The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the European Taekwondo Union (ETU) have renewed their partnership agreement for the exclusive media rights on all applicable platforms (radio, television and digital) for the ETU Senior European Taekwondo Championship to be held in Montreux, Switzerland on 19–22 May 2016. The EBU will also be the exclusive service provider for worldwide distribution.

This agreement guarantees maximum exposure for the Olympic sport of taekwondo through increased presentation of European taekwondo to new audiences. Furthermore, to increase the value of the European taekwondo as an enlarged broadcast product, the agreement includes developments in the competition format to adapt it to viewers’ requirements.

Eurovision, the EBU’s operational arm, will not only be the ETU's exclusive service provider for worldwide distribution but will also act as the main sponsor for the event.

The parties also commit to further cooperation beyond the 2016 Championship.

ETU President Athanasios Pragalos highlighted the importance of this partnership: "The significance of our collaboration with EBU, the biggest media alliance in Europe, is that Taekwondo has now the opportunity to build communication bridges between every Olympic event. The high-standards, the status and classification of EBU throughout Europe, as well as worldwide, ensure the quality of broadcasting services and demonstrate partners of similar magnitude. This collaboration will communicate the foremost image of Taekwondo to all European countries and establish the sport in the viewers’ preferences.”

EBU Head of Indoor Sports Ingolfur Hannesson added: “We are delighted to have created this opportunity to work with the ETU to develop taekwondo and serve the best interests of the sport and our partner, the ETU. This partnership renewal is based on a global multi-service approach from content creation to worldwide distribution. Through the EBU, viewers are guaranteed maximum free-to-air access and increased visibility of the sport.”

About the ETU

As the European continental organization of the World Taekwondo Federation, the ETU is the official governing body taekwondo in Europe. It comprises the National Taekwondo Federations of all the European member nations and regulates all Taekwondo matters on a continental basis.