Dipendra Dhakal, an international Taekwondo referee from the Nepali Army, has been selected to officiate at the World Taekwondo President’s Cup (Oceania) and the Australian Open, both recognized in the global Taekwondo ranking system. The events will take place from Aug 14 to 17, at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre in Queensland, Australia.
The President’s Cup is a G3 event, offering higher world ranking points, while the Australian Open maintains its G2 status. Both tournaments will feature Kyorugi (sparring), Para-Kyorugi, Poomsae (patterns), and Para-Poomsae categories, attracting top athletes, referees, and officials from more than 70 countries.
Dhakal, affiliated with Tribhuvan Army Club, has been serving as a Taekwondo referee since 2014. A fifth Dan black belt who began training at the Laligurans Taekwondo Dojang in Kushadevi, Kavre, he is the first from the Nepali Army to become a World Taekwondo-certified international referee. He has officiated at major events, including the 7th Military World Games (CISM) in Wuhan, China, in 2019, and has judged competitions in Canada, China, Pakistan, Belgium, France, Germany, Uzbekistan, and across South Asia.
In 2022, Dhakal was named Best Referee at the Royal Spanish International Open Taekwondo Championship, which featured over 1,000 athletes from 79 countries. He has also been honored with the National Sports Talent Award by Nepal’s Ministry of Youth and Sports for his contribution to raising Nepal’s profile through sports.
