ALLEN APPOINTED TO OCEANIA TAEKWONDO

PRESS RELEASE – Alexander “Alex” Allen, a former Guam national taekwondo athlete and certified World Taekwondo International Referee (IR), has been officially appointed to the Oceania Taekwondo Union (OTU) Referee Committee by newly elected OTU President Maher Magableh.

The appointment positions Allen within the regional governing body overseeing taekwondo across Oceania’s 19 member nations. He will support referee development, competition standards, and regional coordination as the sport continues to modernize globally.

The appointment was announced as part of OTU’s committee structure for the 2026-2027 term, which includes eight specialized committees: Technical, Coaches, Referee, Education and Development, Games, Medical, Para Taekwondo, and Poomsae.

In announcing the Referee Committee appointments, OTU Referee Committee Chair Diego Fernando Chiriff emphasized the role’s importance:

“The Oceania Taekwondo Union has appointed Alexander Allen to its Referee Committee for the new term. As a committee member, Allen will help strengthen officiating standards and support referee development across the Oceania region. The Referee Committee plays an important role in maintaining fairness, consistency, and professionalism in competitions sanctioned by OTU. Allen’s appointment reflects OTU’s commitment to building a strong technical foundation for taekwondo officiating throughout the continent.”

— Diego Fernando Chiriff, OTU Referee Committee Chair

President Magableh cited Allen’s commitment to taekwondo development as a key factor in the appointment.

Allen’s Competitive Background

Allen competed internationally for Guam from 2013 to 2020, earning Guam’s only East Asian Games taekwondo medal (silver, 2013) along with multiple international medals and a top-100 world ranking in competitive kyorugi, culminating in a silver medal at the 2020 Oceania Olympic qualifications in Gold Coast, Australia.

Following his retirement in 2020, he completed the World Taekwondo IR certification course in Korea in 2023 and made his international debut as a certified IR at the 2025 WT Presidents Cup and Australian Open in Gold Coast, Australia.

Allen on the Appointment

“The sport is constantly evolving — rules change, technology advances, and taekwondo has grown into a truly global, modernized Olympic combat sport. So, it’s really cool to help our region adapt and contribute to that evolution.”

— Alex Allen, OTU Referee Committee Member

Guam National Olympic Committee President Ric Blas congratulated Allen on the appointment, expressing confidence in his progression toward World Championship and potentially Olympic-level officiating.

Allen’s appointment comes as OTU leadership under President Magableh looks to strengthen programs across Oceania.

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About the Oceania Taekwondo Union (OTU):

The Oceania Taekwondo Union is the continental governing body for taekwondo across Oceania, operating under World Taekwondo (WT). Headquartered in Syndey, Australia. OTU oversees competition, development, and governance for member nations across the Pacific and Australasia.

About Alex Allen:

Alexander Xavier Gaces Allen is a former Guam national taekwondo athlete and certified World Taekwondo International Referee. He holds a 4th Dan Kukkiwon black belt and currently serves on the OTU Referee Committee.

For more information about World Taekwondo and international competition, visit worldtaekwondo.org.

For OTU programs and development across Oceania, visit oceaniataekwondounion.org