European Para-Taekwondo Union President Aleksandr Shlychkov has hailed the spread of the sport in Russia ©EPTU

European Para-Taekwondo Union (EPTU) President Aleksandr Shlychkov has hailed the spread of the sport in Russia ahead of the country's hosting of a major event.

The centre of the sport's presence in the country is in Ulyanovsk, which will host the 2017 European Para-Taekwondo Championships.

This will be the sixth edition of the event, with competition provisionally taking place between May 25 and 28.

Action will take place at the Ice Palace "Volga-Sport-Arena" in the city.

"The opening of the Russia representative Para-taekwondo office of the European Taekwondo Union in Ulyanovsk city is a significant step in the development of Para-sport in the whole of Russia," said Shlychkov.

"Para-taekwondo will become a stepping stone in promotion of Paralympic kinds of sport in the region. 

Ulyanovsk will host the European Championships next year ©EPTU
Ulyanovsk will host the European Championships next year ©EPTU

"In future Ulyanovsk can become one of the main Russian centres of Paralympic movement."

European Taekwondo Union President Sakis Paragalos led a delegation to Ulyanovsk in June to discuss the development of Para-taekwondo in Russia and Europe.

He was joined by ETU vice-president Fred Buitenhuis and deputy secretary general Constantin Apostol on the trip to the city located on the Volga River, 893 kilometres east of Moscow.

The sport is building to its Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020.