From competition to international arbitration January 31, 2026

She is one of the rare female voices for the development of taekwondo in Senegal. She selflessly threw herself into refereeing after several years as a high-level competitor and coach. Full of hope, Seynabou Diouf opened up to our questions.

Rigorous and passionate about taekwondo, Seynabou Diouf combines skill and experience. A former high-level athlete, she became both a 2nd degree international referee, a 4th Dan black belt and first vice-president of the Senegalese Taekwondo Federation. “I was first an international competitor and member of the Senegal national team. I have participated in numerous international competitions, including the World Championships in Germany in 2006, where I stopped in the quarter-finals,” confides the woman who is one of the faces of this discipline in Senegal.

Its history with this discipline goes back a long way. His passion was passed on to him by his father. But before reaching the summit, Seynabou Diouf had to travel around. “I discovered and embraced taekwondo following in the footsteps of my father who is one of the precursors of this discipline in Senegal,” she explains.

“It was therefore very natural that I got involved in this sport, first as a practitioner, then as a high-level competitor, before getting involved in coaching and refereeing,” she adds.

At the top of his game, everything changes following an injury. She was forced to abandon the high level to devote herself to refereeing, a profession she has been practicing since 2018. “Following a persistent knee problem, I was forced to stop competing. However, I didn’t want to leave taekwondo,” she says.

“I therefore chose to continue to serve this discipline differently, through coaching and then refereeing, in order to remain useful to its development,” continues the former taekwondo player. Her efforts bore fruit since Seynabou Diouf was chosen among the 270 best referees from around the world who had passed the pre-selection test as part of the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.

Maintaining the torch of Senegalese arbitration

During his career, Seynabou Diouf touched almost every level of the national taekwondo team. “Like any practitioner, I started in the lower categories,” she emphasizes. For her, it is the basis that the athlete must prepare for his future career.

“I then progressed as an international competitor, then joined technical management by becoming assistant national coach, before being national coach of the women’s team,” explains the former Senegal champion.

After collecting multiple trophies in her bag, she is now delighted with the progress made. “Senegalese taekwondo has made considerable progress in recent years,” said the international referee.

“Our athletes are increasingly distinguishing themselves in international competitions, and several of them regularly participate in World and Continental Championships,” she adds.

However, according to Seynabou, challenges remain in arbitration. “We have Senegalese representatives in international arbitration, but their number remains limited compared to the potential and talent of our country,” she regrets.

In his eyes, it is essential to set up continuing training programs for Senegalese referees, in collaboration with the International Federation and foreign experts. “We also need to encourage promising young referees, organize more practical courses and local competitions, and provide them with opportunities to gain international experience,” she argues.

For the international judge, training is a launching pad towards the development of this discipline. “This will help build a generation of competent and respected referees, capable of representing Senegal with dignity in all international competitions.”

While waiting for more support, Seynabou Diouf has set himself the goal of continuing to fly the national flag high.

Marieme Fatou DRAMA