The International Wushu Federation (IWUF) held its 43rd Executive Board meeting in Haikou, China, in conjunction with the 4th Taolu World Cup. The meeting was attended by 17 board members and chaired by IWUF President Gao Zhidan, who also serves as China's Minister of Sport. The primary focus of the session was voting on the global sports calendar for the next two years.

Numerous candidatures for hosting official IWUF events were presented during the meeting. Stefan Kolev, Bulgaria's representative on the IWUF Executive Board, delivered a significant statement regarding the calendar, which colleagues listened to with great attention.

"We are always the most active in calendar voting because Bulgaria always wants to be in the top three countries organizing major events worldwide," Kolev shared.

During the meeting, Bulgaria received outstanding congratulations from all participants for organizing the 5th World Taijiquan Championships, held in April 2026 at Arena Burgas.

"Everyone says it was phenomenal - the best ever organized in Europe," Kolev noted.

The recognition confirms Bulgaria's position as one of the leading nations in hosting international wushu events.

The IWUF Executive Board meeting takes place annually and serves as the forum for the most important decisions regarding the sport's global development. After approving the protocol from the previous meeting, board members discuss and vote on new initiatives, calendars, and strategic directions. Gao Zhidan has led the IWUF since November 2023, when he was elected at the 16th IWUF Congress in Fort Worth, USA.

Decisions from the 43rd meeting will determine the schedule for key events including the World Wushu Championships, Taolu and Sanda World Cups, World Junior Championships, and other official competitions in 2027 and 2028. Bulgaria continues to strengthen its position as an active participant in the global wushu family.