A WTF Taekwondo Academy in Moldova is closer to fruition ©WTF

A World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) Academy in Moldova is a step closer to realisation after a meeting between WTF President Chungwon Choue, European Taekwondo Union (ETU) President Athanasios Pragalos and Moldovan Taekwondo Federation President Igor Iuzefovich.

The gathering took place in Baku in Azerbaijan, prior to the 2016 WTF World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final, which took place in the city.

The idea for an Academy was formed on August 14, 2015, when Choue and Iuzefovich met with Moldovan Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet, who was presented with an honorary black belt.

All three Presidents discussed the creation of the Academy before Choue met Moldovan Minister of Sports Loretta Handrabura, who also backed the idea.

She also proposed adding taekwondo to the national school curriculum as an optional discipline.

Aaron Cook is the most prominent taekwondo player who has represented Moldova. 

The British Olympic Association (BOA) cleared Cook to represent the country in 2015.

Aaron Cook is a notable taekwondo player from Moldova but he originally represented Britain ©Getty Images
Aaron Cook is a notable taekwondo player from Moldova but he originally represented Britain ©Getty Images

The men's under-80 kilogram player represented his country of birth at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

Talk of a possible nationality switch then arose after Cook was controversially snubbed for the London 2012 Olympics by British selectors.

He was ranked world number one at the time but missed out on competing at his home Games when Lutalo Muhammad, then the world number 59, was instead selected.

Cook slammed the decision and said he was "extremely disappointed".

"This decision is going to be with me for the rest of my life and I don't think I will ever be on speaking terms with the selectors," he said at the time.

Competing for Moldova, Cook lost at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in the first round.