Chile
ITF
El Taekwon-Do ITF llegó a Chile en 1992 cuando los argentinos Juan Pablo Sabalain y Adrián Paris cruzaron la cordillera para enseñar el arte del General Choi Hong Hi. Sabalain — medallista plateado de combate en el Mundial ITF de Hungría 1988 — se convirtió en el primer Maestro ITF de Chile y dejó un legado que aún resuena tras su fallecimiento en 2010. Hoy el ITF chileno está articulado en múltiples organizaciones; la Member Association oficial ante la ITF es la ONT, dirigida por el Maestro Eduardo Oviedo (VII Dan), con más de 54 instructores y 2.500 practicantes. En mayo de 2025, Chile fue sede del XVI Campeonato Panamericano ITF en Santiago — su mayor evento ITF en la historia.
Pioneers
Sabalain and Paris cross the Andes
The Argentines who introduced ITF to Chile in 1992
In 1992, two Argentine instructors travelled to Chile to teach and spread traditional ITF Taekwon-Do: Juan Pablo Sabalain and Adrián Paris. Sabalain already carried a strong international record — he had won a silver medal in sparring and a bronze in Tul (patterns) at the 1988 ITF World Championship in Hungary.
After a year of joint teaching, Paris returned to Argentina and left Sabalain as the sole figure responsible for spreading ITF in the country. Sabalain officially became the first ITF Master in Chile and began planting dojangs, first in the central zone and then expanding southwards — laying the foundations of the modern Chilean ITF community.
“1992 — Juan Pablo Sabalain and Adrián Paris cross the Andes: ITF officially arrives in Chile.”
Founder's Visit
General Choi Hong Hi's visit to Chile
1996 — the founder of ITF on Chilean soil
In 1996, two events marked the Chilean ITF. On the one hand, Adrián Paris returned to Chile to settle permanently, giving fresh impetus to the spread of the art. On the other hand — and far more symbolically significant — General Choi Hong Hi himself, founder of ITF Taekwon-Do, visited Santiago and led seminars in Chile as part of his South American tour, which also included Buenos Aires, Santiago del Estero and Tucumán.
The General's personal presence on Chilean soil was the definitive endorsement of the ITF's legitimacy in the country. It strengthened the bond of Sabalain and the pioneers with the founder's original line and anchored the technical identity of the Chilean community to the original Chang Hun system.
“1996 — General Choi Hong Hi visits Chile: the founder's blessing on the national ITF community.”
Fragmentation
ATICH, FETRECH and the post-2002 fragmentation
The global ITF schism reproduced on Chilean soil
After General Choi's death in 2002, the instructors and students of Chilean ITF gathered around Sabalain decided to follow the ITF's democratic statutes and recognise Master Tran Trieu Quan (8th Dan) as new international president. With this roadmap, ATICH (International Taekwon-Do Association of Chile) was born under the representation of Sabum Nim Adrián Paris — an organisation that for years served as the official interlocutor with the world ITF.
In parallel, on 12 April 2003, Sabalain founded FETRECH (Chilean Traditional Taekwon-Do Federation), which kept its own structure. Sabalain died tragically in 2010 in a road accident as a 7th Dan; his legacy, remembered in every dojang in the country, gave Chilean ITF its identity for over two decades.
“2003 — Sabalain founds FETRECH · 2010 — his death as a 7th Dan leaves a living legacy in every Chilean dojang.”
FECHITAT
FECHITAT and the era of national federations
June 2011 — NA recognition at the 2017 ITF World Congress in Ireland
In June 2011, FECHITAT (Chilean National Traditional Taekwon-Do Federation) was created, driven by senior instructors Sabum Osvaldo Rojas (6th Dan), Ernesto Reyes and Javier Lillo (5th Dan). The project sought to consolidate a national federation with legal personality before the Chilean State and official representation before the ITF.
FECHITAT brings together about 50% of the country's ITF practitioners, with schools in Region I (Tarapacá), IV (Coquimbo), V (Valparaíso), X (Los Lagos), XV (Arica and Parinacota) and multiple schools in the Metropolitan Region. At the ITF World Congress held in October 2017 in Ireland, FECHITAT obtained National Association (NA) status — the highest recognition the ITF grants to a country organisation.
“October 2017 — FECHITAT obtains NA status at the ITF World Congress in Ireland.”
Pan American Santiago 2025
ONT and the XVI Pan American ITF Championship in Santiago
May 2025 — 1,300 competitors from 13 countries at the National Stadium
In parallel, the Organización Nacional de Taekwon-Do (ONT), founded and chaired by Master Eduardo Oviedo (7th Dan, founder of Oviedo Sports in 1999), grew until it became the most visible federative face of Chilean ITF. Today it features as the official Member Association at itftkd.sport with 54+ instructors and over 2,500 practitioners. In September 2017, Chile sent 90 athletes to the South American ITF in Lima and finished second in the overall medal table — only behind Argentina.
The great leap came in May 2025: the ONT organised the XVI Pan American ITF Championship at the Polideportivo of the National Stadium in Santiago (6 to 10 May), with over 1,300 competitors from 13 countries. The Chilean school Bigak Kwan CCP from Concepción collected five medals — Carolina Mejía (team silver, individual bronze) and Abraham Vergara (three bronzes) as standout figures — confirming the technical strength of Chilean ITF on the continent.
“May 2025 — Chile hosts the XVI Pan American ITF Championship: 1,300 competitors, 13 countries, the largest ITF event on Chilean soil.”
Taekwondo en Chile
- ›🥈 Plata combate y 🥉 bronce Tul — Mundial ITF Hungría 1988
- ›Primer Maestro ITF de Chile (1992)
- ›Fundador de FETRECH (12 abril 2003)
- ›VII Dan ITF al momento de su fallecimiento (2010)
- ›VII Dan ITF — máximo grado de la conducción ITF chilena moderna
- ›Presidente de la ONT — Member Association oficial de ITF en Chile
- ›Organizó el XVI Panamericano ITF Santiago 2025 (1.300+ competidores)
- ›Fundador de Oviedo Sports (1999)
- ›VI Dan ITF — co-fundador de FECHITAT (junio 2011)
- ›Federación con estatus NA tras Congreso Mundial ITF Irlanda 2017
- ›FECHITAT agrupa ~50% de practicantes ITF de Chile
- ›Seminarios técnicos y exámenes nacionales
- ›Co-pionero del ITF en Chile (1992) junto a Sabalain
- ›Regreso definitivo a Chile en 1996 — mismo año de la visita de Choi
- ›Representante de ATICH post-2002 ante la ITF mundial
Sigue explorando
La historia del Taekwondo continúa en cada dojang, en cada clase, en cada estudiante.