KARATE FOCUSES ON NEW CHALLENGES AT KEY STRATEGIC MEETINGS IN PARIS

World Karate Federation stakeholders gathered this week in Paris (France) to analyse the current situation of the sport. The preparations for Karate’s debut at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the ongoing campaign to request the inclusion of the sport in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games were on top of the agenda.

The meetings were headed by WKF President Antonio Espinós and were held in the headquarters of the French Karate Federation in Paris on April 30 and May 1. Members of the WKF Executive Bureau, extended to the members of the EC attending other Commissions, the WKF Olympic Planning Commission, the WKF Athletes’ Entourage Commission, the WKF Olympic Strategy Commission and the Presidents of all the Continental Federations participated at the gatherings.

A progress report on the Karate 2024 project was discussed as the WKF continues with its initiatives to achieve the inclusion of the sport in the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The prospects of the participation of Karate at the Youth Olympic Games 2022 in Senegal were also reviewed while the Olympic Planning Commission informed about the updates in the preparations towards the Olympic Games of Tokyo 2020. Furthermore, details of the most recent discussions with the Organising Committee of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to prepare the debut of the sport at the Olympic event and the timeline of the next relevant milestones were also analysed.

The presentation of the WKF draft calendar for 2020 and the current situation of the major WKF competitions such as the Karate 1-Premier League, the Karate 1-Series A and the Karate 1-Youth League were also items on the agenda. Additionally, an assessment of the new Kata evaluation system was examined while a discussion on potential changes in the Kumite rules also took place.

"It is very important that we work together to further grow our sport. Only by sharing our ideas, our experience and our resources we can truly confront the tremendous challenges that we have ahead of us. The meetings in Paris have helped us to achieve our goals to prepare for these challenges and to continue developing our structures. I am confident that we are moving in the right direction, raising the relevance of the sport worldwide and maximising our opportunities to continue making Karate the best combat sport," said WKF President Antonio Espinós.

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