New Zealand was formally recognised as a WT member under the organisation World Taekwondo New Zealand (WTNZ).

However, WT held a vote in July to effectively replace WTNZ with TNZ.

WTNZ claim that WT conducted the vote without informing the New Zealand taekwondo community.

"TNZ and World Taekwondo have not followed due process to obtain recognition here in Aotearoa New Zealand," WTNZ wrote in a statement.

"TNZ is not currently a representative national body, they have not held national elections and have not informed the majority of NZ Taekwondo members of their intentions."

The former governing body feel that the decision was unconstitutional as it was done without the knowledge or participation of taekwondo stakeholders in the country.

"We believe it would be folly for World Taekwondo, Oceania Taekwondo, New Zealand Olympic Committee and Sport New Zealand to work with 'TNZ' as the national governing body for New Zealand under these circumstances," the statement continued.

"To do so is undemocratic, unfair and will further divide and damage the sport."

A rift in taekwondo in New Zealand has been documented since 2016 as multiple groups have claimed to be the sport's governing body in the Australasian country.

"After more than four years of hard and often debilitating work by so many people we find ourselves in a more negative position than when we first started, with World Taekwondo choosing to characterise those opposed to their current 'solution' as spoilers who never wanted to engage in the process anyway," WTNZ published on social media.

Many people within the sport were angered by the way WT carried out the vote as WTNZ claim that more than 40 clubs contacted them in 24 hours expressing serious concerns.