Karate (From Barry And District News)

Karate

WITH reference to a letter from Rob Copeland of the Vale Karate Club.

Mr Copeland mentions karate being included in the Olympics, but he fails to mention the WKF Karate was first recognised by the Olympic Committee back in 1985, when it was then known as WUKO.

The two main bodies in the future of karate in the Olympics are the ITKF and the WKF.

The WKF has 95 percent global representation and the ITKF only five percent.

It is down to the lack of unity within these two bodies that Karate has been left out of the Olympics since being recognised 20 years ago.

It seems karate has shot itself in the foot due to governing bodies not being able to work together.

And if Mr Copeland was realistic, then he would agree that there is a lot of politics within Traditional Martial Arts and this is why many of the good practitioners leave and start their own styles.

At the last International Olympic Committee meeting, the possibility of bringing another martial art into the Olympics was discussed.

The two main styles discussed being Wu-Shu Kung Fu and Full-Contact Kickboxing.

As a martial artist I would love to see any style of the Arts in the Olympics, but this will not happen until all the Arts can work together and stop the "my style"s the best, forget the rest" attitude that a lot of instructors/Senseis seem to adopt.

And don"t forget, having Olympic recognition does not mean automatic inclusion into the Olympic Games.

And as there are only 35 sports allowed in the Games, this means that for karate to be included, another sport would have to be removed.

And do you honestly think the IOC would drop an established sport for one that cannot get its act together?

It seems ludicrous, but line dancing could be included in the Olympics before karate.

J Flagstaff

Former Karate Sensei

Jenner Road

Barry