Gran Maestro Trân Triêu Quân

Grand Master Trân Triêu Quân was the ITF President from the time of his democratic election at the ITF congress in Poland, 2003 until his tragic death in Haiti in January 2010. Prior to serving as ITF President Grandmaster Tran held such important posts in the ITF such as president of the Canadian National Governing Body as well as the Pan American Continental Body for the ITF. Additionally he served as the Chairman of the ITF Tournament Committee. In Montreal in 1990 and Quebec City in 2007 Grandmaster Tran hosted ITF World Championships. The City of Montreal gave him an award for “Best Event of the Year” for his efforts in organizing the 7^th World Championships in August of 1990. . Grandmaster Tran was a Canadian citizen who was born in Vietnam, where he started studying the martial art of Taekwon-Do when he was twelve years old. Five years later, he started a Taekwon-Do school to teach this martial art within the education system of the city of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City).

He moved to Canada in 1970 to study engineering at Laval University in Quebec City. There he also set up Taekwon-Do schools, the first such schools in Eastern Canada. After receiving his engineering degree, he chose to make his permanent home in Canada.

Seminar given in Trondheim, Norway in 2006.

His professional career: Grand Master Trân started a consulting firm, Norbati Consultants Trân & Associates, which specializes in building standards and project management for the construction sector. Norbati has worked on projects in Canada and abroad and has developed an innovative concept for the modernization and optimization of the building construction sector in developing countries.

Grand Master Trân’s realizations in Taekwon-Do:

1. Starting in 1979 and for more than 20 years, Grand Master Trân Triêu Quân worked closely with General Choi Hong Hi, assisting him in the development of the ITF and conducting seminars in countries around the world.
2. In 1982, Grand Master Trân published Cessez d’avoir peur (“Don’t be afraid”), a practical guide with an innovative approach to self-defense using simple, easy-to-learn techniques.

Flying sidekick (Twimyo Nomo Yop Cha Jirugi) in Malaysia in 1985

1. In 1984, after leading the Canadian Taekwon-Do team to a first-place overall win at the World Championship held in Glasgow (Scotland), he was named Coach of the Year at the athletic awards dinner for all sports in the Quebec City region.
2. From 1985 to 1989, Grand Master Trân served two terms as president of the Canadian Taekwon-Do International Federation.
3. In 1986, the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City proclaimed Grand Master Trân one of their “Productive Citizens”.
4. In 1990, he received the “Best Event of the Year” award from the City of Montreal (Canada) for organizing the ITF Taekwon-Do World Championship in that city.
5. In 1997, the Trân family were given the title of “Family of the Year” for the Quebec City region and, he was named “Personality of the Year” by the 6,000 members of the regional professional association of engineers in Quebec.
6. From 2001 to 2003, Grand Master Trân was president of the Pan-Am Taekwon-Do Federation.
7. At the 2003 Congress of the International Taekwon-Do Federation in Warsaw (Poland), Grand Master Trân was elected President. He thus became the successor to the Founder of Taekwon-Do, the late General Choi Hong Hi.
8. Grand Master Trân was very proud of the vision he and his team implemented for the ITF in the years following his election. This vision is that Taekwon-Do must be fully developed in all four facets: Taekwon-Do is a sport and a martial art, but also a way of life and a tool for social development.
9. The members of the ITF Board of Directors have kept this vision in mind while making changes in structure and administration to make the organization more efficient and offer better services to ITF members.
10. After General Choi Hong Hi’s death, there were conflicting claims by various groups, each claiming to be the legitimate leaders of the ITF. Therefore, the direction team worked hard to clarify the legal status of the ITF and to bring harmony among the associations and members of the ITF.
11. Under Grand Master Trân’s leadership, the ITF structure has become a more efficient and democratic operation. The technical aspect and the administration of the ITF now work independently of each other. This formula has been very successful in terms of efficiency and productivity. As a result, membership has increased significantly. There have been positive repercussions on the standardization of ITF Taekwon-Do techniques around the world, especially since the new structure was introduced for the International Instructor Courses.

Side piercing kick (Yopcha Jirugi) in Beijing, China in 2004

1. Since Grand Master Trân’s election as President, the ITF has become more service oriented than ever. It has set as its first priority to increase the number and the quality of the services offered to ITF associations, clubs, and individual members. There is more emphasis on consultation with the members, to be able to create innovative services to suit their needs.

Grand Master Trân and General Choi in 1983

1. Working with a team of experts, Grand Master Trân developed the Basic Program for Teaching the Do, the ITF philosophy. The ITF is the only International Taekwon-Do Federation to offer such a program.
2. At various times Grand Master Trân collaborated with experts in different academic fields at Laval University to do scientific research on various subjects such as the Theory of Power in Taekwon-Do, intervention techniques to help troubled young people, and the value of certain teaching methods.
3. During his time as President of ITF, Grand Master Trân traveled to an average of twenty countries each year, putting into practice his belief that to be a good leader one needs to be close to all the members.
4. For 2006-2007, the local Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Immigration of the Province of Quebec, and the City of Quebec proclaimed Grand Master Trân an «Immigrant of the World».
5. Grand Master Trân was Chairman of the Organizing committee of the ITF 9th Junior and 15th Senior World Championship in Quebec City, Canada. It was the first time in the ITF history that both junior and senior world championships were held together.
6. Grand Master Trân was re-elected for a second mandate for 4 year-term as President of the ITF at the 16th Congress of ITF on June 1st, 2007 in Quebec City (Canada).
7. In December 2008, Grand Master Trân was promoted to 9th degree by Grand Master Van Binh, Chairman of the ITF Masters Promotion Committee, & 1 of only 7 promoted to Grandmaster level by Gen. Choi.

Grand Master Trân Triêu Quân was a leader and a builder. He worked very hard to further the best interests of the ITF and its members. As ITF members we were inspired by his creativity and his dedication and work in harmony to build a better world.

Grandmaster Trân tragically passed away during the earthquake in Haiti in January 2010. We endeavor to carry on his vision and continue to develop and grow the ITF using many of the principles and structures he inspired.