![](\"https:\/\/dkepdx27q19o5.cloudfront.net\/app\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/04\/29032354\/World-Taekwondo-X-Refract.png\" "\\"World")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>SESSION 4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> June 19th, 2025 (THU) | 14:30 \u2013 15:00<\/p>\n<\/div> World Taekwondo<\/strong>, Jerry Ling & Refract Technologies<\/strong>, Ng Chong Geng<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Jerry has more than two decades of sport management experience in the Olympic and Paralympic movements, having organized the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the Daegu 2011 World Athletics Championships, and several major world-level Taekwondo championships. Besides being a deputy secretary general of World Taekwondo in planning, finance and administration, he is also a member of the IOC Esports Commission, a board member of the Global Esports Federation, and chair of the GEF Education, Culture & Youth Commission. He is passionate about ESG \u2013 Esports, Sustainability, and Governance. Most importantly, he is lucky to be a husband and a father of two.<\/p>\n<\/div> Founded on May 28, 1973, World Taekwondo is the sole entity recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee in governing Taekwondo at the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, and in several multi-sport events worldwide. Driven by its vision of \u2018Taekwondo for All\u2019, which promotes participation in sport and unity through diversity, World Taekwondo has affiliated associations in 213 member nations and territories, plus one dedicated refugee team. World Taekwondo and its partner organization, the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation, are recognized within the Olympic and Paralympic movements as sport leaders in improving the livelihoods of refugees and displaced persons through its annual development programs and partnerships.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> A seasoned venture capitalist and entrepreneur in the tech startup space, I spent several years managing multinational investment portfolios and businesses before establishing Refract Technology.<\/p>\n As co-founding board member of the Global Esports Federation and Executive Director of e-sporting consultancy Selectstart, I remains committed to championing growth and collaboration in the e-sports sector through the use of game-changing technology, IPs and platforms.<\/p>\n<\/div> Refract Technologies was founded with the vision of extending the human experience beyond reality – with a focus on gaming and entertainment. Since developing our proprietary motion capture system, the AXIS, we’ve been working closely with global sports bodies and game development giants to deliver a new age for gammers and athletes alike. We’re a lean team of 20+ based primarily in Singapore, with veterans from Ubisoft, Gumi, IGG and more. Join us as we look to change the game.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Jerry Ling\u00a0<\/strong><\/span> Ng Chong Geng<\/strong><\/span> Jerry Ling\u00a0<\/strong><\/span> World Taekwondo\u2019s vision is \u2018Taekwondo for All\u2019, and our mission is to promote participation in sports and for healthy lifestyles. With this purpose, World Taekwondo began its collaboration with Refract Technologies to explore contactless Taekwondo in a virtual space \u2013 Virtual Taekwondo. Over the years, our collaboration with Refract has produced meaningful results: acceptance of VTKD into the Olympic Esports Series initiated by the International Olympic Committee, organization of the inaugural VTKD World Championships, and showcasing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. With the technology developed by Refract, VTKD offers an opportunity for everyone to have an immersive experience to play, train, compete, and have fun.<\/p>\n Ng Chong Geng<\/strong><\/span> Jerry Ling\u00a0<\/strong><\/span> Ng Chong Geng<\/strong><\/span> Jerry Ling\u00a0<\/strong><\/span> Ng Chong Geng<\/strong><\/span>
I did not set out to be in sport management but a backpacking trip to Korea changed all that. Since then, I have worked in World Taekwondo in various roles, and in two Organizing Committees (PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and World Athletics Championships). I am now in charge of Planning, Finance and Administration in my second stint with World Taekwondo.<\/p>\n
Founded a consultancy that specializes in working with sports federations or companies to develop active e-sports solutions
Worked with partners to successful develop an active e-sports AR system that translates physical actions into data that can interpreted by computer systems.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
World Taekwondo is recognized for introducing advanced technology to enhance its competitions. For example, prior to the London 2012 Olympic Games, World Taekwondo introduced the electronic Protector and Scoring System to enhance fairness in scoring. Video replay system was also introduced for this purpose.<\/p>\n
AXIS, developed by Refract Technologies, is a wireless, full-body motion capture system designed for immersive gaming, content creation, and virtual sports. Using a modular set of lightweight sensors and a central hub with a depth-sensing camera, it delivers real-time, low-latency tracking without the need for external base stations. AXIS supports platforms like SteamVR, Unity, and Unreal Engine, and offers different configurations for gamers, VR users, and creators. Its versatility is showcased through applications like the first-person fighting game Virtual Taekwondo, a collaboration with World Taekwondo and a virtualised rowing game called ROWMO.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Refract is a Singapore-based company that developed the AXIS technology required for the success of VTKD. When the idea of VTKD was first mooted in 2018, there were doubters. While there were a couple of different types of virtual\/augmented reality of Taekwondo, they were not at the level that World Taekwondo had in mind. So when Refract came up with the AXIS system, it was the game-changer that we were looking for. We hope to enhance this collaboration to realize the full potential of VTKD.<\/p>\n
Refract partners with international sports federations such as International Olympic Committee(IOC), World Taekwondo to pioneer a new era of virtualised sports, reimagining traditional disciplines for the digital age. These collaborations create new platforms for athletes to showcase their competitive spirit beyond physical arenas. Additionally, our partnership with HERO Esports deepens our expertise in the esports landscape, enabling us to push the boundaries of what esports can be.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
I would say that the possibilities are limitless. For example, Taekwondo has evolved over the past decades to become safer with less physical contact. VTKD offers this opportunity to play and train safely. In addition, the pandemic has taught us the importance of connectivity through the virtual space. While we are not there yet, we hope to achieve this breakthrough so that VTKD can truly be global and promote Taekwondo for All.<\/p>\n
We believe VR will be the bridge between physical performance and digital possibility. With AXIS, we\u2019re enabling fully immersive experiences with the fidelity and responsiveness to meet the demands of even professional athletes. VR will open up new avenues for globalized training, remote competition, and virtualized sports that push beyond traditional boundaries, creating a future where anyone, anywhere, can train, play, and compete at the highest level.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>