The Ivorian Taekwondo Federation was recognised as one of the outstanding national governing bodies in the Ivory Coast ©Getty Images

The Ivorian Taekwondo Federation (FITKD) and its former President Bamba Cheick Daniel were both honoured at the annual Sport Plus Awards in Abidjan.

The FITKD, alongside the Ivorian Basketball Federation, received an award for the best sports federation of 2021.

FITKD President Jean-Marc Yacé was presented with a trophy at the honours ceremony, which is run by non-government agency Sport Plus.

Bamba, who stepped down as FITKD leader after 12 years at the helm in 2021, received a special prize.

He oversaw a period of significant growth for taekwondo in Ivory Coast, including Cheick Sallah Cissé winning Olympic gold at Rio 2016 and Ruth Gbagbi winning bronze medals at back-to-back Games.

Taekwondo now accounts for 75 per cent of all the Olympic medals won by Ivory Coast.

The World Grand Prix Finals were also hosted in Abidjan for the first time in 2017, the same year Gbagbi won the nation's first world title in taekwondo.

Yacé was elected as Bamba's successor in October.

As well the election of Bamba's successor, last year also saw the FITKD open a sate-of-the-art taekwondo facility.

The Alassane Ouattara Ivorian-Korean Sports Centre, named after the Ivory Coast President, features a 1,500-seat hall for taekwondo and other sports, a conference room, computer room, library and FITKD offices.

The Korean Taekwondo Association donated statues for the facility and the FITKD has sought to establish a cordial relationship with the organisation.