I am going with the team with money from my pocket; why will I send the coach spending my money?" he asked.

Rana also accompanied a six-member contingent as coach during the French Open 2022 in November last year.

The BTF GS also informed that the federation bears expenditures of national teams during competitions like World Taekwondo Championships, South Asian Taekwondo Championship, General Assembly and that the officials are also selected through the meeting.

When asked why he was going with the team as the coach instead of an official, Rana said, "It's okay. We won't go with the team next time as coach. We will try to send the coach by managing sponsors."

Rana also informed that anyone can go with the taekwondo team as manager or team official if he/she can bear expenditure of the contingent.

"We applied for USA visa last year and we have been given an appointment on March 20, after the completion of the championships and we have requested them to reschedule it to give us an appointment by Feb 26," said Rana, who also fears of missing the championships following the late appointment for visa.