There are an estimated 150,000 Karateka (practitioners) in England. The majority practice two to three times a week to keep fit and in pursuit of the ultimate goal of a Black Belt. It is very common for practitioners to start as children and continue to practice as senior citizens.
There are many styles of Karate but Karateka tend to mix well together and enjoy comparing training methods and techniques and show respect for each other; visitors to dojos from other styles and associations are almost invariably made welcome.
Karate is the largest Martial Art in the country and is practised by both sexes and involves many from poorer areas.
Sport England and the CCPR recognise this inclusivity and Karate is seen as meeting all their requirements of equity, ethnicity, gender and age and as having a code of conduct which is socially highly beneficial. Karate is recognised by the educational establishment as a criteria for GCSE and A Level in Physical Education.
Why is Karate divided with no Sport England recognised National Governing Body?
The division is not at the grass roots but results from Karate politicians who aim to have control and power over all English practitioners. This is evidenced by recent events which have prevented the formation of a Sport England recognised National Governing Body which would have been to the benefit of all English Karateka.
The Influence of the World Karate Federation (WKF)
An application for membership of the WKF, the body recognised by the International Olympic Committee, was made in 2006 on behalf of all English Karate bodies by Karate England (KE). This application was supported in person by Molly Samuel-
This recognition is now being used as a means of keeping Karate in England divided and is denying the vast majority of practitioners the opportunity to belong to a united and Sport England recognised National Governing Body.
This is largely because the WKF has created a rule -
Karate England members are seeing more and more attacks on them by the EKF who are using rule 21.9 to disrupt the practice of Karate.
The EKF recently complained to the Scottish Karate Board (SKB) who are the Sport
Scotland and WKF Scottish representatives, that the Karate Union of Great Britain's
(KUGB) Scottish members were having sporting relations with KUGB English members
who are not in the EKF, thereby making the SKB is in breach of rule 21.9. The secretary
of WKF, Mr Yerolimpos, has written to the SKB backing the EKF complaints and copying
the letter to Mr Espinos, WKF President and Mike Dinsdale, WKF Treasurer (he is also
EKF Vice-
The SKB have therefore invoked rule 21.9 and suspended KUGB Scotland, which is one of its largest groups, thereby denying the rights of hundreds of Scottish Karateka to the benefits afforded through a Nationally recognised National Governing Body.
Unification would have sent a positive message to the IOC that Karate was willing and capable of working in harmony; the message now coming from England and other nations dissatisfied by the WKF is that Karate is incapable of running itself and this very negative message will not have been helpful in the run up to the IOC decision.
International Competition and the Olympic Games
It is astonishing that the WKF, who have been attempting for a long time to introduce Karate into the Olympic Games, are forcing Karateka apart as a consequence of a rule that is purely political, unfair and causes more and more complaints against them.
In response to a recent question from the Olympic Committee, Mr Espinos stated that he can ensure that all athletes (Karate competitors) will be eligible for Olympic selection and yet we have already seen some of the best competitors from the British Universities banned from entering international competition and young EKF competitors banned from entering the London Youth Games because of rule 21.9.
Without doubt, it would greatly increase the profile of Karate if it were in the Olympics and Karate England fully support Karate’s inclusion. If it were to be included, all countries would wish to send the strongest competitors and as previously mentioned, the president of WKF has wrongly stated that WKF can guarantee the best competitors which cannot be true as WKF does not embrace all Karateka – there are already examples of national champions being excluded from International participation by the application of this rule.
The Karate England Board recently delegated Abdu Shaher and Bob Poynton to attend the
World Union of Karate Federations (WUKF) Championships in Odessa as observers. They were both very impressed by the friendliness shown the by the organisers and the terrific enthusiasm of hundreds of competitors from many countries from all continents, many of whom compete also at WKF events.
FEKO has been a firm supporter of WUKF through membership and attendance at WUKF events since its inception and recommended
membership to the Board prior to this visit. The Karate England Board have agreed that this championship can provide keen competitors with the opportunity to compete at elite International level and Karate England is now a member of WUKF.
It is apparent that Rule 21.9 is not being applied in many countries or in every situation but is being applied rigorously in England to support the politics of EKF.
The reality is that only the minority of Karateka take part in international competition but the politics of the WKF are affecting the vast majority of Karateka who are not interested or eligible for international competition. Elite competition is a showcase for sport Karate and the publicity generated will promote awareness and participation, but Karate has many aspects other than sport and these aspects must be respected in order to preserve Karate’s integrity.
Karate and Sport England
The current unstable and damaging political situation is particularly galling when it is a fact that Sport England mediated on behalf of Karate England and the English Karate Federation in 2008, offering to pay for a consultant to help steer Karate to unification and hence recognition with all the subsequent benefits of funding and support. Unfortunately, those steering the EKF withdrew from the process without any good reason and blamed the collapse of the talks on Sport England, which was blatantly untrue.
This situation should not be allowed to continue and could be changed overnight if
grass-
Karate has a reputation for conflict; it has been this way for many, many years but this needs to change. Karate needs to be guided by people who understand the power of positiveness and not by the few who constantly perpetuate divisiveness for personal interests. Karate England fully support the unification of Karate in England and Worldwide as do the vast majority of practicing English Karateka.
Karate England Board 12 August 2009
Political ambitions are stifling the development of Karate in England
