A series of changes were approved at the World Taekwondo General Assembly in Canadian city Burnaby last November in order to address a number of issues raised following the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue admitted that "many members of the global taekwondo family had complained" following Rio 2016.

The sport’s membership highlighted the over-use of front leg kicks and Protector Scoring System as two of the main problems.

As a result, it was agreed to implement a number of alterations, including competitors being awarded an extra point - from one to two - for kicks to the body.

Britain’s Jones, who successfully defended her women’s 57 kilograms Olympic title at Rio 2016, seemed positive when asked about the new rules.

"I have only done one competition on the new rules, but I really liked it," she said.

"I think it is getting more interesting to watch."

Jones was speaking at a press conference alongside Rio 2016 gold medallists Ahmad Abughaush of Jordan and Oh Hye-ri of South Korea.

"It becomes more interesting and attracts more people to watch it," Abughaush, Jordan’s first-ever Olympic medallist with gold in the men's 68kg category, said of the new rules.

Oh, who won the women's 67kg crown at Rio 2016, added: "The WTF (World Taekwondo Federation) has been changing some of the rules and I understand that it is to make taekwondo a more interesting game for spectators." 

South Korea's Lee Dae-hoon, a London 2012 silver medallist and Rio 2016 bronze medallist, was also present at the conference.

"This is just the beginning," he said.

"I do not know how it will play out, but I think the new rules create more free-flowing matches.

"For the new rules we need to be physically stronger and I am sure taekwondo will be more exciting for spectators."

World Taekwondo accepted an extension to the margin at which matches can be ended, from 12 points to 20.

The international governing body also scrapped the minus half-point penalty, leaving gam-jeom - minus one point - as the only penalty of its kind.

Furthermore, it was proposed that automatic penalties be removed for pushing, allowing for competitors to push and kick.

World Taekwondo hopes this will encourage more combination attacks, with some within the sport criticising some of the bouts at Rio 2016 for lacking action and being too passive.

Under the changes, which were "tentatively" launched in January, the golden point round, used to decide the winner if the regulation period has ended with the players all-square, has been halved from two minutes to one.

Coaches are no longer be allowed to appeal video replays for face kicks, but they have been given an increase in video quotas as they now get one per match.

The rule alterations followed an extensive consultation process, with involvement from 30 elite coaches from around the world, as well as the heads of the Technical Committee, Coach Committee and Referee Committee, and the World Taekwondo Council.

World Taekwondo had identified four key areas for improvement going forward, including making the sport easier to understand for television viewers and improving officiating. 

Passivity was also outlined as a concern, along with claims that there are too many stoppages during contests.

Choue said the changes proved taekwondo was "fair and transparent" and claimed it was now time for the sport to "excite and dazzle".