He will work alongside the body's President Chungwon Choue, who is also President of the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).

This followed a Board of Trustees meeting in Lausanne at which both officers of the charitable body were officially elected.

The THF, first conceived by Choue, seeks to teach taekwondo and related educational programmes to refugees and displaced persons worldwide.

Pilot projects are already underway in Syrian refugee camps in Jordan and Turkey, and among earthquake victims in Nepal.

“I am extremely excited that the THF is taking shape and starting operations,” said Choue.

“The THF will be a boon for refugees; will give the WTF the opportunity to carry out its social responsibility as an international federation; and will offer taekwondo practitioners around the world the opportunity to do good as donors, as fundraisers and as volunteers.”

Piarulli, who stepped-down as President of the French Taekwondo Federation last year after a corruption investigation by the Ministry of Sports of France, is an influential WTF official who also runs the organisation's office in Lausanne.

Co-operation agreements have also been signed with the WTF and with GCS International, a United Nations (UN)-recognised Non-Governmental Organization. 

“We are currently in the process of finalising the THF’s online presence and financial infrastructure," Piarulli added.

“We will be notifying all members of the global taekwondo family when these tasks are done, and plan to start fundraising and operational activities imminently.”

Office space will be shared with the WTF office in Lausanne. 

A THF website is now online and is accessible here.