GM Mehran Eisazadeh

Taekwondo Hall of Fame® Ceremony 2013

GM Mehran Eisazadeh

Country : Iran

INDUCTION TITLE - LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT - IRAN

About GM Mehran Eisazadeh:

8th Dan KUKKIWON

Dan Cert: 05044460
IR Hanmadang: 0260025
IR Kyorugi: 084-0025
IR Poomsae: 024-0053

I started training Taekwondo, because I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps. He was a colonel in the Armed Forces of Iran, during the Shah era. He was a local champion in Freestyle Wrestling, which is Iran’s national sport. My father has competed in national-level championships, and has a number of medals. I used to hold these medals in my hand, and dream of my own, one day. I grew up in a military environment, and loved my father’s job. My father used to teach my older brother and I wrestling and self-defense techniques he knew from the military.

In the summer of 1974, my father registered us children at Pahlavi Club in Tehran, which was a club catering to a number of sports; including Taekwondo, for the families of the military officers. I was amazed at the hard training, the uniform, Ki-hop, and the iron discipline of the class; led by Grand Master Azarpad. I am very proud that my Taekwondo journey started at Pahlavi Club.

Grand Master Azarpad was then a special forces officer, and his teaching method was highly inspired by his profession. In those days, we practiced ITF’s Hyung style; but some years later, Poomsae was introduced to Iran, thanks to the efforts of Grand Master Lee Woon Se, who used to visit our club and inspected the progress of learning Poomsae. As I became an advance student of the art, I started to assist my master in teaching the beginners. I also competed in Kyorugi, during that time.

NORWAY – 1987 – 98: I founded the Taekwondo Club of the University of Oslo (OSI-Tkd), in January 1990; after I started my Computer Science studies there. It was a great challenge to start the group; for two reasons, primarily –

1 – The unfortunate strong bias against people from the other cultures, and
2 – Nearly no one I ran across had any idea of what Taekwondo was actually about.

As Taekwondo, there, was judged similar to Karate; a competition between my group and the highly-respected Karate group, “OSI-Karate”, came about.

Of course, this competition was very positive, and adhered to sound sportsmanship principles. I regarded this undertaking as an opportunity to enhance and elevate my own, and my students’, knowledge of martial arts. During this period of time, I attended many Karate lessons tutored by Grand Master Kenneth Johnson. I also attended seminars by Grand Master Cho Woon Sup regularly; and invited him to supervise my club, once every school semester.

TEHRAN, Iran – 1998: I spend one year in Tehran, assisting my master at his club, and familiarizing myself with the new generation of Iranian Taekwondo practitioners – who were, at that time, preparing to take over the Gold Medal from Korea; for the first time, in the history of the sport. Since then, I have endeavored to stay in contact with my old (and new) friends in Iranian Taekwondo; by attending courses and seminars organized by Iranian Taekwondo Federation, as these events are extremely content-rich.

SWEDEN – 1999 to Present: I started a club, in January 2004, in Gothenburg; which I am still running. During this period of time, I have taught Taekwondo to scores of individuals (youth and adult), and have organized countless competition teams and training camps. I have always strived to live up to the original teachings of Taekwondo, and to the life lessons I have learned from GM Azarpad.

MY MOTTO in life has been the following words of the great Iranian poet,
Ferdowsi: – “Rectitude requires strength; laxity creates wretchedness and reliability.”

EDUCATION

1999 – 2000 Master of Arts in English Linguistics – Gothenburg University, Sweden

1990 – 1997 Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and English Linguistics – University of Oslo, Norway

TAEKWONDO – PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES

2004 to PRESENT
Founder, Chairman & Chief Instructor – Mehr Taekwondo Club, Gothenburg. Have created and led a vast number of teams, and arranged several sports events.

2010 to PRESENT – “Fall Camp” – Initiated an annual Taekwondo training camp; the largest in Sweden.

2022 ”Silver Medal” – Takavaran Online Poomsae U60, Iran

2021 “Bronze Medal” – 1st Worldwide Sports Online Poomsae U60, Netherlands

2018 “Gold Medal” – Recognized Poomsae, Lomma Cup, Sweden

2013 “Silver Medal” – Competitive Kyorugi -80 Kg, World Masters Games, Torino, Italy

1999 – 2003 Assistant Instructor – Tor Taekwondo Club, Gothenburg, Sweden

1998 – 1999 Assistant Instructor, under Grand Master Azarpad – Kabkanian Club, Tehran, Iran

1990 – 1997 Founder, Chairman & Chief Instructor – Taekwondo Club of University of Oslo Created and led a vast number of teams, and arranged several sports events.

1991 “Gold Medal” – Oslo District Championship, Norway

1989 Kyorugi Instructor – Oslo Taekwondo Club, Norway

1979 “Silver Medal” – Iranian Taekwondo Association Cup, Tehran, Iran

1977- 1979 Assistant Instructor – Pahlavi Taekwondo Club, Tehran, Iran

1974 Started training Taekwondo, under Grand Master Azarpad – Pahlavi Club, Tehran

TAEKWONDO – COURSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

2022 International Referee Certificate – Hanmadang, Class III, Tehran, Kukkiwon

2022 “8th Dan” – Recommended by Grand Master Azarpad; promoted by Kukkiwon

2021 International Referee Refresh – Kyorugi, Online seminar, World Taekwondo (WT)

2019 International Referee Certificate – Kyorugi, Class II, WT

2018 International Master Certificate, Class II – Tehran, Kukkiwon

2015 International Referee Certificate – Poomsae, Class III, WT